Wiper Problem 1957 Ranch Wagon

[cobraffr]

I am new to the forum recently purchased a 1957 Ranch Wagon at auction and it has a couple bugs that need to be worked out.  One issue is with the wipers.  I sorted out an electrical problem and now the motor is working which revealed another problem.  The driver side wiper has limited motion, but the passenger wiper has full range.  It is a cable drive system and it looks like the tension on the driver side is out of whack.  The cable is running through all the 4 pulleys correctly and the wiper has free motion, but it looks like there is a tension mechanism with a spring and a toothed gear that is not working.  If I restrict the motion of the tensioner with a screw driver the wiper has the correct range of motion.  Without limiting the motion of the tensioner the wiper barely moves.  I have not removed the assembly yet, but that is my next step.  Any suggestions before I go that route?  Thanks in advance for your help.

Donny

[JimNolan]

Donny,
   Clean the pulleys and re-grease the bushings and bearings, not the pulley itself.  Use a lubricant that you get a long plastic tube to direct where you squirt it. Make sure the tensioners have been lubricated and are free. If you're new to this, don't take the cable off the pulleys. Get yourself a 57 Ford Maintenance Manual. It will be invaluable to you. Remember pulley tension changes depending on if the windshield is wet or dry. Set it till it just works on a dry windshield and stop there. Jim

[cobraffr]

I have check all the pulley and they spin freely.  There are no binds in the system that I can tell.  I have pulled the cables off the pulley checked them for free movement and then put the cables back on.  Not sure how to set the tensioner.  There is a wound spring on the pivot that is working and attached at both ends.  I think there is something that has popped off the ratchet gear at the base.  What do you mean by "setting it"?

Good suggestion on the manual.   I need to get the it and a wiring diagram.  There have been some modifications to the wiring that need to be cleaned up.

[JimNolan]

I was talking about tension. Jim

[RICH MUISE]

my old brain is telling me there was a discusion last year about the maintenance manual not having a correct diagram for the wiper cable routing. Am I remembering that correctly? and where was the correct diagram to be found?...I thought CanadianRanchero had posted a bullitin on it, but I couldn't find it.
Cobra...and others...Classicautoparts has a sales flier out on the catalog that pertains to us, and one of the things on sale are the manuals...hard copies and cd's.
cobra...you'll find their website in our supplier links list along with 40 other sources.
Rich