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Cherokee Wiper Arm swap

Wyflyer

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 1, 2008
Messages
2,920
This weekend I got my new wiper shaft gaskets, so I started putting the wipers back together. My original wiper arms were junk. They were cobbled together, missing parts, and held together with welding rod.
So I did some reading on the site here and learned about the Jeep Cherokee rear wiper arm swap. I found a very good article about this swap offsite, so I decided to throw together some pictures and write one up. I found some arms locally for 23.00 each, plus 5 bucks for new 14" blades. So I gathered these parts up and worked them over as spelled out in other articles.

Parts list:
2 new 1988 Cherokee REAR wiper arms. I got mine from Autozone but everyone has them.
2 new 14" wiper blades. The stock ones were 12" but there is plenty of room for 14" blades.

I pulled the washer fluid squirter hose off and tossed it. Then I installed the new blade on the new arm and held it up to the glass and mocked it up where I expect it to run. Basically this means it's centered on the glass. Since the Cherokee arm is too long and will need shortened, I measured from the wiper pivot to the socket on the wiper arm, and determined that I would need to remove 4 1/2" in length. This length will vary depending on the length of wiper blade you use.
I drilled out the rivet and shortened the arm by 4 1/2" each. I redrilled the holes, and re-riveted the arm back together using a 1/8" stainless steel rivet with a backing washer.
Then I reinstalled the springs, assembled everything, and timed it on the windshield.
Picture 1 shows how the Cherokee arm is much longer than stock.
Picture 2 shows the rivet that will need to be drilled out.
Picture 3 shows the rivet after being drilled and punched out.
Picture 4 shows the arms after being reassembled, along with the excess arm that I cut off.
Picture 5 shows the arms installed on the Bronco.

EDIT:
You should clarify what year Bronco you have. It looks like you have a later year with stock electric wipers. This way if someone with vacuum wipers on an earlier rig reads this post, they will double check the measurements prior to cutting anything.
My bronco is a 75. I don't know where the year model cutoff is but i'll be glad to post that info here if someone will enlighten me.
 

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thegreatjustino

Contributor
Red Head Grease Monkey
Joined
Jan 23, 2002
Messages
15,620
Loc.
Stockton, CA
Very cool. The Cherokee wiper swap has been on my to do list for years. But when you drive your Bronco a couple of times a month during Winter in a place where it hardly rains, you tend to keep bumping down the to do list %)
 

gjrock

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 12, 2007
Messages
1,422
Loc.
Anacortes,WA
Yes the conversion is better,just got done with mine a month ago.They hold to the windshied better.Plus if you convert,parts are avail at local parts stores.Good pics and tech article,thank you.
 

bosshoff

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2004
Messages
713
You should clarify what year Bronco you have. It looks like you have a later year with stock electric wipers. This way if someone with vacuum wipers on an earlier rig reads this post, they will double check the measurements prior to cutting anything. I am not sure the blade length would change, but the vacuum wiper holes being in different positions vs the electric wiper holes may change something. Anyway, excellent write up.
 

thegreatjustino

Contributor
Red Head Grease Monkey
Joined
Jan 23, 2002
Messages
15,620
Loc.
Stockton, CA
I'm trying not to steal this forum, but I have a ? about the cherokee wiper swap? About 4 years ago I purchase new wiper arms from Wildhorses 4x4 (http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Wiper_Arms_Blades_Set/Wiper_Parts ) and I'm wondering; is the cherokee conversion better?

Those are simply a stock replacement. The Cherokee arms have stiffer springs which hold them to the windshield better and as outlined in the tech article, allow you to run 14" blades instead of the stock 10" or 12" or whatever they are.
 

ugly74

Bronco abuser
Joined
Apr 17, 2006
Messages
2,847
Those are simply a stock replacement. The Cherokee arms have stiffer springs which hold them to the windshield better and as outlined in the tech article, allow you to run 14" blades instead of the stock 10" or 12" or whatever they are.

I actually found the cherokee springs to be too stiff. the wipers chattered like crazy, wet or dry. I robbed some springs from my mustang parts, and it was perfect. no chatter, but at 80mph, they stay on the windshield (yes, I drive 80 in the rain)
 

garberz

Bronco Influencer
Joined
Jun 24, 2007
Messages
6,856
Loc.
Conejo Valley, Ca.
Thanks for the tech write up, I need to do this. But I'm sure I'll wait till it starts raining. Nice to see the difference between the two arms, with the pics.
 

rtreads

Sr. Member
Joined
May 13, 2008
Messages
690
Loc.
5280
I actually found the cherokee springs to be too stiff. the wipers chattered like crazy, wet or dry. I robbed some springs from my mustang parts, and it was perfect. no chatter, but at 80mph, they stay on the windshield (yes, I drive 80 in the rain)

not to steal but...


80MPH?!?!?!

Just what kind of set up do you have? I am looking to do this swap, but cant imagine driving my 75' at 80, not to mention in the rain!
 
OP
OP
Wyflyer

Wyflyer

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 1, 2008
Messages
2,920
not to steal but...


80MPH?!?!?!

Just what kind of set up do you have? I am looking to do this swap, but cant imagine driving my 75' at 80, not to mention in the rain!

See, here's the thing: this swap is what makes your Bronco go fast. Mine would only go 58mph before the swap. Now it goes 80. Weird shit.;D
 

ugly74

Bronco abuser
Joined
Apr 17, 2006
Messages
2,847
not to steal but...


80MPH?!?!?!

Just what kind of set up do you have? I am looking to do this swap, but cant imagine driving my 75' at 80, not to mention in the rain!

80 mph like nothin, all day long. strong 302, c4, 3.50s, 2.5" lift, 32s. I've got it to 110, and it was still pullin, but I figured, "that's enough" cuz it was screamin. ;D
felt stable enough, I wasn't even worried, but I'm nuts so...:p

my original wipers would float a bit, and eventually make a lod POP and be pointed at the sky, if I got rollin too fast. but the cherokee wipers, never leave the windshield.
p.s. I know somepeople doubt 80-110 in a brick...but I'll take anybody or a ride.
 

weasel

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Messages
438
Loc.
Norfolk
Does your Cherokee arms wiper blade paths over lap?

I have the unsynchronized electric motors from wild horses and the blades cleaning path can not over lap, because the blades would eventually hit each other.
 

Rocky04

Jr. Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
100
Loc.
Farmingdale, NY
Today, after reading this, I did it, took me less than one hour.
Works great and looks good.

weasel, due to the fact that you have to shorten the arm, you can cut it so it will fit your purpose. I cut my to the same length as the stock ones and I'm using the 14" wiper blades (synchronized wiper).
 

DonsBolt

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 5, 2005
Messages
5,249
Loc.
Chestnut Hill, Mass
I just did this today, hard to believe I waited all these years

Found the Cherokee ams part number 56000598 for $13.99 and the 55154762 13 inch blades for $3.99 at Crown Automotive

As they say here in Massachusetts a Wicked Pissa Mod ;D;D
what a difference, no chattering, and a clean wipe
 

Dude seriously

Full Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Messages
214
Loc.
Everett
I bent and drilled mine before cutting them short. Reducing the length on the Cherokee arms by 4" worked perfectly with 13" or 14" wiper blades on my 76.

After pulling the spring and clip out, then drilling the rivet out to separate the parts I marked the arm where I wanted the bend and placed it on a V block in an arbor press. I used a dowel pin on the top to create a radius and pulled on the arbor press until it had the angle I wanted. Then I drilled the new hole in a drill press and cut the arm to its new shorter length with a cut off wheel. Dressed the edges, added some black paint and reassembled.

I wrecked the first arm I tried to modify when I cut it short before bending it. So I recommend completing all the other mods before cutting the excess length off.
 
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