Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: terry paget on 21 May 2016, 11:05:25

Title: Entangled wiper arms
Post by: terry paget on 21 May 2016, 11:05:25
Last night it was wet and windy. Suddenly my wiper arms got entangled and disengaged from their shafts, tricky on a wet night.
This morning I changed the arms, now all is well. I concluded that I had not properly torqued up the nuts when last replaced; I must confess I have never torqued them up, just done them up 'tight'. Looking in Haynes, I cannot find a torque setting for them, he just says  'tighten it securely'.  Have I missed it?
Title: Re: Entangled wiper arms
Post by: Nick W on 21 May 2016, 11:46:20
Last night it was wet and windy. Suddenly my wiper arms got entangled and disengaged from their shafts, tricky on a wet night.
This morning I changed the arms, now all is well. I concluded that I had not properly torqued up the nuts when last replaced; I must confess I have never torqued them up, just done them up 'tight'. Looking in Haynes, I cannot find a torque setting for them, he just says  'tighten it securely'.  Have I missed it?

They're actually driven by the splined taper; the nut is just there to hold the arm down. If the spindle has spun in the arm, then it the splines are probably damaged and will be less effective.

A quick Google for M8 torque setting suggests a maximum of about 20Nm, so it's hardly worth getting the torque wrench out. That setting is probably lower than you've been achieving with a 1/4” ratchet.
Title: Re: Entangled wiper arms
Post by: terry paget on 21 May 2016, 12:25:48
Last night it was wet and windy. Suddenly my wiper arms got entangled and disengaged from their shafts, tricky on a wet night.
This morning I changed the arms, now all is well. I concluded that I had not properly torqued up the nuts when last replaced; I must confess I have never torqued them up, just done them up 'tight'. Looking in Haynes, I cannot find a torque setting for them, he just says  'tighten it securely'.  Have I missed it?

They're actually driven by the splined taper; the nut is just there to hold the arm down. If the spindle has spun in the arm, then it the splines are probably damaged and will be less effective.

A quick Google for M8 torque setting suggests a maximum of about 20Nm, so it's hardly worth getting the torque wrench out. That setting is probably lower than you've been achieving with a 1/4” ratchet.
Thanks. So there should be a spline to be seen on the wiper arm. I had the impression that the drive shaft was splined and that engages on the softer metal in the arm. I have now put on different arms and tightened them 'firmly'. I had this happen once before on a Senator, and had to change the arms then.