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SkyRocketeer
Camped on the site

Joined: Feb 14, 2011
Posts: 346
Location: Newport S-Wales
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Posted:
Sat Sep 10, 2011 3:46 pm |
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Picked up some goodyear aero-style wipers the other day as an impulse buy.
Quite pleased with the wipey-ness but it seems that at the upright position the driver-side wiper doesn't sit on the screen due to the arm not coming close enough. I'm guessing these fancy blades aren't designed to work with stock/pre aero arms.
Anyone know what arms would retro-fit to allow the blades to work properly? Would need to be a similar length but with a reduced clearance from the screen - something from the C5 model A6? |
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duff_audi
Needs to get out more

Joined: Dec 02, 2007
Posts: 126
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Posted:
Wed Sep 14, 2011 2:28 pm |
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Hi
You want these Bosch Aerotwin Wiper Blades AR550S, they are a direct replacement and fit perfectly
I got my last 2 sets off ebay £17 was the cheapest , my first set lasted 3 years and 120K miles , just replaced them last month |
_________________ Silver A6 TDI 140bhp SE Avant , S6 8*17" wheels, S4 Black interior , Audi 100 Audi sport steering wheel ,cruise fitted by bladerunner , Dual HID`55w/35w , 396k miles and still trucking |
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SkyRocketeer
Camped on the site

Joined: Feb 14, 2011
Posts: 346
Location: Newport S-Wales
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Posted:
Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:45 pm |
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duff_audi wrote: | Hi
You want these Bosch Aerotwin Wiper Blades AR550S, they are a direct replacement and fit perfectly
I got my last 2 sets off ebay £17 was the cheapest , my first set lasted 3 years and 120K miles , just replaced them last month |
I can't see the bosch ones being any better due to the arm clearance I mentioned above..
Did you have to fit new arms for the bosch blades? If not how far does your driver side wiper arm come from the windscreen in the vertical position? |
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rachaeljf
Inexperienced

Joined: Aug 16, 2009
Posts: 37
Location: Northampton
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Posted:
Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:12 pm |
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I had a similar problem on my C4, but with the oem wipers. The driver's side especially was just barely skimming the water off. I fitted new (aero) ones and it was no better. On inspection, it seemed the lower, cast alloy part of the arms had curled away from the windscreen, it was a bizarre fault. I ended up straightening the arms in the big vice with some carefully placed wood blocks. I was worried they might crack as they are castings, but it seemed to do the trick. |
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SkyRocketeer
Camped on the site

Joined: Feb 14, 2011
Posts: 346
Location: Newport S-Wales
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Posted:
Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:36 pm |
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Just been out and took some pictures:
and
describe the problem best
You can see the drivers-side arm is bent already, that was probably me trying to reduce the clearance at the arm end - I measured it at about 50mm. It's hard on the stops on the lower cast bracket, it won't go down any further without something drastic happening.
Here's the bracket:
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_________________ \'90 Scirocco Scala - The Mistress
\'96 A6 Avant TDI - The Audibarge
\'99 Seat Ibiza - The Blue Dude |
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yaz
Camped on the site

Joined: Mar 15, 2007
Posts: 247
Location: The only way is Essex
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Posted:
Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:42 pm |
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I've got the same problem with mine. Fitted aero wipers a while ago and drivers side was useless! Now using normal wipers, but drivers side is still cr@p... Was thinking that wiper arm either needs replacing or bending into shape??? |
_________________ 1993 Audi Cab 2.3 auto
2005 Skoda Superb Edition 100
2006 VW Passat TDI SE Wagon
Darkside Performance Ltd
W: www.darksideperformanceltd.co.uk
E: darksideperformance@hotmail.co.uk
*POWERED BY THE DARKSIDE* |
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rachaeljf
Inexperienced

Joined: Aug 16, 2009
Posts: 37
Location: Northampton
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Posted:
Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:44 pm |
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Yep, that's how mine were. The lower part of the arm is a casting with diamond pattern ribbing underneath. See how it curves away from the windscreen. Try gently straightening them in a vice, worked for me!
Cheers R
Edit: I mean straighten the long, gently curved part, not the knuckle at the end! |
Last edited by rachaeljf on Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:48 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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yaz
Camped on the site

Joined: Mar 15, 2007
Posts: 247
Location: The only way is Essex
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Posted:
Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:46 pm |
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rachaeljf wrote: | Yep, that's how mine were. The lower part of the arm is a casting with diamond pattern ribbing underneath. See how it curves away from the windscreen. Try gently straightening them in a vice, worked for me!
Cheers R |
Thanks Rachael, will give that a go especially with winter round the corner...  |
_________________ 1993 Audi Cab 2.3 auto
2005 Skoda Superb Edition 100
2006 VW Passat TDI SE Wagon
Darkside Performance Ltd
W: www.darksideperformanceltd.co.uk
E: darksideperformance@hotmail.co.uk
*POWERED BY THE DARKSIDE* |
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SkyRocketeer
Camped on the site

Joined: Feb 14, 2011
Posts: 346
Location: Newport S-Wales
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Posted:
Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:51 pm |
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I'm tempted to try Racheljf's straighten the bracket in the vice trick- but would probably want a spare first (just in case).
I've measured the arms at 14" and 16" from the bracket (drivers is shorter for some reason) and 5" from bracket pivot to arm hinge.. I wonder if the C5 arms would fit the splines on the C4 mechanism spigots? |
_________________ \'90 Scirocco Scala - The Mistress
\'96 A6 Avant TDI - The Audibarge
\'99 Seat Ibiza - The Blue Dude |
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rob4206m
Inexperienced

Joined: May 27, 2010
Posts: 35
Location: Chesterfield, Derbyshire
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Posted:
Thu Sep 15, 2011 11:31 am |
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I had exactly the same problem with my Bosch Aerotwin Wipers (AR550S).
I just gently bent the drivers arm by hand with it on the car (the narrow section with the hook). I had to bend it so that the hook touches the windscreen without the wiper blade attached. (Previously it sat about 5mm away from the glass)
They a much better than the OE style wipers that were previously fitted.
Rob |
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GT500
Audi Nut

Joined: Apr 29, 2007
Posts: 82
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Posted:
Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:16 pm |
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C5 do fit but need week or two to the drivers side.
They work superbly. |
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rachaeljf
Inexperienced

Joined: Aug 16, 2009
Posts: 37
Location: Northampton
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Posted:
Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:23 pm |
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GT500 wrote: | C5 do fit but need week or two to the drivers side.
They work superbly. |
Eh? Do you have to give the wiper a week's notice of eviction or something?  |
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GT500
Audi Nut

Joined: Apr 29, 2007
Posts: 82
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Posted:
Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:24 pm |
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rachaeljf wrote: | GT500 wrote: | C5 do fit but need week or two to the drivers side.
They work superbly. |
Eh? Do you have to give the wiper a week's notice of eviction or something?  |
Bloody phones! should be tweek!  |
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monkeyboyuk
Site Moderator


Joined: Aug 11, 2008
Posts: 1652
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Posted:
Thu Sep 15, 2011 6:56 pm |
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have a look for the sootybus thread, sure i remember jase changing his wipers to aeros |
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monkeyboyuk
Site Moderator


Joined: Aug 11, 2008
Posts: 1652
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Posted:
Thu Sep 15, 2011 7:12 pm |
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SkyRocketeer
Camped on the site

Joined: Feb 14, 2011
Posts: 346
Location: Newport S-Wales
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Posted:
Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:35 pm |
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Ta.. Interesting reading there (on many topics, not just the wipers!)
Was trying to get a look at an 07 plate A6 in a multi-story this evening but the wife wasn't really keen on me skulking around other peoples cars with a tape-measure so I think I'll have to go back when she's not with me..  |
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jubbly
Camped on the site

Joined: Mar 04, 2008
Posts: 355
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Posted:
Sat Sep 17, 2011 9:46 am |
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Mine was the same when I fitted the aero wippers, just give the wiper arm a gentle bend by hand then they fit flush. |
_________________ Gone but not forgotten A6 (C4) 1997 2.5 TDi Quattro Avant 140bhp circa 170bhp (Chipped, K&N, PP502 nozzles) S3 Chrome Mirrors
Also Gone A6 (C5) 2.5 TDi Quattro Avant 220ps Remapped, Xenons, Sat nav+, Bluetooth, f+r sensors, MFSW, RS6 Leather.
Now A6 |
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SkyRocketeer
Camped on the site

Joined: Feb 14, 2011
Posts: 346
Location: Newport S-Wales
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Posted:
Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:50 pm |
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Problem solved.
Simple really. I took the wiper arm off and using a dremel and then a needle-file removed some material from the cast-alloy bottom pivot that the arm sits-against in the 'down' position. This allows the arm to sit closer to the screen without making any changes to the shape of the arm - I even straightened it out a bit.
took a few crappy phone pictures but all they show is the rain, so will try again when it's lighter and drier out. |
_________________ \'90 Scirocco Scala - The Mistress
\'96 A6 Avant TDI - The Audibarge
\'99 Seat Ibiza - The Blue Dude |
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duff_audi
Needs to get out more

Joined: Dec 02, 2007
Posts: 126
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Posted:
Wed Sep 21, 2011 2:13 pm |
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On mine i did no mods to the wiper arms or the wipers , the bosh ones fitted fine |
_________________ Silver A6 TDI 140bhp SE Avant , S6 8*17" wheels, S4 Black interior , Audi 100 Audi sport steering wheel ,cruise fitted by bladerunner , Dual HID`55w/35w , 396k miles and still trucking |
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