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 Post subject: Lucas Windshield Wipers
PostPosted: April 23, 2018, 11:24 am 
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Location: Akron, NY
I did a bunch a searching on this Forum and online and couldn't find what I was looking for. Does anyone know of, or have a list that shows the specs for things such as the sweep angle of the gear in the wiper motor and the the number of gear teeth in the wiper boxes based on what car they came form? I would like to be able to figure out what vehicles to look for to find the correct wiper parts and hopefully find cheap used parts or at least know the new parts are what I need.

Second question is about the number of teeth in the wiper boxes. I read somewhere that they came in 32 and 40 teeth? This will effect the sweep angle but how do I know which wiper boxes go with what gear in the wiper motor to get the sweep you are looking for?

Thanks
Lee


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PostPosted: April 23, 2018, 2:09 pm 
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I'm currently working on making an MGB wiper motor work on my Europa, so I've been looking into the finer points of the system. Unfortunately I haven't come across what you're looking for, but SVC has a decent write up on the system: http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/wiper-systems/

And somewhere in the interwebs I did find a write up on how to modify the gear/sweep, meaning regardless of the wheel box tooth count, you should be able to make the system work provided you're able to weld the drive peg back on the gear. If I can find the link again I'll post it.

EDIT: Found the link: http://www.erareplicas.com/427man/wiper/index.htm


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PostPosted: April 23, 2018, 2:33 pm 
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Location: Livermore, Calif.
Lee-
I've got a set of MGB wiper motor, wiper posts (3) and misc. hardware available to sell (cheap) if you're interested.

I bought them some years ago for my first Locost and never installed. I know I'll never install on my current project. No need to use them here in Calif.

Cheers.
Roy

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PostPosted: April 23, 2018, 3:26 pm 
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An option you might consider are the wiper kits from Specialty Power Windows. These are modern day versions of the Lucas units, but built for the street rod/street machine market, and sold through outlets like Speedway Motors or factory direct. While they aren't as economical as a previously owned Lucas setup, you'll have the advantage of all new parts to work with. They are built so that the sweep is adjustable from 90* to 160* in 10* increments.

More info here: http://spwkits.clickforward.com/products/2

Here's a copy of the instruction sheet. https://static.speedwaymotors.com/pdf/91123302.pdf

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PostPosted: April 23, 2018, 3:31 pm 
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RoyzMG wrote:
Lee-
I've got a set of MGB wiper motor, wiper posts (3) and misc. hardware available to sell (cheap) if you're interested...
Cheers.
Roy


Woops! Didn't mean to quash your sale there, Roy! Didn't see your post before adding mine. :?

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PostPosted: April 23, 2018, 3:35 pm 
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cs3tcr wrote:
I'm currently working on making an MGB wiper motor work on my Europa, so I've been looking into the finer points of the system. Unfortunately I haven't come across what you're looking for, but SVC has a decent write up on the system: http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/wiper-systems/


Thanks for that link that is better than anything that I have been able to find so far. Most everyhting a ran into was about how to install them after you have the parts.

RoyzMG wrote:
Lee-
I've got a set of MGB wiper motor, wiper posts (3) and misc. hardware available to sell (cheap) if you're interested.

I bought them some years ago for my first Locost and never installed. I know I'll never install on my current project. No need to use them here in Calif.

Cheers.
Roy


I'm interested I will send you a PM.

ngpmike wrote:
An option you might consider are the wiper kits from Specialty Power Windows. These are modern day versions of the Lucas units, but built for the street rod/street machine market, and sold through outlets like Speedway Motors or factory direct. While they aren't as economical as a previously owned Lucas setup, you'll have the advantage of all new parts to work with. They are built so that the sweep is adjustable from 90* to 160* in 10* increments.


Those look interesting I will have to take a closer look. I wonder how much bigger or smaller the wiper motor unit is compared to the Lucas motor.


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PostPosted: April 23, 2018, 3:58 pm 
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Lee, I wish I had done a better job documenting my Lucas wiper setup. For the wiper boxes, there are different shaft angles (to the mounting cowl and different shaft lengths. The sweep angle is determined by the big gear in the wiper motor. The further the post is from the center, the higher the sweep angle. Wiper gears are sometimes stamped with the sweep angle. I modified mine to the sweep that I needed by relocating the post on that gear. Easy enough to measure the one you have and calculate where the post should be relocated to.

Strangely enough, with a bit of trial and error, I got the MGB wiper to talk to the RX7 controls without anything but wiring. I got slow, fast, delay and single wipe functions. More than the MG ever had. Not sure how the Europa is wired. Probably more like the MG.

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PostPosted: April 23, 2018, 6:54 pm 
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The sweep on Lucas wiper motors can be changed at will - gears are available, cheap, to give sweeps of 80 to 130 degrees or so, IIRC. Late '60's MGB's were 110 degree sweep (two wiper car - some later MGB's had 3).

The main takeaway is that our cars have fairly vertical windshields, which mandates using the longest shaft wiper boxes you can find. If you don't, the wiper shafts won't be at 90 degrees to the windshield glass, and won't sweep properly (basically, the wiper blade will be on its side by the end of its sweep, rather than on its edge, as needed).

I had to make my own wiper shaft support ferrules (the part above the scuttle, behind the wiper blade) on the lathe, due to the extreme lay-down angle of the shafts required. The amount of lay-down is restricted by the diameter of the wheel boxes, as they can foul on the underside of the scuttle skin if laid over too far.

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PostPosted: April 23, 2018, 8:49 pm 
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zetec7 wrote:
The sweep on Lucas wiper motors can be changed at will - gears are available, cheap, to give sweeps of 80 to 130 degrees or so, IIRC. Late '60's MGB's were 110 degree sweep (two wiper car - some later MGB's had 3).

The main takeaway is that our cars have fairly vertical windshields, which mandates using the longest shaft wiper boxes you can find. If you don't, the wiper shafts won't be at 90 degrees to the windshield glass, and won't sweep properly (basically, the wiper blade will be on its side by the end of its sweep, rather than on its edge, as needed).

I had to make my own wiper shaft support ferrules (the part above the scuttle, behind the wiper blade) on the lathe, due to the extreme lay-down angle of the shafts required. The amount of lay-down is restricted by the diameter of the wheel boxes, as they can foul on the underside of the scuttle skin if laid over too far.


^+1 I had forgot about the longer wiper box required. I found a piece of PVC conduit was just the right size to get the best angle compromise. It didn't require any lathe work. Maybe not as purdy as a nice billet collar thought. Joust thought I'd throw it in the mix.


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Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

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PostPosted: April 24, 2018, 1:53 am 
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Here's one of the T-6061 aluminum ferrules I made to correct the wiper shaft angle. I wasn't able to get the shaft 90 degrees to the windshield glass, but it's close - about 3 degrees shy. With the width of the wiper wheel boxes, I couldn't make the shafts any shallower without the wheel boxes fouling on the underside of the scuttle skin. There's a hard rubber ferrule underneath, with a complimentary angle (in my case, a piece of old heater hose worked perfectly) so the nut secures the shaft properly.

As you can see in the pic, I made 20 gauge steel boxes for the shafts to go through, as I was concerned that the weight & torque of the wipers operating might stress the .040" aluminum skin I'll be putting on the scuttle. The steel boxes are welded to the front hoop of the scuttle, and are very strong.

Attachment:
wiper system 3 small.jpg


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PostPosted: April 24, 2018, 8:10 am 
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Thanks everyone above for all the info. It’s defiantly a big help. I went out and measured the angle between jacks fiberglass scuttle and the windshield and it is about 110°. So that means the wheel boxes need an angle of as close to 20 degrees as possible. I think that is going to be challenging. I wonder if I can manage to tuck the back of the wheel boxes up in the raised area of the scuttle to get the angle lower.


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PostPosted: April 24, 2018, 11:33 am 
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One thing to note is that the wheel box gear cases are larger in one dimension than the other, so rotating the whole assembly may gain you almost 1/4" of clearance. It's not immediately obvious when you look at them that this is the case. IIRC, have the cable run through the wheel boxes at the bottom to gain the most room at the top.

Also, Lucas wipers can be made to park to the right (normal in North America) or the left (as in the UK). Wiper arms are available for either, but be sure to choose the right ones! I didn't, and had to re-manufacture the arms I bought from England.

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