# heated wiper blades



## bcx400 (Dec 5, 2003)

'call me crazy....but, heated wiper blades make NO sense. Wiper blades move too fast to remove ice.....duh. go to napa and buy yourself a good set of winter blades that have a rubber boot covering the whole mechanism. You can't re-invent the mousetrap.'

I would like to know how the heated blades work for you-cpss.

RE: last thread
I think the heated wiper blades are NOT designed to remove ice from the windshield (your defroster will do that) but rather keep the blades from icing. It sucks to plow and have your windshield smeared with ice stuck to the wiper blades.


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## wolfmanah (Dec 22, 2003)

we had them on 3 buses. We took them * off and put the standard ones on after 2 weeks into the winter.

They worked great for keeping the ice and snow from sticking, but what happens is the rubber gets hot and the blades just kinda flop over and won't clear your windshield at all. Its an option that is a waste of money. 

Buy some rainX, that helps the wipers clear better. And it also helps prevent the ice from sticking to your windshield.


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## J HIsch (Nov 13, 2003)

*Ice On Wipers*

The easiest solution i have found is a can of deicer. .99 cents spray it on the wiper blades and go plowing. when they start to ice again mist them again... the cheapest best way to keep the wiper blades clean.


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## sbrennan007 (Jul 27, 2003)

The standard Winter blades have always worked well for me. I put them on in the winter and take them off again in the summer.

:salute:


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## CARDOCTOR (Nov 29, 2002)

spend 20+hrs plowing in freezing rain nothing 
worst that having to break the ice buildup
of the blades or you have the defrost on so hot that your sweating just to keep the wipers from freezing
john


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## roblandscape (Jan 5, 2003)

I am always slapping my wipers on my windshield to get the ice off, I think I am going to buy a can of de-icer, good idea


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## PROPJCKEY (Nov 19, 2003)

like I said "you can't re-invent the mousetrap!"
-Jeff-

Simple is ALWAYS better


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## Rappa (Dec 2, 2003)

I have never seen these heated wiper blades? Does anyone have any info on them or maybe a website that I can look at to read up on these? It sounds like a great idea... theoretically or on paper that is...


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## pelt35 (Oct 6, 2003)

*heated blades*

Hi , go to the web site blizzardblades.com they have them for all applications, I had a pair on my 2000 ford F-250 for 4 years they work well and are easy to self-install, Jack


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## wmsland (Jan 21, 2003)

I remember seeing a product a while back that would tie in your windshield washer fluid resivoir with your heater hose to heat up the wiper fluid. It seems to me this might solve the icing problem. I have fond that Rainex washer fluid works pretty well.


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## TLS (Jan 31, 2000)

I have found that general underhood heat makes the washer fluid plenty hot. Still not going to solve an iced/snowed up wiper.

When it's snowing and blowing and your plowing or driving, ALL non heated wipers will ice up. Rubber coated "winter" type or standard, they all ice up.

Heated windshield wipers, heated mirrors and heated rear window defroster are all VERY beneficial.


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## pelt35 (Oct 6, 2003)

*website correction*

sorry it is not blizzardblades.com but blizzardblade.com ,drop the last "s" Jack


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## Crumm (Nov 5, 2003)

I had a set of heated wiper blades on a 95' Freightliner. I put them on the truck in 95' when it was new. Two weeks later I pulled them off and threw them in the garbage. The heat keeps them from icing up but it also makes the rubber so pliable that they will not wipe the window worth a darn. I have used a can of windshield de-icer ever since. You just roll the window down, reach around and give a little blast - works great. It has been almost 9 years since I tried them so maybe now they are a little better but I doubt it.


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## jeffwoehrle (Dec 23, 2003)

How about a separate switch to turn the heated blades on or off when you want? That would seem to solve the soft rubber/poor cleaning problem while still allowing heat when needed.

Anybody try this method?


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## Crumm (Nov 5, 2003)

Mine were on a switch. Even when turned off they would not wipe rain off the window. When new they were ok but after being heated a few time they turned to junk. They seemed like a blade that was 4 years old but they were only 14 days old. I think I heard that the new ones are thermostatically controlled but up here they would be on 24/7 in the winter .
A driver up here that drives for the same trucking company as me was having problems with his windshield icing up in heavy snow. He drives a sloped hood Kenworth (we call them ant-eaters). I told him to have them put a bug deflector on the hood since it solved the problem for another driver at our terminal. He is at a different terminal than me and at that terminal they always have "the better idea". They installed heated wiper blades instead of a bug deflector. Sunday night in Anchorage they got hit with a heavy snow and when he met me he said the blades were junk. Besides the fact that they were iced up even when he would manually scrape the ice off of them they still wouldn't wipe the window very good. I believe today they are installing new Trico winter blades and a bug shield on that truck. He was not a happy camper after 382 miles in a heavy snow storm and I believe that he let them know.:angry:


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## TLS (Jan 31, 2000)

Well, here is someones opportunity to capitalize on a much NEEDED product. Heated wiper blades with a proper rubber compound.

I had no clue that they worked so poorly. Are there other brands that perform better?

For me, buildup is only a problem when its SNOWING or I'm plowing and the snow is blowing over the plow.

NOT really a big deal, but for all you guys who go out at the drop of the first flake and are out there until the storms over, it would seem almost mandatory.


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## kl0an (Dec 12, 2003)

OK, here's a thought from outside of the box.. How about getting some of the rear window defroster wiring and putting it on your front window?? Sure, you'd have those tiny little lines but, at least your window would be frost free. Rear window defroster kits should be available at parts stores I would think..

Whacha think??

Paul


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## theholycow (Nov 29, 2002)

Those rubber-coated blades always seem to be terrible quality blades, rubber coating or not. What brands of rubber-coated blades are good quality?

The best blades I've had are the premium Bosch varieties, which all seem to clean the windshield very nicely.

As far as putting a rear-window-defroster on the front...why not just turn on the heat, with the fan on high, in the windshield-defrost setting? It works nearly sufficiently for me (I occasionally must clear the windshield manually, but that's from large volumes of snow, not frozen-on ice); do other trucks not generate as much temperature/volume as mine (F350 dumper)?

Actually, I'd rather have translucent ice on my windshield than the big piles of opaque snow I occasionally end up with. Note to self: design better deflector.

Okay, one more question: How about preventing the washer nozzles from clogging up with freezing rain? On my pickup (GMC full size), after freezing rain or snow or ice, I must spray de-icer into the washer nozzles before they'll spray anything, regardless of what type of washer fluid I have in the resevoir -- the end of the nozzle must be getting washed out with water which then freezes. Any suggestions?


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## Dogbonz (Aug 11, 2005)

kl0an;124494 said:


> OK, here's a thought from outside of the box.. How about getting some of the rear window defroster wiring and putting it on your front window?? Sure, you'd have those tiny little lines but, at least your window would be frost free. Rear window defroster kits should be available at parts stores I would think..
> 
> Whacha think??
> 
> Paul


Well sir I had this very same idea back in 1989,,,, and thought "If the car Manufactures just did this to every car,,,, concentrate the wires toward the bottom of front windshield,,, It would keep the Parking area of the wipers warm so as not to get the build up of snow that starts the whole process." Then it happened,,, the Chrysler minivans started to do this, then stopped for some reason?? 
So short of doing that,,,, try a plow blade deflector, a hood deflector,,, good jiz in the washer jug, good winter blades, and a kickarse heater in that truck, 
crack the windows, crank it up and GitErDone!!!


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## Duracutter (Oct 25, 2006)

HOTSHOT Sales;339130 said:


> A simple solution. Any questions, please let me know. I'm an expert with this product.


Wtf.

Doesn't heated washer fluid crack windshields?

This post seems to be appearing everywhere, like a virus...lol


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## J29 (Feb 14, 2006)

My step mom has a Subaru Legacy wagon with the cold climate package. It has the rear defroster lines under where the front wipers sit, like dogbonz said. Works great. Keeps the area where the wipers sit from icing up, but doesnt heat up the blades enough where they wont wipe the windshield clean. Wish I had that on my 350. I end up melting from keeping the defroster blasting. Too bad the legacy couldnt handle a plow, it has heated seats too. J.


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## 01FordPlower (Nov 2, 2006)

I put winter windshield wiper blades on my truck. The whole metal part of the blade is wrapped in rubber and allows the blade edge to stick out. I see a huge difference, no more slamming the wiper against the windshield to get the ice off.


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

Rappa;124152 said:


> I have never seen these heated wiper blades? Does anyone have any info on them or maybe a website ...


Click on the Product Showcase link above, EverBlades is the first one listed.



wmsland;124316 said:


> I remember seeing a product a while back that would tie in your windshield washer fluid resivoir with your heater hose to heat up the wiper fluid. ....


Most vehicles now locate the resivoir next to something hot so it does just that. but as mentioned that just helps with the windshield, not the wipers.



kl0an;124494 said:


> OK, here's a thought from outside of the box.. How about getting some of the rear window defroster wiring and putting it on your front window?? ...


It has been done, and is a great idea. The heater fans don't heat where you park the wipers so after a while of sitting ice builds up.



TLS;124422 said:


> ...For me, buildup is only a problem when its SNOWING or I'm plowing and the snow is blowing over the plow.....


yeah, thats where the rubber flaps you bolt on top of the mold board help.


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## 04superduty (Jan 9, 2004)

J29 my moms subaru forrester has the same package. the front windshield has the heated strips where the wipers park, heck even the back side windows have the defrost grid. i dont understand why a car has all the items to keep snow and ice build up off the windows, while a truck, with the plow package doesnt. hello Ford, Chevy and Dodge are you listening.


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## spittincobra01 (Nov 14, 2005)

I use the de-icing washer fluid in the tank, wipe down the rubber covering the metal backing of my winter blades with silicone lube before a big storm, and run the defroster on high and as hot as it will go, and just keep my drivers window down so I don't sweat my butt off. I also use more silicone spray lube on the plow blade, it helps prevent build up on it. On the wipers, I just spray it on a rag and wipe only the parts that do NOT touch he windshield. Oh yeah, I use rain-x year round on all my vehicles


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

I don't think they were made to actually "melt" ice, I think they are heated to keep their form so they don't become "hard" and not clear the windsheild. So far our damn summer blades are working just fine in the 3 storms we've had, (its a brand new truck though )


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## M&A Property Maintenance (Sep 29, 2006)

roblandscape;124098 said:


> I am always slapping my wipers on my windshield to get the ice off, I think I am going to buy a can of de-icer, good idea


Definatly a good idea.


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## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

Duracutter;339170 said:


> Wtf.
> 
> Doesn't heated washer fluid crack windshields?


I would hope not...........


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