[Viscount Charles]

Anyone else notice that the driver's side wiper has a bit of black plastin across the width of the blade that is absent on the passenger side? I've no idea what it does - elp maintain pressure on the wiper when used at high speed? and even less idea why only the driver's side gets one ...

[dcfkan]

I noticed that, and thought a similar piece had flew off/been left off!

However, after having a good look at the cars in the neighbourhood, and spotted similar device etc., I realised this was normal!

Mind you, I still do not know why that piece is there though!

DK

[Bilbo Baggins]

Anyone have a picture? That might help.

[sjbartnik]

It's a spoiler -- designed to put some downforce on the wiper blade so that it will continue to wipe well even at high road speeds.

My VW Passat has the same thing, and again only on the driver's side wiper blade.

[Viscount Charles]

OK, so my mind has been put at wease - the driver's side gets one, the passenger side does not (and like others, I can stop looking for the missing bit of plastic).

Now we've clarified what it does, why should only the driver get one? I'd have thought it would cost more to produce two different wiper blades ...

[monsta]

I think the plastic bit is clipped onto the wiper blade so in theory you could buy another one and have it on both.

Might explain why my passenger wiper isn't as good as the drivers

MiniGuy!!!

[JonBlakeburn]

The wipers work at high speed regardless of the little fin, but surely it's there just to make sure that the drivers side is clear for the driver to see. Therefore, as it's not exactly critical that the passenger sees the road ahead. I think that's why the passenger wiper doesn't have one.

Our Audi A4 has one as well. I think it's pretty common.

[dietcokeplease]

On my other cars, I've renewed the passenger side wiper blade with a spoiler version. You can buy dual-packs of spoilered blades from Halfords.

To be honest, it tidies up the aethetics but doesn't seem to increase the passenger blade wipe performance too much.

DC

[MiniJamie]

Yeah, all the 'performance' cars I've had have had a spolier on the drivers side - the above comments are right, it's just to make sure it sticks to the window at high speed so that the drivers view is guaranteed to be clear......you can put one on the passenger side if you like..they do just clip on....you don't HAVE to have it, and the blades with them on are more expensive than the ones without!!!!

[noahe]

I was once told that only the driver's side gets the little wing, because the driver's side wiper is the only blade that is at the edge of the car's A-Pillar at full excursion.

The wind sweeps over the car, and passes by the car at the edges of the frontal surface, thus the top and sides of the windscreen, the edges of the fenders, and under the car. Since the forces are greatest at the edge, the lifting potential of the wiper is greatest at the side of the windscreen. The passenger wiper merely sits in the middle of the screen, where wind is trying to escape upwards, along the length of the wiper. This does not cause very much lift for the passenger wiper.

The inverse is true for a RHD car, as the wipers are in a different position, essentially a mirrored car.

[noahe]

On the Right Hand Drive car, the wiper still has the exact same problem.

The wiper is protected from wind while in the off position, nestled in the low-pressure region formed in the crease between the hood, and the windshield.

While the passenger wiper moves from this protected area, up the screen to the middle of the screen, the driver's wiper moves to the edge of the A-Pillar, where the turbulent lifting force of the air spilling over the side of the windscreen is significant.

Thus, in the RHD and LHD cars, only the driver's side gets the wing.

At least that's the tale I was told.

[chiph]

Thanks for the pics, Noahe.

I never thought about the possibilty that the wipers would move in the opposite direction on LHD and RHD cars. Makes sense, though, as you want the driver to get the most "sweep".

Chip H.

[dcfkan]

Thanks noahe for the explanation

DK

[BruceK]

Quote:

Originally posted by chiph
Thanks for the pics, Noahe.

I never thought about the possibilty that the wipers would move in the opposite direction on LHD and RHD cars...

On certain years of the classic Mini it was very apparent the wipers were different on LHD and RHD versions. They used different mounting points on the body in front of the windshield. There were 4 holes stamped in the body, and two of holes had wiper arms sticking out of them, but the other two just had rubber plugs!

[Minty]

Just buy a replacement one. Champion do a very good range of VX and SX blades. Anti judder and smear resistant.
I also read at work that trico are releasing teflon coated ones...oooooh.

[noahe]

Be warned... BMW wipers are amongst the best around. The aerodynamics of the MINI, or lack thereof, are to be faulted if you dislike the wipers. I'd hang onto the OEM wiper's, especially if you're replacing the whole wiper arm, not just the blade refill. You might decide to stick with the OEM setup.