Wiper arm adjustment

Sound like you have a bad wiper arm and spring is weak need to make sure it has good pressure on the wiper blade to push it down on the windshield the pressure is why the blade is not wiping the windshied right

Try replacing the arm also. There might not be enough tension in the arm pushing on the blade.

Hello Steve,

From your post, "Finally had enough and stuffed a small block of wood between the driver's side bottom of the molded plastic linkage frame enough to lift the whole thing enough to put a moderate amount of pressure behind the wiper blade..", it sounds like this box is warped or somehow out of alignment. Is it possible for you to buy this box from a wrecking yard? Has you car ever been in a collision? If so the frame may have so un-repaired buckling resulting in the misalignment.

just loose the nut holding the arm in motor shaft spline,manage to pull it slowly up off splines,put the wiper blade paraller to the windscreen lower sea. put the arm back to splines and tightened the nut.

The inside of the wiper arm could be striped.I would pull the arm off and reset it on the windshield where its suppose to be and see what happens.That should fix it.

i`m not sure what you mean by it not working properly i assume that you mean it goes back and forth like the passenger side, but it doesn`t clean the window and you put the blade on the arm correctly then the wiper may be damaged and you will have to replace the wiper blade.check and compare the installation of the driver`s side to the passenger side wiper and correct the installation of the blade

Wiper Arm & Blade (Front) Removal & Installation Wiper Blade To Remove:

1. Turn ignition switch to ACCY position.
2. Turn wiper switch to PULSE position and turn ignition OFF when wipers are stopped in the innerwipe position.
3. Push the wiper blade clip button IN and remove wiper blade from wiper arm.

To Install:

1. Insert wiper arm hook through opening in wiper blade.
2. Place wiper blade pivot in the inside radius of wiper arm hook.
3. Pull on wiper blade pivot into hook until it locks into place.
4. Check wipers for proper operation.

Wiper Arm To Remove:
NOTE: Mark position of wiper blade on windshield to ensure proper position upon reassembly.

1. Remove washer hose.
2. Lift wiper arm from windshield and use a screwdriver to disengage retaining latch.
3. Remove wiper arm from shaft.

To Install:

1. Place wiper arm on shaft so that wiper arm aligns with marks placed on windshield.
2. Press arm assembly on shaft and push retaining latch IN.
3. Connect washer hose.
4. Remove windshield markings and check wipers for proper operation.

Yes you can adjust them yourself. First you need to check that the wiper arms are not bent. If not, remove the cap at the wiper arm base, under it u will find a nut, remove this nut. you should now be able to remove the wiper arm. (it is comon for caravan wiper arms to be corroded on. If the arm dosen't come off, you may need to heat up the wiper arm with a propane torch. be careful not to melt the plastic cowel under the arm. OR you can use a wiper puller or a battery puller. do not force it, you can break the arm, DO NOT PRY AGAINST THE COWEL OR WINDSHIELD.
Once both arms are off, turn your van on and turn the wipers on. watch the wiper posts, turn the wipers off and watch the wiper posts return and stop in the "parked" position. Turn the van off. Install the passanger wiper arm first, it is positioned closest to the bottom an inch or two above the black cowel. It should be parrallel to the cowel. next install the drivers side wiper arm. it is positioned about 4 inches above the passanger wiper. again running parrallel to the cowel and passanger wiper. tighten the lock nuts down (do not over tighten) wet down your windshield with glass cleaner or windshield washer fluid and test wipers. If they still hit you can lower the passanger one a little or raise the drivers one a little (careful you don't raise the drivers one too much or it will 'jump' off the windshield at the top of the wipe).
good luck, hope this helps.

I usually start with the blade as well, the arm can be bent in a method to make it arch high higher in the middle of the arm - forcing more downward pressure onto the windshield. The real problem however, could be your windshield. Not that I believe that all Ford vehicles should have the "Carlite" stamp on the glass, there are other good brands of glass. But, some glass manufacturers have poor quality control and their glass molds produce some parts with flat spots, low spots, high spots and many other distortions in the glass. Does your windshield have a Carlite stamp at the lower part of the windshield? If you can't adjust the wiper to work, you may want to consider the glass instead.

I usually fix this by bending the arm as low as possible to the base part just make sure the arm doesnt hit the glass handle when it sweeps