Are post 74 wipers better than pre?

[frontrange]

Quick ? on my restore - I have a 74 top, and a 75 tub. Everything matches up so far. The 75 tub will take either the 74 or 75 W/S frame, but I expect the 75 windshield frame to need some work to match up to the early top.

The 75 windshield frame has a different wiper setup at the bottom, one you would hope is better than the crappy early configuration.

Is this true? I can install either the late or early frame since I have both at hand. I don't mind a bit of work to make the best wiper configuration fit. So is the later deal a better setup?

Opinions?

 

[Rzeppa]

Yes the later setup is much better. I don't have first hand experience with putting the 75 on the 74, but I know that the 77 will bolt up to a 76. I will definitely say that my 76 (and 78) is a way better setup than my 71. Confused yet? Okay, go for the bottom mounted motor from the 75 frame - you will need to redo the harness obviously.

 

[corsair23]

I have a 12/74 FJ40 that I bought a top for...At the time I didn't pay too much attention when I purchased the top, only that I knew it was in good shape and had the hatch vs barn doors to match up with my lower rear swing doors.

Well, had I been paying more attention I would have noticed that despite the fact that I had rear swing doors I had a windshield frame on my 40 that had wipers on the bottom, not the top. Hmmm...The issue was that the top was setup for windshield wipers at the top (notched) of the frame. I actually had Ron at RMC install the top for me while he was doing other stuff to the 40 at the time and it worked out ok. He had to cut slots in the windshield frame channel that is attached to the fiberglass top in order to match up with the upper holes in the windshield frame that attach the channel to the frame itself.

I have since discovered that the PPO put on a '77 vintage windshield frame on my 12/74 FJ40 so thus the mismatch. Not an issue if you only run a soft top or bikini top but an issue if you run a hard top. I have pondered the thought of swapping out a correct year windshield frame channel on the top (I even actually have the channel sitting in the garage) but the concern I have is that said channel is riveted to the fiberglass top and replacing it could cause more problems than it solves.

Pick your poison but my first suggestion would be to do what Ron did and just add a couple new notches/slots to the channel where the bolt holes are on the later model windshield frame. If you don't like the results then I guess you could either find an older fiberglass top (just the top piece) with a good channel and swap them out OR do what I've been contemplating and just swap out the channels...Just keep in mind that you may ruin the fiberglass top trying to remove the old channel and install the new one. That is why I have not yet tried this and likely never will


As to the question about which wiper setup is better? I've never owned a 40 with the early style wipers at the top so I can't compare. However, I like the fact that on the later models there is only one motor (weren't their two on the earlier years?) and it is outside the cab vs. inside. The negative of the later model is that you can't buy a new motor anymore for certain years should you ever need one. I read where the later year motors were still available but that going with one of those meant you also would have to go with a later year cover. The later year cover size is different so it would be a bit of work to make it fit I'm guessing.

 

[frontrange]

Thanks, good info and confirms my thoughts so far.

Jeff Z - Would you be interesed in selling me that channel? I'm in the process of restoring the top, so right now is the right time to swap channels. I have a sack of rivets and the rivet set on order to fix a few spots on the gutter so the channel shouldn't be too much more work for me as long as I get it done before paint and the headliner.

 

[nuclearlemon]

use the appropriate w/s hinges and hood if you ever plan on dropping the windshield. the later model windshield frame goes up and forward when you drop it, so you need the later model hood, otherwise your w/s frame won't meet up with the bumpers and the hooks and if you don't change the hinges, the wiper motor cover hits the hood.