Hello All,

As my headlights grow dimmer from the yellowing of the lenses, and my eyes no longer have the acuity they once had, it becomes essential that I keep the windshield, which is pock marked and scratched, as clean as possible.

So I regularly clean the inside and outside of the windshield, and replace the wiper blades, probably every 6 mos or so. With four 240's, I usually purchase a dozen wiper blades at pop, but even at the discounted price from FCP or Eeuro, that's expensive plus it's wasteful that I throw the wiper holder away each time.

Have any of you found wiper inserts for the Bosch wipers or figured out an alternate scheme for low cost wipers.

Thanks,

Marty Wolfson

Looks like RockAuto and Amazon both have the refills...

This search on eBay brought up some Bosch refills (inserts):
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=bosch+wiper+insert&_sacat=0&_trksid=p3286.m270.l1313&_odkw=bosch+wiper+refill&_osacat=0

I bought some a while back but they were too wide for my blade holders. So I carefully bent the holders out so they would accept the refills. It works! You don't want it too tight or else the holder won't flex and the blade won't conform to the curvature of the windshield. Of course, you don't want to too loose, either.
--
Mike F - 1984 244 DL - 285,000 miles
Original engine, transmission, drive train, starter
Undergoing reconstructive surgery with POR-15

Hello All,

Thanks for taking the time to respond. Looks like:

I'll take 0000 steel wool to polish the windshield and hope that helps.

In my next run to WalMart, spend some time at the wiper area and procure some test wipers and inserts to see if they're cost-effective.

I'll post any decent results.

Thanks again,

Marty

Hello,

Just in case anyone's interested, WalMart, at least in this "neck of the woods" doesn't sell wiper inserts. They do sell a $4.00 "Python" brand of wiper that looks kind of wimpy. Anco was about the same price as the Bosch assemblies.

Oh well, I guess the Bosch blades from FCP and Eeuro is it.

Thanks to all who responded.

Marty

--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

You dog,

You must have bought all the inserts and now there are none left.

Remember Wimpy. He was the guy that "would gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today".

Marty

Actually, I was thinking maybe Walmart went the same way as Bosch when I wasn't paying attention, given I only have one refill kit, and a slew of complete blades.

Only problem I've had with the cheapies is my failing to insert the arm fully into the latch, resulting in a rainy day fling (of a wiper).

Wimpy's was a downtown Chicago destination for burgers, from the Popeye icon.
Who-remembers-Wimpys-Hamburger-places

Yup, today's payday.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Never miss a good chance to shut up.

There used to be a Wimpy's here in Dayton, Ohio when I was younger. Never ate there, though.
--
Mike F - 1984 244 DL - 285,000 miles
Original engine, transmission, drive train, starter
Undergoing reconstructive surgery with POR-15

Actually, there were 2 of them. Northeast corner of Randolph/Wabash, and one further south, maybe Monroe, just east of Wabash?

We used to eat there when we went shopping during the holidays... The Loop was my old stomping grounds!

i was told by 2 parts stores not enough $$ was made on refills due to cost of the package so they have been phased out by all makers, i went to 4 or 5 local stores and bought all they had (have 4 cars), that was 2 months ago and sure enough there have been no more refills. walmart is the cheapest place to get the refill/arm.
--
Anyone can design something but it takes a genius to make it simple.

Marty,

I can't help on the inserts, but using a good quality glass cleaner along with 0000 steel wool will help get the windshield cleaner.

Charley

I think it's wasteful, too. The inserts seem to have been phased out. I hate it when this happens.

First wiper inserts, and then me next! In all seriousness, it is a pain. I like Bosch stuff for the most part, but I haven't seen just inserts available in a long time either. Perish the thought, Anco? (EEK!)

You will not be phased until you cannot pay taxes and all assets have been tapped. I change wipers once a year before inspections. I use Rain-X.

Wasteful indeed. I liked the Bosch blades - for some reason - can't recall now. About 6 years ago I could no longer find the refills in the chain auto store near me. I asked why, because they all disappeared, not just 16". The answer was "Bosch changed the display" and it no longer had a place for them. I figure it really had to do with profit margins, so I went home and refilled my HP ink cartridges to make up for it.

Now I get the cheapies in Walmart. They sell refills.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

You have to stay in shape. My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today and we have no idea where she is.

Nice to hear that O'Reilly's might have them.

Not long ago I found blade and holder from Rain-X for both my 240's (16-inch) and my 960's (21-inch) at a large (100,000+ sqft) H-E-B grocery store in Houston for $8.99 each. Lower by $2 or $3 than Auto-Zone. They have more blade gripper points than Bosch in both those sizes. On the 960, 8 points rather than 6. On the 240, 6 rather than four. So far they do just fine.

As to buying just the rubber blades, let us know if you find a supplier.

For the 13-inch wiper on my 965 cargo door I cut down a good used blade from one of the cars' front blades. Can be tricky, but the price beats that of the dealer price.

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)

The only place that I can still find inserts is at O'Reillys.

Have never been able to find inserts? Its hard enough finding 16 inch blades anymore/its a size that is disappearing. Bosch Icon blades provide and amazing wipe as the whole assy is tensioned to the glass and they last a long time.
have used Rain-x on the windshields and it is amazing the clean wipe you get after this stuff is applied.