Wiper Motor, Motor Cover, and Motor Drop Bracket help?

[Kuze]

Hi All -
Need some guidance here.
I want to go topless for the summer, but I have wipers and a motor and a motor cover.
Will wind be an issue where the motor and cover on the top side of the windshield be exposed?
Do I need a motor drop bracket? If so, will I still be able to use the motor cover that has the visors or is there some slimmer cover I can purchase?

All the help is appreciated in answering my questions. I will post some pictures today to see what I am talking about.

Thanks,
Ali

 

[SevenT]

The factory wiper motor cover will not work with a drop bracket.

 

[Shimmy]

i ran topless without a drop bracket and did not really notice much wind noise from it. I later went to a bikini top with a drop bracket. no drop bracket needed if you're just removing the top.

 

[DirtDonk]

I ran topless for years as well. Sometimes with, but most of the time without the cover.
Never did like the linkage exposed though. Always found a reason to use the wipers at some point, and didn’t like the idea of someone’s fingers getting caught in them.
Luckily, for me, the previous owner had already slightly trimmed the original wiper cover for use with, I believe, off-road radios and such, with the hardtop.
So I didn’t feel too bad when cutting a circle out of the passenger side to let the, now flipped motor, stick out to the right.
Reinstalled the cover, finally got a bikini top, and a way I went.

Some people who used to pull the top off a lot, would simply remove all the wiper mechanism completely. I didn’t mind the idea (for them at least), but thought it was too much work, added to the already hassle of taking the top off and putting it back on.
And I always had some reason to use my wipers all year around anyway.

 

[DirtDonk]

I will say, though, I think that keeping the visors intact did lend a little bit of support to the motor cover.
If you don’t have visors, the three or four screws holding it to the windshield frame and brackets do get a lot of force put on them in the wind. I think the two or four screws on the side are doing all the work.
The few along the bottom on the frame would probably let go quickly under a torrent of wind when driving at speed.

 

[Lawndart]

Truly topless? Or with bikini top or something similar?
I have done it - truly topless, bikini top and now I run a BC Broncos top without the sides as temps allow.

The motor cover will not work, but you will be fine without it. You will have to fab something for the visors (a search on here will bring ideas). I am still running the original motor bracket with just a few washers on top to slightly lower it.
The windshield is a bit "springy" without the additional support of a top or a tensioned bikini top.

 

[Speedrdr]

There is a way to keep the wiper cover but it requires a little bit of cutting. I got a bracket that flipped the wiper motor 189* to the P/S. Took the wiper cover and took a hole saw the correct size and cut a hole so the motor stuck through. I cannot remember if there was any more that had to be cut on that end. Had a windshield riser that the bikini top mounted to.
You may not want to “butcher” your cover, but it is an alternative that allows the motor cover and sun visors to be used.

Randy

 

[DirtDonk]

And if you don’t wanna modify your original, you can always buy a different one and chop it up to your hearts content.

 

[Kuze]

And if you don’t wanna modify your original, you can always buy a different one and drop it up to your hearts content.

Do you think these 2 would work:
https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/early-bronco-black-soft-top-wiper-motor-cover
https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/69-77-ford-bronco-wiper-motor-drop-bracket
The main concern is wind noise and exposed motor from the top of the windshield. See attached pictures.
Will the drop bracket bring the motor down enough to hide behind the windshield frame?

 

[DirtDonk]

Do you think these 2 would work:
https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/early-bronco-black-soft-top-wiper-motor-cover
https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/69-77-ford-bronco-wiper-motor-drop-bracket

Yes. And they give you options.
Normally you order the cover based on which soft top you’re gonna use. Since it sounds like you’re not planning to use any soft top or bikini top, you could literally choose the one for a best top brand, and not have to lower your motor. Of course this still leaves stuff hanging well above the top of the windshield frame, so it might not be to your liking.
The one based on a Kayline/Rampage top, however, does require the drop bracket, and is more low profile because of it.
Just never seems to be one simple answer, does it?

The main concern is wind noise and exposed motor from the top of the windshield.

Probably best to go with the drop bracket and the Kayline/Rampage version then, to get the lower profile.

Will the drop bracket bring the motor down enough to hide behind the windshield frame?

No. It brings it down just enough to hide behind the lower profile windshield riser plate. Which you would have to buy separately.
If it was below the top of the windshield, it would be in your vision through the windshield glass itself. And the linkage would probably be nonfunctional.
At that point, you would probably just follow the old method of just doing it on the cheap. By removing the whole setup entirely.

 

[Kuze]

Yes. And they give you options.
Normally you order the cover based on which soft top you’re gonna use. Since it sounds like you’re not planning to use any soft top or bikini top, you could literally choose the one for a best top brand, and not have to lower your motor. Of course this still leaves stuff hanging well above the top of the windshield frame, so it might not be to your liking.
The one based on a Kayline/Rampage top, however, does require the drop bracket, and is more low profile because of it.
Just never seems to be one simple answer, does it?

Probably best to go with the drop bracket and the Kayline/Rampage version then, to get the lower profile.

No. It brings it down just enough to hide behind the lower profile windshield riser plate. Which you would have to buy separately.
If it was below the top of the windshield, it would be in your vision through the windshield glass itself. And the linkage would probably be nonfunctional.
At that point, you would probably just follow the old method of just doing it on the cheap. By removing the whole setup entirely.

Could you suggest a good low profile windshield riser plate and where I can purchase one from? Thoughts on these:
https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/rampage-early-bronco-roll-bar-top-windshield-riser-kit
https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/early-bronco-bestop-windshield-header-channel
https://www.bestop.com/products/windshield-channel/?vid=14904&sku=5120601
Thank you @DirtDonk for your help on this.
I am having Spiderweb custom create a mesh and a fabric bimini that will connect to the top of the windshield and the sports bar roll cage to get coverage on the front 2 seat, so having this resolved and installed will help me create a template for them to use to create these tops for me.

 

[DirtDonk]

Could you suggest a good low profile windshield riser plate and where I can purchase one from? Thoughts on these:
https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/rampage-early-bronco-roll-bar-top-windshield-riser-kit

This is the only one I know of that can qualify as "low profile" and that's the one that requires the motor drop bracket.

https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/early-bronco-bestop-windshield-header-channel

This is the Bestop high-riser and means you do not have to lower the wiper motor.

https://www.bestop.com/products/windshield-channel/?vid=14904&sku=5120601

Looks to me like a Jeep riser/channel. Note that it's slightly curved (not for Bronco) and states "to replace original" or "factory" or whatever it said. No such thing as a factory riser from Ford that I know of.
The original Ford optional soft top (Whitco I think?) probably did not need a riser, because it was offered only with the vacuum wipers that I know of. Anyone know if it continued to be a Ford option (dealer installed most likely) in later years? I don't think so, but don't know for certain.

Thank you @DirtDonk for your help on this.
I am having Spiderweb custom create a mesh and a fabric bimini that will connect to the top of the windshield and the sports bar roll cage to get coverage on the front 2 seat, so having this resolved and installed will help me create a template for them to use to create these tops for me.

That'll be cool. Let us know how it comes out and post up pics and prices for the custom work if you don't mind. Lots of interested parties I would think.

Paul