Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

This is for my friend Tony, who is unable to log on for some reason.

Yesterday we took our cars to a funeral for one of our nicest members. On the way home, the driver's side wiper cable on his 56 snapped. As we understand it, the cable is "permanently" attached to the wiper drive shaft.

If anyone has been through this and can offer useful advice, he would be grateful.

It looks like a complete beast to me....

Thanks!

Cable is permanently attached to the outside part that the wiper blade fits on. To change it requires a complete new assy on the broken side and is a royal pain. I don't think there is enough slack for an overlapping repair but depending on where the break is, possibly releasing the tension would allow a metal sleeve like an electrical butt connector to be crimped on. They make splice sleeves for regular wire ropes but don't think those are available in sizes less than 1/8. Keeping the wire end to end with the sleeve in the middle might work. The wiper arm can be moved a notch or two on the post to allow for the slight change in wire length. The crimp would have to be very tight but once tension is put back, it's hard to say if the sleeve would hold long term.

The repair/replacement instructions are in the instrument section of service manual and it takes a real contortionist to do it on the drivers side. Best suggestion is observe, mark and use whatever means necessary to keep track of where the cables route and which groove and side they end in on the center pulley. By all means disconnect the battery when doing any work on the drivers side with a metal cable flopping around.

If it is changed, depending on the condition of the car, the rubber gasket under the assy may be rock hard and generally in poor condition when the old unit is removed. A new gasket may be needed.

I have to say that I trhought this would generate more responses, particularly since it is such a nasty sounding job.....

As HH56 said, it's in the shop manual. If you're waiting for someone to come along and say it's any easy job, don't hold your breath.

It is covered nicely. A royal pain in the butt job, no sugar coating it. I would not try a repair, just replace the unit.

Not holding my breath. Just seems like posts for the nasty stuff get more alternative solutions or tricks and tips.

Don't envy Tony on this one!