Well everyone, the longer I stare at my truck, the more things I find that tick me off! :mad:

One thing I found while on vacation during a fill-up, was finding my wiper arms would barely pull far enough away from the windshield to scrub the bugs off with the gas station squeegee... I could of sworn my wife's Tahoe wipers swung out of the way completely! Well, when I got home and confirmed this was the case, guess what... The stealer was able to pry another $40.00 + from my wallet. Of all the cheap lousy ways to make a buck! GM couldn't even make a truck as good as my wife's cheap version Tahoe! Next mod? I'm eyeing my wife's under hood light that GM neglected to install on my $40,000 + truck. Professional engineered my a$$.

Anyway, enough with my rant, I just wanted to share with those who may want to do this. Just buy the arms for a 2002 Chevy Tahoe (see pics for part numbers) Remove the protective cap and 13mm nut, give it a coulple of wacks with a brass hammer ("brass" so you don't damage the threads) while pulling outward on the arm, install new arms and enjoy! :cool:

I do agree that GM has definetly been cutting corners on a bunch of thing...but in their defense the reason for the change in wiper arms is due to the fact that they contact the hood when in the up position and they were recieving too many warrantee claims for paint damage in this location...with the current generation of wiper arms they have solve that problem...annoying...Oh most definetly.

Thats interesting, since the GMC's haven't changed their hoodline since the HD line was started.

D3, do your's now touch the hood when you open it? Thanks for the part numbers!

Thats interesting, since the GMC's haven't changed their hoodline since the HD line was started.

D3, do your's now touch the hood when you open it? Thanks for the part numbers!

I need to clarify....Not when you open the hood....hood shut..wipers lifted up...maybe its just a problem with Chevy's, maybe not.

D3, do your's now touch the hood when you open it? Thanks for the part numbers!

No, they do not... Driver's side has about 3/8" clearance and the passenger's side has even more, about 3/4" clearance.

I will say this... be sure to note the location of the old arm before removal. The arms have no "key" or means of location when you install them, and I think one could install an arm too low causing a wiper arm/hood clearance problem when lifted up. Just put some masking tape on the windshield and mark your wiper's "at rest" position before you remove them.

One could also find them cheaper at a junk yard... but the local yards around me didn't have anything newer than 1998 in Tahoes, and I didn't want to drive towards Baltimore saving $15.00 on used arms, just to spend it again in fuel wasted in my search!

GMpartsdirect has them both for $21. But when you include shipping (and the potential hassles we're now hearing about), the $40 you paid isnt so bad.

Thanks!

I'm glad I'm not the only one pissed about the windshield wipers. Do the Tahoe wiper lift at about 70 mph in the rain? Thanks for taking the time to research a solution, will go order a pair today.

Just had the parts guy set out the pair, 21.49 each.

The problem is with the raised Chevy hood.

I hated this too and I was gonna buy new arms, but after looking at the 02 arms and comparing them it's easy to see what GM did. They just cut a notch in the mold and that made a notch on the arm to keep it from coming up. I just ground off the notch with my Dremel and it works perfect....

Ok, Ox......Now you have to share.....Pics please.....

The problem is with the raised Chevy hood.

I hated this too and I was gonna buy new arms, but after looking at the 02 arms and comparing them it's easy to see what GM did. They just cut a notch in the mold and that made a notch on the arm to keep it from coming up. I just ground off the notch with my Dremel and it works perfect....

Ahhh... I see where if you had a "High Hood", you may have a problem with the arm contacting the edge, thus chipping your paint. I have the low hood. :(

He is also right about grinding down the hump cast in the arm preventing full swing out. This would work if you had some good paint to cover it afterwards.

Pic below shows the difference... Lower arm is the Tahoe arm and the upper arm is the stock '05 truck arm. Springs and hindges are otherwise identical.

I'm glad I'm not the only one pissed about the windshield wipers. Do the Tahoe wiper lift at about 70 mph in the rain? Thanks for taking the time to research a solution, will go order a pair today.


With over 6800 miles, I don't know... Hasn't been in the rain (yet). Only turned the wipers on to remove the morning dew or the occasional splatted bug. The springs are the same on both arms, so I would tend to believe the answer is no.

I will say this... be sure to note the location of the old arm before removal. The arms have no "key" or means of location when you install them, and I think one could install an arm too low causing a wiper arm/hood clearance problem when lifted up. Just put some masking tape on the windshield and mark your wiper's "at rest" position before you remove them.

D3 Thanks for the great info! I'm gonna order a set right away because I love being able to flip them up at night in the winter to keep them from getting frozen to the windshield!!!

But...I want to inform you all about installing these wiper arms. Do not worry about marking them. Just make sure they are in the rest position and remove the old arms. Look on your windshield for a black tab mark. Depending on the year of your truck, this tab will either be vertical or horizontal.

With the vertical mark, when you install the arm with the blade attached, make sure that the blade rests somewhere on that vertical line. With the horizontal mark, make sure that your blade is within about an 1/8 of an inch of the tab mark.

I've included a picture of the vertical tab mark in my windshield. Take a look, you will all have one. But...there is one stipulation! You must have your factory windshield for this tab to be there.

Thanks, DDD:ro)

Ok, Ox......Now you have to share.....Pics please.....

I was gonna take some but didn't, I can take one off this weekend a snap a pic. The pic DDD posted doesn't show the notch, it's on the underside. If you pull up on the wiper arm and watch the chip that connects the spring to the lower arm, you'll see where it hits the piece sticking out of it limiting the wipers range of motion. You will also see that piece is sticking out of a notch in the middle. Just grind that peice off in the middle and you're all set. I didn't paint mine and you can't see where I ground it. I hope this helps... maybe your broke a$$ can be of some use and do this to BBT and make a write up with pics):h

Smart aleck. Crazy Daze and I were talkin about getting together to do the cabin filter mods (just have to wait on the air filter covers from GM now). Maybe we'll do this mod too.

Then I'd have to work that write up into my busy schedule, too....



:joke: :lol:

:blahblah:

:funnypost :funnypost ...

OK Ox, I just went out and looked at my wiper arms. I'm gonna take them off and do surgery on them tomorrow. I'll post pics if you don't get to it.

Come on fellas... I didn't want to start a :boxing: over this. BlueOx03, my post number 10 shows my '05 arm next to th '02 installed arm. My '05 arm would have to have the exposed black hump removed to allow 'swing out' of the arm at the pinch point. This would then be seen and would need to be painted. That's what I was trying to take a picture of. I guess '05s are different?

TheBac, cabin filter mods? More details please...

TheBac, cabin filter mods? More details please...

DDD...see the "Cabin Filter" thread over in the interior folder. Tom and I are tackling that project full force this coming week. I am ordering the filters and he has ordered the filter covers. We're going to do both his truck and mine.

DDD...see the "Cabin Filter" thread over in the interior folder. Tom and I are tackling that project full force this coming week. I am ordering the filters and he has ordered the filter covers. We're going to do both his truck and mine.

And pics....and beer.... :lol:

D3...I've looked at that pic a few times, and can't tell the difference between the two arms. Is there an extra "flap" on the immovable one?

Sorry....must be my "broke a$$" eyes. Right, Ox? :lol:

I'll take more pictures tomorrow morning... I'm at work tonight untill 7 am.

There is a "bump" cast on the outside exposure of the aluminum part of the arm, preventing outward swing at the pinch point (hinge). A "side view" picture will show this.

DDD...see the "Cabin Filter" thread over in the interior folder. Tom and I are tackling that project full force this coming week. I am ordering the filters and he has ordered the filter covers. We're going to do both his truck and mine.

Oh how sweet. :)

Come on fellas... I didn't want to start a :boxing: over this. BlueOx03, my post number 10 shows my '05 arm next to th '02 installed arm. My '05 arm would have to have the exposed black hump removed to allow 'swing out' of the arm at the pinch point. This would then be seen and would need to be painted. That's what I was trying to take a picture of. I guess '05s are different?

TheBac, cabin filter mods? More details please...

Dude don't worry about me and Tom, we're just busting balls. You pic Does not show the hump, it's on the bottom. Tom sees no difference between the two from that pic cause they look the same, a guy I work with just bought an 05 that was built just over a month ago and his are the same as mine. the only difference between any of them is the part on the bottom that limits the travel. you can only see that part if you pull up on the wipe arm, so if you grind it off you'll only see it when you pull up on the arm. I'll take pics of mine and show where I ground it....

Here's side view pics of the arms...

Thanks for the pics, D3....

My '03 has the ones in the first pic. Must've been left over from '02? Works for me.

As for Ox, we argue like brothers....never any harm done!

3D's,

Thanks for the info.

Fox

Well D3...my '03 wiper arms are a little different. The tab that stops the movement is on the underside and stops the spring from extending any further.

So here's how I modified mine!

In picture (A) you can see where the extruding tab hits the spring and stops the movement of the arm.

In picture (B) you can see the channel that the spring will slide into when the arm is pulled up and away from the windshield.

In picture (C), you'll see how I moved the spring over to make room to put the dremel bit in to begine grinding off the tab.

In Picture (D), you can see that I have ground half the tab off.

In picture (E), Take a screwdriver and slide the spring to the other side to make room to grind the other half of the tab.

In picture (F), the tab has been ground flat.

Now it's time to grind out the channel that the spring will go into. To grind out the channel, just lay your dremel at an angle and grind out each half by moving the spring back and forth to gain access.

In picture (G), you can see the channel all hollowed out.

In picture (H), when the arm is pulled up and away from the windshield, the spring will now go up inside the channel and allow the arm to go all the way out an held up in the air.

I attempted putting this in the DIY area, but it says I am not authorized. So...here it is.

Jeff,

You have to ask one of the mods to move it. You may have to make a new thread and copy all your info over for it to be moved though.

So thats what BlueOx was talking about...

So thats what BlueOx was talking about...

Yep...and the housing is aluminum and it's on the underside, so IMO, no painting required.

It appears that I have the same style as Diesel Day Dreamin

guess i will have to paint mine when i do surgery

DP, didn't Promise You a Rose Garden !

Fox

Installed the wiper arms last nite on my 05 dually, they hit the hood before they lock in the up position but, now you can at least get a squeege under it without a fight.

I've never seen the onces D3 has before. I have the ones CrazyDaze was talking about. Maybe GM ha smore than one supplier that make two different wipers that do the same thing.

CrazyDaze-Great job on the how to! Thanks! I already did it, but I appreciate you taking the time to post it up!

:thankyou2 Ox!!! It was the least I could do as I have learned so much from the others on this forum!!!:ro)

Has anyone tried the Tahoe wipers on the newer trucks with taller hood?

What's a good bit to use on my Dremel with the aluminum? It seems like no matter what bit I use on Alu they always pack up almost instantly and become useless.

Also what kind of paint are you guys using? I have the arms with the bump on the outside so I'll have to paint after "surgery"

Has anyone tried the Tahoe wipers on the newer trucks with taller hood?

See post #32. Short answer, yes. Long answer, you could slowly grind down the "hump" to the point of almost contacting your hood edge during swingout. ;)

What's a good bit to use on my Dremel with the aluminum? It seems like no matter what bit I use on Alu they always pack up almost instantly and become useless.


Also what kind of paint are you guys using? I have the arms with the bump on the outside so I'll have to paint after "surgery"

Use candle wax on your dremmel tool... Keeps it from loading up with melted aluminum.

I bought the new wipers... Maybe someone will chime in.