Good visibility is vital when driving, so decent quality, well-maintained windshield wiper blades are a must for the safety of you and your loved ones.
While a car's motor, tires, bodywork and other parts often receive a lot of attention, wiper blades can often be ignored with disastrous consequences. Good driving depends on excellent visibility and bad weather, insects and dirt all work to decrease the quality of our vision. Old windshield wiper blades simply do not work well enough for safe motoring.
Mostly, windshield wiper blades are made from rubber and so are prone to wear and tear. The sun, freezing conditions, dust, time, oil and many other forces contribute to their deterioration. Even if they are not used often, windshield wiper blades need to be replaced regularly.
Windshield wiper blades should be replaced every twice a year or every 6,000 miles. Failure to do so is placing you at a significant risk. The most economical option is to just replace the squeegees - the rubber parts which actually clean your windshield. A pair should only cost a few dollars, although you might need to cut the squeegee to fit your particular variety of windshield wiper blade.
Alternatively you can replace the entire wiper blade. This is the entire windshield wiper that includes the metal arm and the squeegee. These are a bit pricier but should be changed at least every two years. The metal frame needs good tension to make sure the rubber keeps good contact with your windshield.
While they are a relatively small car part, it is important to purchase quality windshield wiper blades. Different sizes, slopes and shapes of windscreens can all dictate the type of wiper blades you require and some types need more tension than others. Also, the frame should have a few 'claws' which make sure the rubber makes firm contact with the windshield.
The squeegees are generally made with rubber. More sophisticated squeegees will use softer rubber against the windshield, with stronger rubber at the back for increased support and durability. Once more, for the sake of safe motoring, it is worth spending a bit more on decent quality.
Considering it is recommended that wiper blades are replaced twice a year, this will probably coincide with your car's service schedule. But if you like to maintain your own car or want to save a few dollars, windshield wiper replacement is a fairly easy task.
To examine the condition of your windshield wiper blades just pull the arm back from the windshield and closely examine the rubber edge. It must be perfectly straight, without any distortions or brittle areas.
More Information:
Jim Samposzi is a journalist with over 12 years editorial experience. Jim is presently working as a freelance writer for many well-known B2B portals and has become the resident guru on automotive products. Visit our web portal for additional information on
Windscreen Wipers and
Wiper Blades.
Categories
