Mounting Electric wipers on a 1966, HELP!

I recently purchased the Toms Bronco Electric Windshield wiper kit to replace my Vacuum wipers.

On the website it states: "If you have a 66-69 Bronco that has the original vacuum style windshield frame, then you will have to modify the linkage or your windshield frame as the spacing for the installation holes are different widths on a vacuum frame."

Today when I mocked up the linkage and motor, I noticed that indeed there's some modification to be done.

When I mocked it up, I noticed on the frame there's many indentations where the wiper linkage arms could go through if drilled, I assume the same frame was used for different types of wiper units?

Anyway, I think my best bet is to drill new holes for the linkage, what I'm wondering is for people who have electric wipers:

-What's the distance between wholes? I get approx. 22" where I think I'm supposed to mount them.
-What's the distance between the hole closest to the drivers side and the end of the frame (drivers side).

I ask this because there's many hole indentations and I'd like to know which one's the right one.

There's threaded holes and pins that work for the motor bracket, do I mount the motor there or do I also have to move the motor? Or would just moving the motor allow me to use the existing holes?

Lastly, how do you remove the circular gears at the end of the linkage that have to go through the frame?

If anyone has any tips on how to mount these wipers on a '66 I'd really appreciate it.
Sorry for the amount of questions I'm so lost and I don't wanna drill more holes than I should.

Please excuse the rust.

Subscribing to see what others recommend.
Maybe PM 904Bronco here for his opinion. I believe he's done it both ways, by modifying the length of the linkage arms, and drilling new holes.
Others have done it as well though, so with luck someone will chime in directly.
He did it to my '68, but I'll have to go out and look tomorrow to see which way he did it.

You don't have to remove the splined drive gears, because they're smaller than the threaded shaft with the big nuts. Remove the nuts and one of the seals, and insert them through the newly drilled, or enlarged holes (I think you have to make the existing ones larger if you use them) and then anchor them with the seal and nut on the outside of the frame.

I don't remember the indentations. There were only two styles of wipers used on the EB's through the years, and in '66 I'm pretty sure they were not already planning on the change that would happen in '69 in that fine of detail.

Good luck.

Paul

I welded up my original 68 holes and drilled new ones with a step drill bit.

Jason at Toms has a pic with dimensions for electric wipers he sent me.

Chros

I can also email the pic tomorrow if you like

Chris

I added electric wipers to a 69 I had years ago and just lengthened the linkage vs drilling new holes in the frame. Don’t have any pictures but remember it wasn’t hard

Subscribed. Franco, you are not alone as I need to do this to mine as well. I do apologize as I cannot help you at all

broncochevy said:

Subscribed. Franco, you are not alone as I need to do this to mine as well. I do apologize as I cannot help you at all

Click to expand...

Jimmy let me know when you get to this point and I will come over and we can try the cut and weld method if you want.

Will do. I am waiting to see if I can find a used setup, may need to buy new if I cannot find one. I’ve got something special in the garage....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dirtdonk is correct that I lengthened the linkage on the stock electric wipers to work on the 68 windshield frame. You have to enlarge the holes with a step drill, to like 3/4". They work fine that way, but the sweep is a little off... I will do some digging for you on my notes.

I could swear that I just posted up some of this info for someone on another thread... There are a few threads about this

DirtDonk said:

Subscribing to see what others recommend.
Maybe PM 904Bronco here for his opinion. I believe he's done it both ways, by modifying the length of the linkage arms, and drilling new holes.
Others have done it as well though, so with luck someone will chime in directly.
He did it to my '68, but I'll have to go out and look tomorrow to see which way he did it.

You don't have to remove the splined drive gears, because they're smaller than the threaded shaft with the big nuts. Remove the nuts and one of the seals, and insert them through the newly drilled, or enlarged holes (I think you have to make the existing ones larger if you use them) and then anchor them with the seal and nut on the outside of the frame.

I don't remember the indentations. There were only two styles of wipers used on the EB's through the years, and in '66 I'm pretty sure they were not already planning on the change that would happen in '69 in that fine of detail.

Good luck.

Paul

Click to expand...

Hi Paul,

The splined drive gears will not go through the hole, are they supposed to? They're too big.
Weird I have the indentations, maybe my windshield frame is not '66?

Is it bolted to the bronco? Or welded.?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

904Bronco said:

Dirtdonk is correct that I lengthened the linkage on the stock electric wipers to work on the 68 windshield frame. You have to enlarge the holes with a step drill, to like 3/4". They work fine that way, but the sweep is a little off... I will do some digging for you on my notes.

I could swear that I just posted up some of this info for someone on another thread... There are a few threads about this

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. yeah, it seems I have to enlarge the holes, they're way too small.

I'll see if I can get help lengthening the linkage, I'd rather not make more holes on the frame if I don't need to.

Thanks!

broncochevy said:

Is it bolted to the bronco? Or welded.?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

The windshield frame? It's bolted

68Broncoz said:

I can also email the pic tomorrow if you like

Chris

Click to expand...

Would be great if you can share the pic!

Sorry if I've asked this before, is your 66' a springtime yellow, August 65' build? I have a build sheet for one, been looking for the owner for a few years now lol.

Mine is a 1967, I will look if it has all the indentations yours does.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

okie4570 said:

Sorry if I've asked this before, is your 66' a springtime yellow, August 65' build? I have a build sheet for one, been looking for the owner for a few years now lol.

Click to expand...

What?!?!!? Yes it is!

Notes I pulled from Classic

I have a 68 that I converted to electric wipers. I bought a complete set up from a later Bronco - linkage, motor, wiring. I installed the arms/pivots it in the factory holes in the windshield frame. I installed the wiper motor in the stock location for a 69 and up Bronco so the right wiper was in the stock location. Then I extended the linkage over to the driver's side arm. I did this with a round rod I clamped in place then cycled the wiper motor (by powering it by tapping to 12 v so I could stop/start the motor). Once I had it close I tack welded it in place. It was pretty close but I ended up cutting the rod and threading the ends then connecting them with a turnbuckle so I could adjust it to make it perfect. Works much better than vacuum!
I did the Cherokee wiper arm mod but that was rubbish. Just modify your existing arms to hold a 9" blade.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230052&highlight=converting+electric+wipers

Vacuum to Electric Wipers
________________________________________
Some measurements from my '73 windshield frame, using the weather-stripping edge on the driver side as the starting point.

10 1/4" from the edge to the driver side hole center
29 15/16" from the edge to the passenger side hole center
19 3/4" center to center of the two holes
13/16" hole size on a electric wiper set up.

I can't answer the overlap question, I'll be converting my '68 vacuum setup to electric soon and so I'll know that one soon.

I've pulled the wiper delay switch from the late 1970's F-150s and Broncos.

I converted my '67 vacuum setup to electric recently. I enlarged the holes slightly with a dremel and lengthened the rod between the left and right side (I'll post the measurement when I get home). I kept the stock wiper arms and blades and used a replacement switch and bezel where my choke used to be. It works well, but would probably be better with the Cherokee upgrade. The toughest part was getting the length of the extension right followed by getting the vacuum line out and fishing the wiring back through there. I should tell you that my measurements are based on a bikini top drop bracket.

The measurement is 3 and 5/8 inches. I'll post some pics shortly

I wouldn't use ANY measurements to make sure it fits your Bronco... I'm not sure there are two measurements that are the same on any Bronco!

I think I did it this way back in 1976 when I converted my vacuum wipers to electric:

Enlarge the holes on both sides
Put the wiper "post" thru each side and anchor both of them like it's permanent
Mount the motor. Make sure you space the motor so it won't bind with the passenger side "arm" on it. After the motor is attached to the frame, make sure it will rotate the pass side assembly smoothly before attempting to attach the drivers side arm.

Cut the main wiper arm that goes between the two wiper posts
Park both blades in the at rest position at the top of the windshield (what were those engineers thinking anyway)
I then clamped a pc of steel with visegrips btw the drivers side arm that you cut to space the posts correctly and the remaining pc of steel that is attached to the the rest of the system.

When turning the system on for trial and error/fitment, make sure you toggle the KEY on QUICKLY in case something isn't lined up right... just eyeball things carefully. Key shuts it off completely, switch can still make the system go to "park".

Anyway, without pics it might be hard to follow this BUT you will not have a bare spot if you space the wipers correctly and it sure beats having a 9" wide bare SIDE of the windshield on the pass side.

Might have forgotten something, but this worked better than my Dad's '69 w/electrics and anybody else that watched them work removing snow.

Good luck, use the original holes...
Of the three Broncos I've owned, two were electric. The area on the right end of the windshield not covered by the electrics is not a problem for the driver. You're seeing it at a shallow angle so it's not 9". You want the glass clear in front of you. It makes more sense to keep the electric wiper spacing. Just drill a hole and fill a hole. The stock cover-visor-dome light will work and look good. The passenger may lose some visibility, but they're not driving.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pictures show motor and wipers in park position...

Actually, I misspoke. It is a 69. The rest of the bronco is the 67. But it has been butchered up a bit from being owned a few times. However, it doesn’t have the indentations yours does. But did have vacuum wipers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do what 994 is saying!!! Don't drill new holes. The sweep of the windshield wiper blades on the glass is better with extending the arm for the electrics in the original vacuum wiper holes.

I did this mod after one winter of TRYING to drive in snow country as my DD over mtn passes 3x/mo in the winter. This was on my 68 Bronco that I bought in June of 76...still my ride...