most aerodynamic windshield wipers

[ikhoudvanu199]

hey all, im wondering if anyone has any tips on good, aerodynamic windshild wipers?

thanks

[Billy]

........I considered this subject for many years. I was going to remove the wipers completely, until I realized the following:

At speeds above about 32 mph, the whole bottom windshield to rear hood area is NOT a factor aerodynamically. It is bypassed. The airflow goes from the front of the hood, directly to the forward roof/top of windshield. Therefore, aero wipers are a moot point. They are actually in a vacuum area, so changing or removing them will not increase MPG.

[ikhoudvanu199]

ahh..good to know, now i can get the most functional ones as far as getting the rain/snow off my window!

any opinions on which ones are the best?

for the winter, i love the anco winter wipers, cause they dont freeze up in the terrible New England weather

for the summer, i prefer to use double bladed wipers, as they get the rain off alot better, IMO

[trunkout]

TRICO - Innovision Blade
by far the BEST blade I have used in 20 years of driving.

In ANY weather (had freezing rain AND 110 degrees!)

Can't recommend them enough.

[HafNHaf]

rain-x. not the wipers, the windshield washer fluid. hardly ever use my wipers.

[kapps]

Originally Posted by HafNHaf

rain-x. not the wipers, the windshield washer fluid. hardly ever use my wipers.

I second that. One day in a downpour on the highway, I was still using my intermittents when others had their wipers maxed out.

[boogetyboogety]

Bosch Icons, 24-A" driver's side, 19-B" passenger side, 19-A" rear... WITH Rain-X on all windows for good measure. I looooove the way they look (I can't imagine any aero gain that would be measurable) and they are absurdly easy to install.

By the way: "A" are regular wipers, "B" have a more pronounced "bend" so they hug the windshield in reduced-radius situations, like on the furthest reach of the passenger side. They still miss about 1/4" at the very tip, but it's not an issue for me or for visibility, either.

[Guillermo]

Installing the more aerodynamic wipers may help but it doesn't solve the problem that the wiper arms are exposed to the high speed air flow.
Installing an extension to the hood so the air goes over the wiper arms and wipers is the best solution. And it will reduce wind noise.
Check this out:
http://autospeed.drive.com.au/cms/A_2445/article.html

[pascal28]

Originally Posted by Guillermo

Installing the more aerodynamic wipers may help but it doesn't solve the problem that the wiper arms are exposed to the high speed air flow.

Having been inspired by talking to Alex (Albad) & seeing his G1 Insight I would like to share a few cumulative options that I have done to reduce wiper blade/arm drag:

Option 1) Remount the windscreen wipers so that the blades are mounted closer to the bottom of the windshield. This helps to move the blades & arms somewhat out of the airflow. It is a very easy mod, just requires undoing the windscreen wiper arm bolt, moving the arm closer to the bottom of the windscreen and then doing up the wiper arm bolt. The slight downside of this is that the angle of travel remains the same so less of the top of the windscreen is wiped.

Option 2) Replacement of wiper arm assembly with a modern low drag design. Most modern cars have an improved wiper arm arrangement where the wiper arm attaches to the blade from the front rather than from the top. This means that the arm is less exposed to the airflow and hence produces less drag. The wiper arm arrangement, which I think is a very good (aero) design and fits the Insight G1, is from a Vauxhall Astra H Mk5 (e.g. year 2007). It is slightly thicker metal so there is a small weight penalty but it is a much flusher design with the wiper arms being much less exposed to the airflow. I got a pair including blades for £25 off ebay. Its geometry means that slightly more of the window is cleaned compared to the OEM arrangement.

Option 3) Flat-blade wiper deflector trim/delete. The latest flat-blade designs have a deflector that does not seem very aerodynamic. I have sliced these off with a scalpel blade (they are not structural). Perhaps they are helpful during operation at high speeds (for stability) but I have not noticed any problems without them. Slight reduction in aesthetics (depending on how cleanly they can be sliced off) but much lower profile.

I think the ultimate aero design (maintaining windscreen wiper functionality) would be a flush well angled deflector covering the windscreen wipers. Options 1) & 2) can be used to allow a deflector to be closer mounted to the wipers and hence more aerodynamic.

[jonnyvtec]

One thing I like about the I1 is all the touches.... and that includes the aluminium wiper arms.

Seems a shame to revert to 'normal' ones