TheHaflinger.com

Does anyone know if there is a substitution available for the stock wiper arms? I don't know the size of the splines/spindles, and if that part was co-opted from a 3rd party manufacturer or produced by Steyr Puch independently..

Thanks!

This suggests you have got your Haflinger home! have you got the pictures you were promising?

Unfortunately, I can't answer your question about alternative wiper arms, but I would have thought there should be one from a vehicle of similar age that uses 10" blades.

John

I'm not expecting my Haflinger for a few weeks, actually. But, I know I need wiper arms, and the OEM units are more than $100 a piece. Since my Hafi needs a number of things, I'm trying to explore my options.

You did realise when you bought it that you could probably spend the same amount again fixing it?

I wonder if some thing like an early mini would fit, the blade size is the same. Possibly even one from a landrover series 1.

I would plan on replacing the majority of the brake system as they appear to be rather useless even when new. Mine suffered from a seized master cylinder, then leaking wheel cylinders when the pressure was back up again. That and an oil leak from a hub prompted me to change the brake shoes. Took it for its MOT and was told the brakes were not good enough, so replaced the hoses and tried again. Now atleast they work as well as they ever will.

I take it you have joined some of the other Haflinger sites, there is some good advise on places like the Yahoo group if you read back through posts.

Obviously, this site is available and hopefully we can answer / help with your soon to arrive "money pit"

John

I considered the classic mini, with 1 arm from a LHD and one from a RHD, but I think the arm length may be wrong, and I'm not sure of the spline/spindle applications.

cascade.king wrote:I'm not expecting my Haflinger for a few weeks, actually. But, I know I need wiper arms, and the OEM units are more than $100 a piece. Since my Hafi needs a number of things, I'm trying to explore my options.

Not sure if Haflinger Technic have them in stock, or if their online price list is up to date, but the arms are listed at GBP 13.84 each. Even allowing for VAT (if you have to pay it?) and shipping / duty etc, you should be able to obtain them for vastly less than USD 100 each. The blades are extra, but they are not expensive.

I have just had a look at mine and although I can not be 100% certain that they are original, I can't see any reason why they shouldn't be. Photo below:
As you can see, mine are held on to the shaft by a bolt tightening from the side. I would have to measure the shaft but I am pretty sure that any wiper arm you got with that fitting would work.

John

Found a few links which might be of use if you fail to find suitable arms from someone like Puchmanlenny who advertised in the services section on here and in the Yahoo group.

I shall visit my local classic car shop next weekend and ask if they have any wiper arms with that type of fitting. If they do and they are "adapterble" for use, then I will buy some - even if only to keep as spares.

John

https://www.europaspares.com/product/45 ... 21281.html

https://www.europaspares.com/product/45 ... _Arms.html

http://www.restorationstuff.com/catalog.html

http://www.ricambio.co.uk/1416-chrome-w ... 0-600-1100

heinkeljb wrote:I have just had a look at mine and although I can not be 100% certain that they are original, I can't see any reason why they shouldn't be. Photo below:

wipier arm1.jpg

wiper arm2.jpg

As you can see, mine are held on to the shaft by a bolt tightening from the side. I would have to measure the shaft but I am pretty sure that any wiper arm you got with that fitting would work.

John

John - my wiper arms are the same as yours however the wiper blade and its holder are different on mine - my blade is a couple of inches longer on the inside of the arm so would sweep closer to the bottom of the windscreen than yours.

The fitting point on the wiper arm where the blade attaches is the same - blade type. Mine is pushed on and held in place by the orange plastic acting as a clip. Yours uses a bolt to crimp on to the blade.

If you pull the arm away from the windscreen, is the fixing point on to the shaft the same as mine?

John

heinkeljb wrote:If you pull the arm away from the windscreen, is the fixing point on to the shaft the same as mine?

John

Yes - exactly the same.

Hi Mike,

I have just got back from a trip to my local classic car emporium - Called "Speedy Spares". I believe they have a web site as well.

Anyway, had to go there for other reasons so it wasn't a trip just for you if that worries you! Have a look at the picture. the actual arms can actually be removed from the casting as replaced with what ever you like if need be. They cost me £15 the pair. If you want I can send them to you - postage shouldn't be more than they were so not a problem.
I can probably find blades for them as well, but that will have to wait a while as I only get week ends to actually visit places unless I can find them Online.

John

P.s. forgot to say these arms are for a right hand drive vehicle, BUT it would be easy enough to bend the end the opposite way to make them fit a left hand drive vehicle.

Huh. You have been busy.
I know my Haflinger is missing both arms in their entirety. I also know the wipers are bi-directional, ie they park opposite each other, each facing out to the left/right respectively. SO.. I need to find 2 exact mirror image arms to make that work, bent properly so the blade (when parked) will sit horizontal to the bottom of the windscreen glass. The ones you found could work on a Poly (again, I guess), but perhaps not on a 700AP Pathfinder.

I questioned Mini only because I knew I could get 1 RH and one LH from US parts suppliers. But, since I don't know the size of spline or spindle, or attachment method, I'm lost. I know the cars I do know won't work on the Hafi (VW Thing/ Beetle, Various Triumphs). I may end up having to man up and spend the coin on the arms that I have been seeing at SAV and HT.

Mike,

That 's how they are supposed to work - at least that's how mine work and I have no reason to believe mine have been altered.

The new arms I bought should work, but you might have to grab the end of the arm of one of them in a vice and just bend it in the opposite direction to the same angle.

If you look at the pictures in this thread, you will see the blade fitting system is a flat blade which uses a bolt to clamp to the arm. Gary's picture shows the bolt. On mine the bolt is on the other side of the casting so is not showing in the pictures.

I can take some more pictures if you like showing comparisons between the ones on my Hafi and the new ones I bought.

John

Those arms and blades look identical to early VW beetle ones. VW beetle parts are easy to source.
If the blades on a beatle are to short the early bus ones are the same just about 5 cm longer.

Hi Mike,
The shaft where the wiper arm attaches is completely round, 6mm diameter and smooth. There are no knurls, flats, detents, ribs or rings on the shaft. The wiper arm is held to the shaft by the hex head set screw you see in the pictures I've attached. The overall length of the Haf's wiper arm is 255mm.
It looks to me that a VW Beetle arm would require a considerable amount of redesign of the flat steel arm portion to make it function on a Haffy. The VW arm is much longer (easy fix with a hacksaw) but bent at all sorts of wrong angles. I've found that this material just cracks when you try to bend it by hand so likely heat and mandrel dies would be required to have success.
I've also researched using VW wiper drive shaft assemblies from both Beetles and Type 2 but they don't work in the Haflinger windscreen frame as the threaded shafts are the wrong length and the bellcrank is incorrect.
The wiper blades from a Unimog 411 are a perfect fit for the Haflinger and are available from Expedition Imports for a very reasonable price. Haflinger Technik also has blades at a good price and they are more similar to the original Haffy equipment.
Send me a PM and I will see if I can locate a set of NOS wiper arms for you as I have a few other sources that I can contact for you.
BTW, VT is close to New Brunswick so maybe we can get together with the Haf's some day.
Cheers,
Steve

This is what I did. Modified VW arms. They are longer. So cut them and heated and bent the ends to replicate the originals the 'base' is a little longer but looks almost the same.

OK for the blades... I found and I mean identica, stainless ones at a boating shop.

The wiper arms on my 700 short-canvas cab Haflinger seem to have standard modern style wiper blade attachments. From what everyone is posting, I gather that these are not originals. I couldn't find any maker's marks on them at all. Wish I could say where they came from, but this vehicle is silent.
The poly-cab I have has wiper arms like the ones everyone is showing.

Yakov,

I think you are right in your assessment that the wipers on you red Haflinger are not original and are of a "modern" design. The mounting looks like someone has replaced the original smooth shaft that goes through the windscreen with one that has a thread at the top so I guess the mounting part of the arm is also of the type that uses splines and is tapered.

As long as they clear the windscreen of water in an adequate fashion (with new blades of course), then there is no reason to replace them with original style one unless it is your intention to rebuild one / or both of your Haflingers to original factory spec - I have to say, as relative new comer to the Haflinger "scene", I have noticed that there seem to be a lot of people who are "in the process" of rebuilding their Haflingers to original specifications and that they are / have taken years to do so!

Personally, I would much rather fix the broken things and then enjoy using the vehicle. It might get to the stage that it would be easier to do "full" rebuild, but far more likely, you would then just go on fixing the things that are broken.

Which ever way you decide, good luck and enjoy the strange new vehicle in your possession!

John

Early VW wiper arms work, you just have to put 1 in a vice and correct the top bend in the proper direction.
$5 ea at wrecking yard or $28 ea aftermarket.