2005 Five Hundred - Aftermarket Wiper Arms or Adapter?
 

Hey guys/gals, joined this forum basically to ask one question, which of course may result in more :p

I have an elderly neighbor with an '05 Five Hundred who I just replaced wipers for. I noticed the pin type adapter and went with your basic Bosch cheapies since she likes to save money, figuring there wouldnt be a problem. Well, they fit but not like they should. They have the ability to move a little back and forth because of the OEM pin, and the OEM cover/holder wont fit.

Theyre not going to fall off anytime soon, but is there some type of adapter or aftermarket wiper arm she can get that uses the hook style or even the universal pin style (the ones that "snap" on) instead of having to spend up to and over $50 for OEM wipers? I searched google over and over and no luck.

Id rather not be responsible for anything going wrong when it starts snowing and the weight of the snow breaks something. Some advice would be great. Thanks!

I think it's great that you assist a neighbor, however, do the right thing and don't compromise safety for a couple of dollars. When the wipers work as designed in a snow storm both you and she will be glad you did the right thing by installing what is supposed to be on there.

Better late than never
 

I just found this, sorry. I hate the way wipers go on and off the arms, but I did find that the Rainx latitudes seemed to feel more secure than any others I tried. Just to be certain we are talking the same style here, mine basically go on upside down and when you spin them around to face the windshield there is a piece that holds it in place.
Also note: I love the RainX Latitudes. Will be hard pressed to find a better replacement.

The wife just made her perpetual oil change appointment for April 8th on her 2007 Mercury Montego.
I added a request to have the mechanic to change the wiper blades after six years. And the right front mud flap since it was cracked. Gotta buy a pair of flappers for, $35. That's O.K.

1~The OEM Ford wiper are not available anymore. [Or are they Hanky?]
Too bad because I like the way the originals look regardless of price. -->$50 ?<--

2~The Parts guy picked two manufactures off the peg board behind him. One he liked and fit well, didn't get the brand. The other, an ANCO brand he couldn't recommend in good conscience. I concur.

skip.

Trico blades
 

On another 500 forum someone told me that Trico made blades for Ford. Recently my nearby Meijer store had a Trico sale of BO get the second 50% off. I purchased a set of Flex (24 & 20 in) blades for less than $20. They came with adapters. The Trico Exact Fit are made with the bayonet connection just like the OEM blades. I have also used eBay as a source. I own a 2012 Ford Escape. Blindly, I bought a pair of Ford 20" blades that cost $42. Won't go down that road again. To make the blades last a little longer I will use some silicone spray on the blades.

Most of the time,,,, you can usually get good wiper blades from an auto supply store. Some will carry more than one brand, but you need to know exactly what type your vehicle uses if you are going to buy them in any discount store.

I have never tried any silicone on wiper blades for fear of getting it on the windshield and possibly have clear wiping problems. Sunlight takes it's toll on rubber and wiper blade replacement is not that expensive if you replace them on a regular basis. If you want to clean the rubber on the blades consider using a little isopropyl alcohol , it will clean them without causing any problems.

The idea regarding silicone spray
 

My other vehicle is a 2012 Escape. I am a member of an Escape forum. A member there had suggested using the spray on the rubber gasket of the rear window. For the wiper I always removed the blade and sprayed directly wiping the excess with a paper towel. No spray towards the windshield. I have used the alcohol preps for wiper blades in the past.

Maybe the silicone spray works, I don't know, but I did try spraying the weatherstripping around my doors " to help keep the rubber resilient I guess", and I wound up with what sounded like rattles when the doors moved ever so slightly so I kinda placed silicone spray in the same class as belt dressing because that doesn't work either ! For what it's worth !