how you can easily replace your windscreen wipers

It’s always better to replace your windscreen wipers before they wear out. No one wants to be traveling down the motorway, engage their wipers, and find themselves squinting through a streaky windscreen.

The RAC recommends that you inspect your windscreen wipers periodically by lifting the blade off the windscreen, look for wear at the edge of the blade, and check the rubber for small cuts or cracks, and to check its operation for lines, streaks, unwashed areas, or noisy wipers ‒ all signs that the wipers require replacement. Even if your wipers appear to be functioning properly, the RAC recommends that windscreen wiper blades be replaced at least once per year.

So how does one go about replacing their car’s windscreen wipers? Unfortunately there’s no one-size-fit-all solution. You need to know the make, model, and year of your vehicle to determine the correct wipers for your application. You can double-check the size in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

You might be surprised to find out the driver’s and passenger’s side wipers are of different length, so make sure you purchase the correct length for each side of your windscreen. You may have the option of purchasing two types of wiper blades: the traditional style and the newer Beam type. Most likely your car came new from the manufacturer with Beam type wipers. While they can be replaced by less-expensive conventional wipers, be aware that Beam wipers are superior in their cleaning ability and their reduction in wind noise that can actually be audible inside the car.

Newer cars favour an easy-to-replace hook-style wiper arm where the windscreen wiper blade simply slides over a metal hook and clips into place. However not all wipers mount in the same fashion or are as simple to remove or replace as a variety of wiper arms and mounts have been used over the years until most manufacturers settled on the hook-style.

You might find that your car’s wiper arm features either a pin or a latch. Windscreen wiper manufacturers recognise that there are still many cars on the road with these older-style mounting configuration so they’ll often include adapters along with the wiper blades. If your vehicle requires adapters make certain they’re included with the wiper blades that you decide to purchase.

The replacement of a hook-type windscreen wiper blade is a straightforward proposition that can be accomplished in minutes. Lift the wiper arm away from the windscreen and press the small tab on the underside of the wiper where it meets the wiper arm. Remove the wiper blade by pulling downward. Depending upon how long the wiper blade has been attached to the wiper arm, it make take a bit more force than you might think. Ever so gently rest the bare wiper arm against the windscreen, preferably on a rag, as the force of a bare wiper arm is enough to crack a windscreen.

Next reverse the process by pulling the new wiper blade tight onto the arm. Listen for a click as it locks into place. Lower the arm slowly back onto the windshield and repeat this process on the other wiper arm.

For the removal of side pin style windscreen wipers you need to push the tab up from underneath the blade or lift the tab from the top with a screwdriver. Once the tab unlocks the pin, pull the blade assembly sideways, away from the arm. To reinstall the new blade simply reverse the process.

If your car is fitted with bayonet-type wiper arms, lift the wiper arm, then locate the locking lever and release it. While it is in the raised position, slide the blade outward. To insert the new blade raise the locking lever and slide the slide into place until it stops.

Before you chuck the old wipers in the bin, test the new wipers and make certain they operate correctly, so if you’ve purchased the wrong size or don’t have the correct adapters, you can reinstall the old blades until you can rectify the situation.

You’re now set for another year of clear vision as you drive.