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I think this is the right part for the Defender. Certainly a better deal than the ones from the dealer, so partially meets my cheapskate requirement, but fails on the environmentally sensitive. I am both... I really hate tossing out the whole arm for want of a dollar's worth of rubber.
I think this is the right part for the Defender. Certainly a better deal than the ones from the dealer, so partially meets my cheapskate requirement, but fails on the environmentally sensitive. I am both... I really hate tossing out the whole arm for want of a dollar's worth of rubber.
Yes. It's nice to repair rather than replace. Also $8 for the refill. Hard to beat that.
I think the little plastic tabs will stop any unwanted movement of the rubber. Not a big deal either way.*
*Probably oodles of man hours in the windshield wiper department went into the addition of those little nubs. Possibly someone's patent or life's work. I shouldn't be too dismissive.
I like this thread lots. There are reasons why manufacturers try to eliminate failure points for safety items, I believe that's their business rationale here for lack of available wiper refills / not offering it thru parts channels.
I've changed the refills only on lots of cars in the past (mostly 80's cars w' Bosch blades) and on one... (I believe a 1991 9000 Turbo), the rubber refill insert came out of the blade during a drive.... and then I was 1) without wiping on the drivers side going I'm sure far above the speed limit and 2) this scratched the absolute heck out of the windshield with the wiper arm without rubber because I kept them running while trying to look out the passenger side.
That cost me ... lots of safety as pulling over on a busy highway in Georgia in a monsoon is *unsafe* and also a new windshield as the scratches could not be polished out. Either the new rubber I installed wasn't right or wasn't properly in the groove, etc. Most of us can't be trusted to '"not f it up".
So -- Easier for them just to sell the entire assembly than repeat of scenario I described above.
That said I'd probably still try it on the Deefer to see if it works.
Last edited by nashvegas; Dec 7, 2023 at 08:24 PM.
Anyone know if this replacement rubber insert will work for the rear wiper as well?
This is VERY important !! The only source Ive found for the rear wiper is OEM due to the washer fluid dispensing design. Maybe one of you guys can try this?
This is VERY important !! The only source Ive found for the rear wiper is OEM due to the washer fluid dispensing design. Maybe one of you guys can try this?
Right. People (Otto comes to mind) will tell you they are compatible, but they don't have the water feed channel.
This works great! I had a chattering passenger side blade and replacing the harder rubber with silicone rubber makes it sit better on the windshield.
Last edited by Ratledge; Dec 11, 2023 at 11:46 AM.
Just did another front wiper replacement @GrouseK9
$6 for 4 blades so a $3 DIY for new wipers. Two left over for next time.
The rear wiper is not amenable to replacement with these as the rubber has a tubular cross section. It serves as it’s own washer jets.
You can see where the washing fluids go in the ovoid channel. A few minutes of trimming like before. Service position for wipers. A close up of one of the pores on the rear wiper. There are many. Clever design which AFAIK has since been superseded by LR
winter blades...
The only source Ive found for the rear wiper is OEM due to the washer fluid dispensing design. Maybe one of you guys can try this?
