Wiper linkage balljoint popped off.

[blue540]

Hello all,

I hope some can offer me some advice on this one.

The other day when pulling onto my driveway in moderate rain, my wipers stopped working, it turns out a balljoint has popped apart in the linkage from the motor to the right hand side (seen as sitting in the car) wiper. As the left wiper is driven off the right, both have stopped working.

I have looked on realoem and it seems the diagram shown is like a mirror image of my setup (I am UK, RHD), which is a bit odd but still all parts are the same. Here is a pic of the linkage.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t100/dentalrec0rds/Wipers%20E34/wiperdiagram.jpg


See circled the ball joint in question.

Couple of pics...

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t100/dentalrec0rds/Wipers%20E34/IMG00006.jpg

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t100/dentalrec0rds/Wipers%20E34/wiper003.jpg

I tried to press the joint back together with G clamp, I was hoping for a satifying popping action back into the cup. No such luck.

Cup is just made of plastic so I guess water has got in past the rubber boot, bit of corrosion, any grease that was there was long gone, and it was just a matter of time before the friction eroded the plastic.

Anyone had this happen? I'm looking for a way of fixing it up without replacing the enitre linkage.

Any input gratefully recieved.

[Bo525i]

Same thing just happened to me @ 75 mph on the freeway in pouring rain at night, not a pleasant situation with oncoming traffic etc.. :(

[Al Gray]

Hello all,



I hope some can offer me some advice on this one.

The other day when pulling onto my driveway in moderate rain, my wipers stopped working, it turns out a balljoint has popped apart in the linkage from the motor to the right hand side (seen as sitting in the car) wiper. As the left wiper is driven off the right, both have stopped working.

I have looked on realoem and it seems the diagram shown is like a mirror image of my setup (I am UK, RHD), which is a bit odd but still all parts are the same. Here is a pic of the linkage.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t100/dentalrec0rds/Wipers%20E34/wiperdiagram.jpg


See circled the ball joint in question.

Couple of pics...

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t100/dentalrec0rds/Wipers%20E34/IMG00006.jpg

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t100/dentalrec0rds/Wipers%20E34/wiper003.jpg

I tried to press the joint back together with G clamp, I was hoping for a satifying popping action back into the cup. No such luck.

Cup is just made of plastic so I guess water has got in past the rubber boot, bit of corrosion, any grease that was there was long gone, and it was just a matter of time before the friction eroded the plastic.

Anyone had this happen? I'm looking for a way of fixing it up without replacing the enitre linkage.

Any input gratefully recieved.


The socket is worn on the linkage and that linkage piece needs to be purchased and installed. I have had this happen before and unfortunately things just wear out and need to be replaced.

Al Gray

[E34-520iSE]

Mine went last year too. I just bought a new arm from the dealer. Access is tricky though!

HTH,

Shaun M

[Bo525i]

http://bmwfans.info/original/E34/tou/525i-M50/ECE/L/M/1992/09/search_number-61611384116/