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Any advice? Particularly on a Trans Am (or Firebird)? (not sure if the plastic at the base of the windshield is identical on the chevys or not)
My goal is to get the arms off without damaging anything. Have read that prying will break the windshield so I'm not doing that. But have also read that PB Blaster and wiggling can break it loose, so far that has not worked for me and just seems to be moving the structure underneath the plastic (I'm seeing the shaft move in and out). Am afraid to try a torch as the plastic is so close. Thought about fashioning some sort of puller myself with flat pieces of metal, but the plastic is too close to allow something like that to work it seems.
Looks like a puller with an L shaped jaw might work. Read several guys refer to a "wiper arm puller", but searching online at pepboys, harbor freight, lowes, and home depot turned up nothing.
Any thoughts on if something in that 3 piece set would work? Or advice on other means? Really need to get these off, but also really want to avoid damage (even to the arms themselves - if possible).
To get mine off I just took the nut off and kept wiggling/pulling with a rocking motion until it popped free. Yes the shaft will move around so don't yank too hard, just use steady rocking pressure. Worked on both my Trailblazer and my Camaro.
I still need to get a replacement driver side arm for my Camaro as mine is messed up a bit.
I just went through this last week, I think this is the 1st time my wiper arms were removed in 13 years (Its an 02 Trans AM).
I was using a wiper arm removal tool, in working with it I broke the plastic handle on the tool - I then proceeded in using vice grips on the tool to get the arm loose. I was careful and it finally came off...but it wasn't easy at all!
I just went through this last week, I think this is the 1st time my wiper arms were removed in 13 years (Its an 02 Trans AM).
I was using a wiper arm removal tool, in working with it I broke the plastic handle on the tool - I then proceeded in using vice grips on the tool to get the arm loose. I was careful and it finally came off...but it wasn't easy at all!
Can you post a picture of the tool? Where did you get it? I have yet to find something listed specifically as a wiper arm removal tool, but am interested. I'd like to get the best tool to make the job as easy as possible.
(mine too is an 02 and this is the first time they'll have come off since installed by the factory)
The first one (smaller tool) is what I used, and broke.
I'd recommend spending an extra few dollar for the lager tool, its made for battery terminals and wiper arms, and no doubt stronger.
BTW< be careful not to break the plastic covers. They actually come right off to be safe.
The ones at Harbor Freight were pretty strong looking, but also looked like the rounded end of the hook might not fit under the arm, so I passed. They had no battery terminal pullers, and nothing specifically for wiper arms. Where did you get yours?
Originally Posted by M4N14C
I just soaked it with PB blaster overnight and in the morning both came off in under 20 seconds.
I sprayed it a few times with PB, left it over night, tried it the next day, and it made no difference at all. Had you had yours off before, or closer to manufacture? (are you the original owner? Perhaps a previous owner had removed them at some point, which seems to make it easier.)
I was able to order the tool posted by michaelhawk:
...or at leas a clone of it. Lisle I think was the brand. There were others similar, but this one was all metal. Got it from Amazon. Also found it at AutoZone, but Amazon was cheaper (once you clear $35 for free shipping) at just under $18. They also had an even heavier duty one for around $37. But I took the chance on this one and it did the job.
It took some wrenching on the driver's side, and once it broke the tension, it popped and startled me. Thankfully it didn't chip the hood or anything. Oddly the passenger side came off much more easily. I bet with PB Blaster and the wriggle method it would have come off like so many say theirs have. Only the driver's side was a serious pain. (I thought they'd both be the same)
I'm bringing this thread back from the dead for others since I went through this tonight.
I wanted to spruce up my cowl area since everything black is faded. I bought Duplicolor Vinyl paint to use on my plastic cowl pieces, wiper arm covers, and possibly the wiper arms. I removed the wiper covers and nut that holds the arms down. I then sprayed the studs with Kroil Penetrant which is one of the best IMO. Waited 4-5 hours and pulled. And pulled. And hit the arms with a socket and hammer. Then heated them up with a torch. And pulled. No joy, they were stuck on the stud like GM welded them there.
I went to the local autoparts store and bought a puller. The puller worked. The arms made a really LOUD popping sound like DrkPhynx mentioned which made me think I was breaking something but thankfully all was well. If you're like me, things don't magically work using the easiest method available. For sanity's sake you may want to get a puller right off the bat. No way were my wiper arms going to "wiggle right off".
^^^^Yep. The Autoparts store people will either lead you to a dainty one marked for wiper arm removal that looks like it's made of butterfly wings or will claim that they've never seen one. Get the smallest "REAL" puller like Cayenne shows. Sorry for a lack of pictures on my part, my phone is being screwy.
I bought the wiper tool from the auto parts store and broke it without getting a single one off. Brought it back, they gave me a new one. Broke it. Brought it back. They gave up and gave me my money back. I finally went to the shop that does my alignments and the mechanic there was nice enough to loan me the tool that 99CayenneT/A has. Worked like a charm.
One thing I remember doing a lot, as stated, was using a hammer while lifting on the arm. PB blaster is good. Just don't forget to put the nut on before you bang it so the stud doesn't mushroom.
05-22-2015, 09:23 AM
4th Gen wiper arm removal 
