Can't seem to stop wiper blade skipping at highway speeds

[TorqueEffect]

I thought installing Nissan Sentra wiper arms would have got rid of this, but they still chatter up the windshield at highway speeds. Even tried slightly longer blades, they still skip, tried beam style and conventional style and both do the same thing. Found some of the wiper pivots were loose, tightened those down with a wrench and still the wipers skip up the windshield. Only thing I haven't tried is the Aero style blades that are supposed to push the blade onto the window at speed, but I feel that is just a band-aid at this point.

Also it doesn't seem like wiper blades like to last on this car at all, seems like I have to change them ever couple of months. Like for instance, I bought Duralast flex blade wipers almost 2 years ago, they still work 100% on my folk's car, they are still on there. Mine were streaking by the end of summer the year I bought them. Don't say it is sun deterioration because my friend's Monte Carlo that I bought off of him at one point had the same flex blade style blades on his car, and they lasted well over a year, and was never garage kept at all. Just something about the Festiva just ruins wiper blades fast.

Any suggestions?

[David88]

Rain X

[Spike]

+1 on the apply and wipe RainX. But it still doesn't help driving 70 down the freeway with a salt-covered winter windshield. I've even put tougher springs I stole from other cars in normal Festiva arms before and still can't seem to fix the problem on mine. Anything over 50 it barely touches the darn windshield.

[WmWatt]

I've seen wind deflectors on wiper blades. They probably hold the blade against the glass?

[TorqueEffect]

Yeah, I am going to be buying a pair of Duralast Aero blades, will report back.

Also tried Rain X, didn't help either, and it is a pain to have to keep reapplying that stuff.

[rmoltis]

So an idea for you would be a wind deflector directly before the wiper arms tucked away in the off position.
The mpg guys do it for bettter aero. But it also help direct the wind over the blades.
If you tuned the right angle for this piece i bet you can direct the airflow up and over the wipers
rather than underneath the wipers causing them to "float".

Secondary option is to use aquapell.
It was designed for aeroplanes.
It is a 2 part water repellant.
You apply it similar to rain x after you break the catalyst tube and shake it up.

Apply up and down and left right.
Then let it dry and haze over.
Then buff it in.
It lasts up to 6 months of awesome water, snow, ice repellant.

Rain x is garbage compared to this stuff.
Try it once. You will be hooked.

[Movin]

Dri wash is similar as well . They offer more and it really works. Wipers on a Festiva with the air flow is impossible to fight with springs. Aero is better but the air flow is the problem, the direction provides lift. Aero counters to a point but it is hard to find a shape aggressive enough when the air flow is compressing then bouncing up just when a smooth flow would be nice. We need auro wipers just for a Festy.

[TorqueEffect]

Just bought some Duralast Aero Blades. Next time it rains i'll take it out on the highway and see if they help.

Anyone else get bugged when wiper blades don't sit completely on the glass in the resting position? normally the passenger blade and the part of the blade closest to the edge of the windshield. These Aero Blades seem to do that, like a third of the blade doesn't sit all the way on the glass. But I can live with that if these things don't skip up the windshield at highway speed.

[TorqueEffect]

Well took it out on the highway, and used the washer and it didn't chatter. Will try again when I get the SMART car nozzle so my windshield gets soaked, or when it actually rains. But results so far are looking good for these blades.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

I've had good luck with RainX, particularly on long freeway trips. It's not particularly effective at low speeds. I once applied it to the only "view" window on my house, where it lasted for many years.

I use Pledge (particularly lemon-flavored which is now hard to find) on easy-to-scratch plastic aircraft windshields that don't have windshield wipers. It lasts for a couple of hours at 140 or so.

[jimdigs]

How did it taste? "particularly lemon-flavored" sorry couldn't resist.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Jimdigs,

I don't know what it is about the lemon in pledge, but greyhairs I know in the aviation community swear by it. I wouldn't ingest any of these products, lemon-flavored or not.

I see you're from Michigan. Did you upgrade your 12" Festy wheels to reduce your chances of disappearing into one of those giant Detroit potholes?

[rickbz28]

"I see you're from Michigan. Did you upgrade your 12" Festy wheels to reduce your chances of disappearing into one of those giant Detroit potholes?"

It's not just in Detroit,it's the whole state.A lot of it comes down to the shoddy workmanship the state gets from its subcontractors.They just repaved the road in front of my house late last summer and it already has a big crack almost completely across the road. That's our tax dollars at work.violin

[Movin]

The whole country is going to h... in a hand basket. I need to drive my all terrain vehicle to work and it is because cracks in asphalt are so huge my poor car bounces sideways. It was paved 3 years ago. Nobody makes the contractors meet specs.

[Bert]

For me ordinary wiper blades perpetually lifted off the Festy glass at highway+ speeds until I invested in Reflex Hybrid brand wipers. These are a little bit pricey but have an obvious 'scallop' shape to them and they instantly solved my problems.