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I am reinstalling the Wiper Motor and the spiral shaft/wire gets stuck after reaching the first Wiper Mount. I can’t seem to get it past that point. Any advice or tips!
The picture shows that it is the cable running through the guide tube. In feeding it back in it only goes enough to engage the first wiper spindle. Ray
It sounds like you may have a jammed "wheel box" (that is what Jaguar call it). What you are dealing with here is a rack and pinion system where the cable is the rack and the spindle is the pinion Without the cable inserted does the spindle rotate freely through 360 degrees?
If not, the spindle will need some lubrication with penetrating oil such as WD40 or similar. The system can get bound up with old grease in the wheel box.
By removing the outside spindle retaining nut you may be able to get some penetrating oil into the wheel box.
Otherwise you have to go under the dash panel and remove the wheel box backing cover which is a heck of a job.
Bill Mac
MK1
MK2
XJ6S3
X300
previous 14 Jags MK5 to X308
Really, it's not that difficult on a MK II, if I remember correctly all that has to be done is for the dash top to be removed to expose the spindle boxes so the rack can be properly threaded in.
There are only two bolts holding the upper dash in place.
If the far spindle box isn't frozen, then the cable is most likely just getting hung up.
the tubing sections are flared at the ends and they lock into each end of the wheel box into a notch.
It is possible that one tube is out of the notch at the wheelbox and the cable gets stuck and won't go through.
only way is to inspect the notched connections of the two tubes (the in tube and the out tube) at the first wheelbox. There are 3 cable tubes. Remove the dash cap and inspect.
TRIVIA: the same principle is used with the 1968-1987 XJ sunroof cables and sunroof motor where they engage with the motor gearbox: Cables, Flared tubes, and notches.
This is a very simple mechanism. Agree with both Bill & Jeff on respective points. It's not difficult to get to the mechanism with the dash top off.
The rack (cable that runs in the tubes) needs to move very freely.
Disconnect the rack from the motor & crosshead & make sure the motor runs smoothly & the crosshead strokes backwards & forwards freely.
If it does you know the issue lies with the rack running in the tubes & over the wheelbox gears that drive the wiper spindles.
The tubes must be perfect with no kinks or dings/dents in them. I made up new tubes & flared their ends which is how they locate. Mine were knocked around & the rack tight in the tubes.
If the motor is behaving I recommend you remove the tubes, back plates on the wheel boxes & rack(cable). Removing the back plates from the wheelboxes frees both the tubes & rack cable.
Clean everything up & examine rack, tubes, & wheelbox spindles for seizure.
If nothing is dented or seized. Clean up everything ~ get all old grease out of tubes & then ensure that the rack cable will move backwards & forwards freely through each tube & oil both wiper spindles & ensure they rotate freely. Regrease the rack cable with good longlife grease & reassemble. DO NOT leave the short tube off of the far wheelbox.
Before re connecting the rack cable to the motor crosshead make sure it moves backwards & forwards in the tubes & turns both wiper spindles in an arc easily.
If all operates freely connect the rack cable to the motor's crosshead.
Put power on the motor & ensure that everything strokes backwards & forwards & turns the wheelbox spindles in their required arc.
All should be good for a long time. Remount the motor.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; 08-09-2021 at 08:31 PM.
What happens is the small nuts that hold the tube flares in place come lose from all the back and fourth movement of the rack.
When this happens, the cable starts moving away from the spindle gear, this also causes excessive wear on that gear and "sloppy" wipers.
The spindle gear will always wear first, it seems to be quite soft while the cable is tough spring steel.
If the spindle gear is worn, and they always are, put some masking tape on the splines where the wiper pushes on to indicate where the worn part is on the spindle gear _ do both.
Slip the cable back in and note where the masking tape is, the idea is to get the cable into the position where the "wear" isn't.
With a little patience one can adjust the spindles and get the cable in place where the gear isn't worn.
Yup ~ wise advice ~ I picked up on that and replacing the tubes also helped tighten things up. C21964 is no longer available so look after them. Gearing of other models varies.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; 08-09-2021 at 01:49 PM.
I had to adjust mine as Jeff indicated back in the day. As I recall, the wear was most significant at the positions where the wipers reverse. And do make sure everything is positioned and behaving correctly before putting the arms and wipers on. They can make horrible scratches on the scuttle and bonnet if the phasing is out.
08-08-2021, 05:57 PM
