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windshield wiper shafts and water leaks

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  • Dakota Boy
    Super-Experienced
    • Jun 30 2009
    • 1561

    windshield wiper shafts and water leaks

    Quick question here:

    What keeps water from getting in around the wiper shafts and then entering the car's interior?

    Is there some sort of gasket or..... ?

    Thanks
    http://www.tbirdregistry.com/viewdat...ryNumber=33517
  • toddgilroy
    Experienced
    • Aug 30 2014
    • 411

    #2
    My car has some gray putty/sealant around the base of the shaft.
    Todd Gilroy
    1960 Tbird Convertible
    Thunderbird Registry #54651

    Comment

    • Anders
      Super-Experienced
      • Jan 19 2008
      • 2213

      #3
      Good question that I want to solve as well. There was this grey body putty/sealant around mine as well. Someone have also put a O-ring in the bottom behind the putty, but half of it was inside the sheet metal anyway. The putty might have been flexible around the time Jesus walked here, but it was kind of half stiff when I removed it. For sure it didn´t help to stop any rain coming in. If nobody comes up with anything better, I think I will try some gasket when I put it back. Maybe a flat kind of O-ring will do?
      sigpic..."Lil darling Ruth":)
      http://www.tbirdregistry.com/#33158

      Comment

      • jopizz
        Super-Experienced


        • Nov 23 2009
        • 8308

        #4
        I believe this is what the factory used or at least that's what we always called it. 3M seam sealer works just as well.

        John
        Attached Files
        John Pizzi - Squarebirds Administrator

        Thunderbird Registry #36223
        jopizz@squarebirds.org 856-779-9695

        https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm

        Comment

        • Guest

          #5
          Wiper Shafts

          I am in process of installing electric wipers and windshield washers. I removed the louvered cover over the two wiper shafts. The shafts were sealed with a white calk of some kind. It appears to have a crack in the sealant between the shaft and the body of the car.

          I think I will remove it and replace it with a sealant that will remain flexible.

          Also the metal screen under the louvered cover has some paint were the louvers are. I think the screen was all black. Does somebody know for Shure if it was all black? When the car was repainted I don't think the screen was removed from the louvered cover, and it got painted along with the cover.

          Comment

          • jopizz
            Super-Experienced


            • Nov 23 2009
            • 8308

            #6
            Originally posted by lnoska
            Also the metal screen under the louvered cover has some paint were the louvers are. I think the screen was all black. Does somebody know for Shure if it was all black? When the car was repainted I don't think the screen was removed from the louvered cover, and it got painted along with the cover.
            Yes, the screen was painted black from the factory.

            John
            John Pizzi - Squarebirds Administrator

            Thunderbird Registry #36223
            jopizz@squarebirds.org 856-779-9695

            https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm

            Comment

            • Tbird1044
              Super-Experienced
              • Jul 31 2012
              • 1346

              #7
              Front Grill Brackets

              Guess I should have asked before I painted the screen Corinthian White. No big deal to paint it black, since it is all cleaned and painted.
              Now I'll ask. How about the top brackets that hold the grill works in the front bumper?? Black or silver?? I think mine were black, but they were pretty rusted when I removed them.
              Nyles


              Originally posted by jopizz
              Yes, the screen was painted black from the factory.

              John

              Comment

              • Dakota Boy
                Super-Experienced
                • Jun 30 2009
                • 1561

                #8
                I've been trying to locate the source of a water leak lately. If I have to drive in rain, eventually I start getting water dripping onto the driver side floormat.

                Like Anders said above, the white caulk stuff on the wiper shafts was pretty dried up, and there was a small o-ring underneath there too. I used some black RTV silicone, then tightened down the collar while the silicone was still workable. I picked up a box of that 3M strip caulk stuff, and will wrap a strand of it around each wiper post.

                Inside the cowl, there were a lot of areas where this tar-like stuff (seam sealer I suppose is what it was) was loose of missing. What was still there was very brittle and shattered when poked at. I intend to re-seal all of this and then hope for the best the next time I get stuck in a rain shower...

                (Clarification: Actually my 13 yr. old will do this job since his hands are smaller and the holes in the cowl aren't very big. I'll be the "project manager")
                http://www.tbirdregistry.com/viewdat...ryNumber=33517

                Comment

                • jopizz
                  Super-Experienced


                  • Nov 23 2009
                  • 8308

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Tbird1044
                  Now I'll ask. How about the top brackets that hold the grill works in the front bumper?? Black or silver?? I think mine were black, but they were pretty rusted when I removed them.
                  Nyles
                  I've always painted the bumper and grill brackets black. I haven't found any documentation that shows whether they were black or silver but any that I've seen that weren't rusted looked black to me.

                  John
                  John Pizzi - Squarebirds Administrator

                  Thunderbird Registry #36223
                  jopizz@squarebirds.org 856-779-9695

                  https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm

                  Comment

                  • toddgilroy
                    Experienced
                    • Aug 30 2014
                    • 411

                    #10
                    My cowl had rusted through on both sides just before it drains down (there's a little low spot that apparently holds water). I used some POR-15 products to patch it up. You might want to check that area out if you haven't already done so.
                    Todd Gilroy
                    1960 Tbird Convertible
                    Thunderbird Registry #54651

                    Comment

                    • Dakota Boy
                      Super-Experienced
                      • Jun 30 2009
                      • 1561

                      #11
                      I know the low spot you are mentioning.... mine hasn't rusted through, but there is a seam there with about 1/4" gap that has the sealer missing. My money is on that area being the source of my leak. Time will tell.
                      http://www.tbirdregistry.com/viewdat...ryNumber=33517

                      Comment

                      • Guest

                        #12
                        New wipers for my bird

                        I received the parts from Newport Engineering today. Next is to start to remove all the stuff to get to the vacuum wiper motor. This is the second time for me, so it should be no big deal, right. (Ha HA) I think it will be easier without the right seat in the car. If I have trouble I will report what the problem is. This may save somebody a headache.

                        Larry

                        Comment

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