Pagoda SL Group

W113 Pagoda SL Group => Electrical and Instruments => Topic started by: jacovdw on September 03, 2010, 14:59:17

Title: Wiper arm position
Post by: jacovdw on September 03, 2010, 14:59:17
Gentlemen,

This is a small issue that has been bugging my obsessive-compulsive brain for quite a while so please bear with me.
What is the correct parked configuration of the wiper arms as the cars rolled off the production line?

A search through the forum revealed nothing substantial and a search through the BBB (Section 82-4) just added to the confusion.
According to the BBB, the arms should be installed with the left arm below the right arm in the parked position.

Now, interpretation of this depends heavily from which angle you look at this - from behind the steering wheel looking over the bonnet (hood) or standing in front (facing) of the car?

The reason I ask, is that you quite often see cars (irrespective of whether it is a 108, 109, 111, 113, or 114) with the configuration flipped.

Is there supposed to be a difference between LHD and RHD cars?

Any input/opinions would be greatly appreciated...
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: thelews on September 03, 2010, 15:16:41
Left and Right on cars always refer from the driver's perspective behind the wheel.  Left is the driver's side and right is the passenger side of a LHD car.
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: al_lieffring on September 03, 2010, 15:16:49
your left or right doesn't matter. in a manual left always refers to the side of the car to the drivers left when seated in the car.
The parked wipers on 108 and 114 sedans (111s I dont remember) are the opposite of the 113 rosdsters. if the wrong arm is placed to the top they will get tied up about half way up the windshield when they are swiched on.

I have very little experience with RHD pagodas, if the wiper motor is on the left side it could be very likely that the left wiper should go on top, That tends to be the rule, the top wiper goes to the side of the car the wiper motor is on.
 
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: jacovdw on September 03, 2010, 15:24:33
Thanks Al and John.

Those are my thoughts as well.

To throw a pebble in the pond, my 114 (RHD) has the right arm under the left arm and my pagoda (LHD) has the left arm under the right as per BBB.

However, the service manual for the 114/115 chassis cars state that the left arm should be under the right arm as well (could this be a mistake?).
Therefore I was hoping to spark a bit of a debate.
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: reggie on September 03, 2010, 15:38:54
Funny this should pop up, i took mine off last week, and made a note of it, left under the right, LHD car.
Reg
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: Larry & Norma on September 03, 2010, 17:03:05
My RHD has left over right. Just changed the blades and they snagged!! They are Bosch but slightly longer than 13" this was enough to make them snag
in use so I had to raise the top blade a notch. Not very neat but will have to do till I get some correct length ones.
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: wwheeler on September 03, 2010, 19:07:01
My LHD 111 has the left under the right like the 113's. Mine have always worked well.

I saw a picture of a 108 that has 42,000 original miles and it has the left wiper ABOVE the right. Al is right.
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: thelews on September 03, 2010, 22:19:03
....
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: Garry on September 04, 2010, 10:05:23
RHD Left over right
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: al_lieffring on September 06, 2010, 17:01:38
So is the wiper motor on the left side of a RHD Pagoda? If so, I think that gives some credence to my "top wiper on the motor side" theory
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: Naj ✝︎ on September 06, 2010, 19:51:30
I'm with you Al.

The wiper mtr is on the left on an RHD car and the left wiper is on top on mine ever since I bought it.
And my previous 230 SL was ther same.

http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13355.0;attach=7852;image

naj
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: JamesL on September 07, 2010, 10:01:30
Just been through all my photos.... including 2 SL Club Pagode rallies, Stuttgart museum and a visit to Mechatronik

RHD cars have left mounted wiper motor as Naj says. Left wiper arm on top
LHD cars (which I assume have a right mounted wiper motor) have right arm on top

That's from the inside....
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: Jim Donati on September 08, 2010, 02:21:37
So to summarize what seems to be the consensus here.... Drivers side wiper succumbs to the dominant position of the passenger side wiper. 

Translation.... drivers side wiper belongs below the passenger side wiper.


Jim
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: JamesL on September 08, 2010, 07:05:32
So to summarize what seems to be the consensus here.... Drivers side wiper succumbs to the dominant position of the passenger side wiper

Translation.... drivers side wiper belongs below the passenger side wiper.


Jim

Fixed that for you - at least as it applies to the pecking order in my household... ;D
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: Jim Donati on September 08, 2010, 16:58:25
Touché
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: jacovdw on September 10, 2010, 10:33:30
...
RHD cars have left mounted wiper motor as Naj says. Left wiper arm on top
LHD cars (which I assume have a right mounted wiper motor) have right arm on top

That's from the inside....

This then as far as the pagoda is concerned. Kind of makes sense at the end of the day.

However, as far as 108/109's and 114/115's are concerned, the wiper motor is always on the left (irrespective if LHD or RHD car). Thus the left arm will be above the right arm and thus fits perfectly with Al's theory...  :)

Aaaahh, zen has finally returned to the land of the obsessive-compulsive originality nuts...  ;)
Title: Re: Wiper arm position
Post by: JamesL on September 10, 2010, 14:50:41
steady on

it's not obsessive compulsive. We just like things in the right place ;D