I have a stock 98 Cherokee and I noticed that I can't lift the front wipers off the windshield as one would do when it's going to snow overnight, anyone have any information on this? Do the stock wiper arms usually lift in this fashion? Or do I need to buy new ones that have that upgrade?

 

Unless they changed for 98 (mine is a 97) or they were replaced with something that uses other means, you just lift up on the arm and pull the little tab at the base outwards to lock them into the up position. This is the same method to remove the arms altogether, so if you plan on an "upgrade", you will still have to pull the arm up and pull that tab. To lower the arms, lift up on the arm again and push that tab back in.

If they are in fact stuck, shoot a little PB Blaster around the pivot and give it a couple taps with a block of wood or something to help it soak in. Do this until it frees up. I never had to do this, but there is a first time for everything.

 

Yeah, what a hassle to just want to get wipers off window when it's gonna snow lol. Thanks for the info, I wilk check for an upgraded arm that simply lifts off glass like most vehicles.

 

Ha! I've had this thing for 4 years in a heavy snow area, and wanted to put my wipers up so many times! and fiddled around with it 100s of times. Never once....did I think to pull on that little tab. Just went out and tried it. I can't believe I never noticed that. Thank You!!!!

 

I dimly remember seeing a How-To on replacing the wiper arms with arms from a Ford Ranger, which operate as a windshield arm should operate. One of these days, I plan to track it down and see if it really works.

 

Not being able to do this has never really been an issue for me but it would be nice. Playing with those tabs to achieve this sounds like a pain. Maybe give it a try next year.

Might be going to the boneyard today and will see what I could see and report back.

 

Sounds good, I am looking into other options as well, maybe can pin down something! Odd thing is, my rear pivots away from window easily...why would they not design the fronts the same way?!?!

 

Starting to look like I might not get there today but I have to go see my alternator guy on Friday and he is right around the corner from the boneyard so hopefully by then.
Never thought to check the rear. Have to remember to try it.

 

If you can't get the arm to pivot up, try at least putting a grocery store plastic bag over it, or look into the windshield cover. The cover hooks into the vehicle doors and covers the entire windshield, works great on my dads pickup.

 

The rear pivots out away from window. Not sure why they removed that design from the fronts haha

 

Thats what i do, cover the entire windshiel. Its a FrostGaurd cover. It has elastic straps that fit around the side mirrors, and a tubed flap that fits between the door and the body on one side.You can find covers in different sizes. Some come with booties for the side mirrors.

 

I got to the boneyard today and wiper arms from a 2000 Ford Ranger will not work.
Only Ranger they had in the yard.
The knurled part, part of the wiper transmission that sticks out of the cowl that the wiper arms go on, are really big on a Ranger.
Like maybe as much as 1" in diameter.
So maybe older or newer body style ones would but.....
It appears 1998 to 2011 is the run of the 2000 body style.
So I would have to assume none of them would work if that is correct.

 

Thanks for trying!

 

So to keep the wiper up you pull the tab, but to remove it you pull the tab, so if someone bumped it or bad wind or something. Couldn't the wiper arm just fall off? I don't remember if there are two notches or not, but it would be unfortunate to have a wiper arm fall off

 

So I decided to go play with it for a couple seconds. The small circle is where the tab is keeping the wiper blade from going all the way down.
The big circle is what I say grind, on the main part of the arm that the wiper attaches to, so we can clear that piece that the tab we pull up on is. LOL.
Shot showing how far they are off the windshield.