Wiper arm broken. looking for suggestions

[m_bt54]

So of course in the middle of downpours my wiper arm broke off. When I put it back on it just comes off again. I did find a metal tab in the area near where it attaches to the motor that looks like it lines up with a notch on both the arm and silver circle on the motor. I tried to line it up and put it back together but it just came apart the same way. The teeth inside the arm seem to be worn down so probably at least part of my issue. It’s raining too hard to pull off the other to compare and I don’t want to end up without either. Anyone have any suggestions? Have some terrible pictures but it’s the best I could get. In the top picture I slid the piece into the arm and it is a little distorted by the light/ phone camera. It does not stick outside the circle at the end of the arm.

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[FaaWrenchBndr]

Looks like a trip to the dealer or a trip to a salvage yard is in your near future

 

[JEB]

So of course in the middle of downpours my wiper arm broke off. When I put it back on it just comes off again. I did find a metal tab in the area near where it attaches to the motor that looks like it lines up with a notch on both the arm and silver circle on the motor. I tried to line it up and put it back together but it just came apart the same way. The teeth inside the arm seem to be worn down so probably at least part of my issue. It’s raining too hard to pull off the other to compare and I don’t want to end up without either. Anyone have any suggestions? Have some terrible pictures but it’s the best I could get. In the top picture I slid the piece into the arm and it is a little distorted by the light/ phone camera. It does not stick outside the circle at the end of the arm.

That metal piece is just an alignment key used during assembly to make sure the wiper doesn’t travel too far and hit the a-pillar. They aren’t necessary for the wiper to function properly and they frequently just fall out if you lift the wiper arm too high. https://www.f150forum.com/f118/whats-small-metal-puck-fell-out-windshield-wiper-base-459497/

If you can get the wiper arm back on, it should work fine without the key. You just might have to take it off and put it back on a couple of times to get the travel right.

EDIT: Correction. There is a difference of opinion as to whether they are needed long term. The current thinking is that they aren’t necessary. https://www.f150forum.com/f118/metal-piece-wiper-528652/. Regardless, in the short term, the wiper should be fine until you decide what you want to do. The keys fell out on my first set and they worked fine. But the arms were eventually replaced under a recall and the new keys appear to be better fixed in place.

 

[HammaMan]

Did you already have the wiper recall done?

 

[m_bt54]

Did you already have the wiper recall done?

Not yet

For now I made it home after about 100 attempts to get it on and to stay. New arm ordered off Amazon for now. Will try this if it doesn’t work or at least use it to get me by until they can take it in

 

[m_bt54]

That metal piece is just an alignment key used during assembly to make sure the wiper doesn’t travel too far and hit the a-pillar. They aren’t necessary for the wiper to function properly and they frequently just fall out if you lift the wiper arm too high. https://www.f150forum.com/f118/whats-small-metal-puck-fell-out-windshield-wiper-base-459497/

If you can get the wiper arm back on, it should work fine without the key. You just might have to take it off and put it back on a couple of times to get the travel right.

EDIT: Correction. There is a difference of opinion as to whether they are needed long term. The current thinking is that they aren’t necessary. https://www.f150forum.com/f118/metal-piece-wiper-528652/. Regardless, in the short term, the wiper should be fine until you decide what you want to do. The keys fell out on my first set and they worked fine. But the arms were eventually replaced under a recall and the new keys appear to be better fixed in place.

unfortunately, I couldn’t get it back on and have it stay. I think the teeth are too worn down at this point.

 

[m_bt54]

Did you already have the wiper recall done?

Is the wiper recall one that only applies if you’re having a problem? I’ve never seen it listed for my truck and it’s not showing when I try to look it up now.

 

[HammaMan]

It'd be showing in your vehicle dashboard. They may have already done it if the vehicle has been in for service within the last 18mo

 

[mxwrk]

Those metal keys kept falling out after I bought my truck...took me forever (plus this forum) to figure out where they were coming from and why. Wipers functioned normally though

 

[roadPilot]

It'd be showing in your vehicle dashboard. They may have already done it if the vehicle has been in for service within the last 18mo

The recall was for a motor failure for certain 2021-2022 trucks. Mine was affected. The recall did NOT include models built at DTP between 1/3/2021 and 9/10/2021, as they used a different motor design (due to the COVID chip shortage, believe it or not).

They replaced the motor. I do not believe they would have replaced the parts the OP is dealing with.

 

[roadPilot]

Update: Actually, there was/were/are several F150 wiper ARM (and motor) recalls for my 2021.

Wiper motor:

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