Painting Wiper Arms

JeepBeat · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 2:47 pm

My wiper arms are starting to show some wear on the front and back. I have bought some black auto trim paint, as suggested by a few of the LOST members. What is the best way to touch them up?? Should I just cover the windshield and hood with blankets or sheets, just take off the wiper blades, and spray them down, or is this something that should be taken right off to paint?? I thought a quick touch up spray while on the Jeep would be easiest, as long as it was covered up and not windy outside when I do it. Any ideas?? Thanks

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:02 pm

i would leave it on and just cover everything up really good
you might want to sand it down a little bit to roughin the surface to get it to stick better

wildrussian · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:33 pm

I would take them off, too much trouble to cover everything up. My opinion.

elephantrider · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:37 pm

i painted my wiper arms on a 98 f150.

its super easy to take the wiper arms off and easier to get a solid coat of paint on them..

would recommend removing them before painting.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:56 pm

Take them off, sand them really good, and hit them with your primer and paint of choice.

To take them off, back the nut off but dont take it off. Use a small pair of channel locks and pop them off using the bottom of the arm and the nut.

Use the marks on the windshield to line the wiper back up.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:09 pm

Would a set of battery terminal removers work loosening and removing the arms?

chetos · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:22 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Take them off, sand them really good, and hit them with your primer and paint of choice.

To take them off, back the nut off but dont take it off. Use a small pair of channel locks and pop them off using the bottom of the arm and the nut.

Use the marks on the windshield to line the wiper back up.

Dude you must have like a 1000 G hard drive for all your pics!!! Thanks for all those. They've helped me a time or two!!!

JeepBeat · **Posted:** Tue Oct 02, 2007 9:52 am

Thanks so much guys. I appreciate the help, and especially the pics. What a great group!!

JeepBeat · **Posted:** Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:51 pm

OK, I did something really stupid this afternoon. Was busy with other things, so decided to try and cover up the hood, etc. with blankets, and leave the wiper arms on the Jeep to paint them. Didn't some overspray get on my hood, in a few areas!!!! I was sour, this was rediculous. I was in such a panic to get the overspray off, that I ran into the house and got some paint thinner. I put some dabs on a soft towel and rubbed the black paint off my silver hood. Was I OK to do this???? It didn't affect the paint, but I then washed the hood with car wash soap, dried and applied another coat of NuFinish Polish, as I had just done the whole Jeep a few weeks ago. I didn't know if the thinner would strip any wax/polish or not, so figured it would be the right thing to do, to make sure it was protected. Did I do the right thing to clean off the overspray. I still feel like an idiot!! There are still a few little specks that you can hardly see, which should wear off. My one wiper arm, however, looks pretty good. As for the other one, I think I'll try to take the arm right off, as suggested by some of the others who replied. Please tell me that the paint thinner on a towel will not harm my paint.......Sick In Canada!!

elephantrider · **Posted:** Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:02 pm

i painted the badges on my f150, got some thinner on the paint, front quarter panel.

it looked like it rubbed the sheen off of the paint and made it look dull.

tried to put wax on it, but didnt help. eventually a lady side swiped me and the body shop replaced it.

thats how i got mine fixed.. LOL :shock:

JeepBeat · **Posted:** Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:37 pm

Mine still has the shine on the hood. I just put dabs of thinner on a towel and rubbed off the overspray areas. Members, what do you think??? I hope to heck my paint isn't ruined.

durangotang · **Posted:** Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:50 pm

Generally you have to buff overspray off and it's really a pain in the butt. You can try some bug and tar remover or somthing like that because a lot of the cheaper spray paints soften pretty easily. If there is some on there still you can always hand-buff that small area. Just start out with a less abrasive compound and work your way toward the more abrasive if that doesn't work. (just remember that if it leaves swirl marks you need to wash it and go back to a less abrasive compund to get rid if them)

OR: just pay a detailer to do it... should be cheap (<$50) if it's a small area

Guest · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:15 am

For future reference, use a clay bar to get rid of stuff like that. wash the car, rinse, clay, dry

Might as well clay the whole car at that point:)

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2007 11:22 pm

Clay bar works great for removing overspray. You can pic up a clay bar kit at Advance auto that comes with everything you need to remove the over spray.

http://www.meguiars.com/?auto-detailing ... e-Clay-Kit

Here is some info on how to use a clay bar.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/thread/15506.aspx

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/thread/5478.aspx

Be sure to follow up with a good coat of wax. The clay kit comes with a small bottle of Meguiars Cleaner wax which is one of the most popular cleaner waxes around.

Cacher123 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2007 11:59 pm

Similar situation:
Me: "Look honey, they're painting the yellow lines on the road."
She: "Why are you driving through the fresh paint?"
Me: "Don't worry, that stuff dries as soon as it hits the ground."
She: "I still don't think it's a good idea."

Later after parking:
Me: "It's ok sweety. don't come around this side of the Jeep."
She: "Guess we gotta go see Augie. (My body shop guy)"

3 hours later (me dripping with sweat and a stiff back):
Me: "Well, guess that 2 cans of bug and tar remover worked."
She: "You missed a spot."
:oops:

Painting Wiper Arms

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