[desertpatriot]

have: 2000 S10 LS ext. cab
issue: driver side wiper does not touch the windshield during a full sweep; passanger side wipes perfect. driver side wiper rests firmly when in the down position but not firmly when in a full sweep.
failed attempts: replaced wipers with new blades, swapped wiper arms -passager side to driver side, replaced wiper arm with driver side wiper arm from a `00 Blazer, bent wiper arm closer to the windshield, replaced windshield.
Solution: ???

 

[aitch]

have: 2000 S10 LS ext. cab
issue: driverside wiper does not touch the windshield during a sweep. passanger side wipes perfect. driverside wiper rests firmly when in the down position but not firmly when in a sweep.
failed attempts: replaced wipers with new blades, replaced wiper arm with one from a `00 Blazer, bent wiper arm closer to the windshield, replaced windshield.
Solution: ???

According to GM Parts Direct, the driver side wiper arm (15043065) is interchangeable for the '00 S10 and Blazer. There are different numbers for the wiper blades however (L= 15757007 , R = 15757008 ), however, I don't know the difference between them. What was the problem with the S10 driver side wiper arm? Is it possible the Blazer wiper arm has a weak spring? What wiper blades were used? I'll assume that the replacement windshield is correct.

 

[desertpatriot]

According to GM Parts Direct, the driver side wiper arm (15043065) is interchangeable for the '00 S10 and Blazer. There are different numbers for the wiper blades however (L= 15757007 , R = 15757008 ), however, I don't know the difference between them. What was the problem with the S10 driver side wiper arm? Is it possible the Blazer wiper arm has a weak spring? What wiper blades were used? I'll assume that the replacement windshield is correct.

-There was nothing wrong with the driverside wiper arm; I figured for $2 (LKQ salvage yard) why not buy one, swap them out and see if there's any difference. There wasn't.
-Yes, it's possible the Blazer (and S10) wiper arm springs are weak. Question: Where does one buy replacement wiper arm springs?
-Michelin rubber wiper blades pn 20266 19" X 2 Costco $14 December 2021
Yes, according to the GM PNs, the wrong size blades were installed -left driver 20" right passanger 24". But would that make a difference in wiping the windshield clean during a full sweep?
-Yes, it could be an el-cheapo windshield replacement (communist China). But I'm hoping that's the last resort to this issue.

 

[aitch]

There was nothing wrong with the driverside wiper arm; I figured for $2 (LKQ salvage yard) why not buy one, swap them out and see if there's any difference. There wasn't.
Yes, it's possible the Blazer (and S10) wiper arm springs are weak. Question: Where does one buy replacement wiper arm springs?
Michelin rubber wiper blades pn 20266 19" X 2 Costco $14 December 2021
Yes, it could be an el-cheapo windshield replacement made in communist China. But I'm hoping that's the last resort to this issue.

I'm not sure that a stand alone 'replacement' spring part is available - AFAIK, it's just a part of the arm assembly. And per the parts links, the OEM wiper blades are 20", and other sources (like AZ) confirms that size. Also, does the non contact sweep occur when the truck is stationary, or when mobile and on the road? Did the situation just start, or has it been developing/ ongoing? Another possibility is that the Michelin blades are no longer 'conforming' and due for replacement, as they are a couple of years old. FWIW, about a year ago I put a pair of 20" Bosch (direct fit) blades on my '03 Sonoma (w/ original arms), and they have performed flawlessly.

 

[Watthour]

I tried the single-strip "aero" blades on my '03. A week later they were in the trash and replaced with the conventional frame blades, which work just like they should.

 

[desertpatriot]

I'm not sure that a stand alone 'replacement' spring part is available - AFAIK, it's just a part of the arm assembly. And per the parts links, the OEM wiper blades are 20", and other sources (like AZ) confirms that size. Also, does the non contact sweep occur when the truck is stationary, or when mobile and on the road? Did the situation just start, or has it been developing/ ongoing? Another possibility is that the Michelin blades are no longer 'conforming' and due for replacement, as they are a couple of years old. FWIW, about a year ago I put a pair of 20" Bosch (direct fit) blades on my '03 Sonoma (w/ original arms), and they have performed flawlessly.

"...the OEM wiper blades are 20", and other sources (like AZ) confirms that size"
Sure, but then why does GM recommend two different size blades (20" & 24")...what is correct and who is one to believe?
"...does the non-contact sweep occur when the truck is stationary, or when mobile and on the road?"
When the truck is stationary; I didn't want to chance driving it with poor visibility...so it’s hard to say how it behaves when driving on the road.
"Did the situation just start, or has it been developing / ongoing?"
It's been ongoing and has become much worse since swapping the wiper arm from the Blazer.
"Michelin blades are no longer 'conforming' and due for replacement, as they are a couple of years old"
Sure, but then why does the passenger blade work 100% like it should? Note: I swapped wiper arms today and we get rain in a few days; stay tuned for the results.
Worse comes to worse, I'll buy new blades -20" & 24" and hope for the best.
Question: Could the driver side wiper arm linkage be out of alignment and/or defective and need replacing?
Thanx for all the advice!

 

[oldeerslayer]

You may be onto the problem. I had a similar situation on my K2500 plow truck and it turned out that the shaft assembly the wiper arm was attached to was bent out of alignment. Not the shaft itself, but the tin it bolts to. The metal in that cowl area is not very strong or thick. I found a short length of pipe that just slipped over the end of the shaft and by pulling on it was able to change the angle of the shaft in relation to the windshield. Probably not the approved method to re-align it, but it worked. You want to have the pipe over the lower thicker area. It did not need much adjustment.

 

[aitch]

"...the OEM wiper blades are 20", and other sources (like AZ) confirms that size"
Sure, but then why does GM recommend two different size blades (20" & 24")...what is correct and who is one to believe?

Just curious - what GM source is showing two sizes of wiper blades? I've (re) checked 3 different ones, along w/ Rock Auto, AZ & AA, and they all are showing 20" blades for L & R.
The pivot post alignment at the cowl that @oldeerslayer mentioned is a good possibility to investigate. That's a variable I hadn't thought of.

 

[oldeerslayer]

I agree, the S10 never came with 2 sizes of wipers. Has to be a typo.
We had an Audi that had a 2" longer passenger side, but Audi's are weird in a lot of ways.

 

[Rhotpursuit]

I don't remember where I found the info, but the wiper arms have 2 different part numbers. Does it make a difference which side they're on...I don't know. I compared a set and I think they were a bit different. Maybe one of the differences is the strength of the spring...just guessing here.

 

[aitch]

I don't remember where I found the info, but the wiper arms have 2 different part numbers. Does it make a difference which side they're on...I don't know. I compared a set and I think they were a bit different. Maybe one of the differences is the strength of the spring...just guessing here.

Well, it appears in my previous post (#2) I committed an omission error. There are, indeed two different arms listed, which I somehow overlooked. They are 1990-2005 GM Driver Side Windshield Wiper Arm 15043065 | GMPartsDirect.com, and 1990-2005 GM Wiper Arm 15043066 | GMPartsDirect.com. This was the same as at the GM Parts Giant website. Rock Auto also shows different arms (although they are the dubious Dorkman brand). The difference between them isn't made on the websites, so I measured the arms on my '03 Sonoma. The OAL difference between the two arms is about 1/4", with the driver side being the longer of the two. That length factor might be worth looking into.

 

[oldeerslayer]

I stand corrected. Didn't know that.
Bet that extra 1/4" makes a huge difference it what you can see when it's raining. That's an 1/8" top and bottom both. At the bottom you can see more of the hood, but at the top? Nothing but clouds up there.

 

[desertpatriot]

Well, it appears in my previous post (#2) I committed an omission error. There are, indeed two different arms listed, which I somehow overlooked. They are 1990-2005 GM Driver Side Windshield Wiper Arm 15043065 | GMPartsDirect.com, and 1990-2005 GM Wiper Arm 15043066 | GMPartsDirect.com. This was the same as at the GM Parts Giant website. Rock Auto also shows different arms (although they are the dubious Dorkman brand). The difference between them isn't made on the websites, so I measured the arms on my '03 Sonoma. The OAL difference between the two arms is about 1/4", with the driver side being the longer of the two. That length factor might be worth looking into.

Thanx for the update. But is it worth ordering these correct wiper arms ($40+ fleabay) and then discovering the issue with the driver wiper arm sweep still exists? I'm leaning toward olddeerslayer's solution of bending back the driver side wiper linkage shaft. Stay tuned.
Note: Regarding my `00 S10 (and the donor `00 Blazer), both driver side and passenger side wiper arm PNs read the same -89813329. Hmm...

 

[desertpatriot]

You may be onto the problem. I had a similar situation on my K2500 plow truck and it turned out that the shaft assembly the wiper arm was attached to was bent out of alignment. Not the shaft itself, but the tin it bolts to. The metal in that cowl area is not very strong or thick. I found a short length of pipe that just slipped over the end of the shaft and by pulling on it was able to change the angle of the shaft in relation to the windshield. Probably not the approved method to re-align it, but it worked. You want to have the pipe over the lower thicker area. It did not need much adjustment.
View attachment 374193

I like it!

 

[desertpatriot]

Progress report: I went ahead and straightened the wiper arm shaft with a 3/8 12M deep socket over the shaft with a long extension attachment. Gave it a quick jerk and Shazam, it worked! Both driver side and passenger side wipers sweep perfectly. Thanx again to oldeerslayer.