Overhaul your wiper motor
The simple wipers on a Series I or II should work consistently. If they don’t, Alisdair Cusick has a simple cure
A simple cure to get wipers on a Series I or II working consistently
WE ALL know the jokes about the wipers on Series I and II Land Rovers. They’re fitted as single units for driver and passenger, working independently from each other, and they famously have a small handle allowing for manual wiping of the screen. To some, those manual handles are their saving grace, being the means to operate them if the motor has ceased to function. If they do work, they will likely be at different speeds between driver and passenger wipers, with one comically arcing in slow motion in relation to the other.
That needn’t be the case. The wiper motor, made by Lucas and called the FW2, is relatively simple, and it offers good access to the working parts. Diagnosing issues is fairly straightforward, and the most common one is the simplest to fix. But if you continue to use it as it slowly dies, then you’ll probably cause the motor to burn out. The oldest are well over 60 years of age, so they do need a little respect and sympathy.
By the way, if you do break one, you’re looking at hundreds of pounds for a replacement Lucas item, as there aren’t too many around and lots of people want them. Modern aftermarket alternatives are widely available, and they’re cheaper and are typically seen on tractors or boats. But if you have an original Lucas unit, then it should be possible to restore it to working efficiency, unless the motor itself has burnt out and simply failed. For reference, my motors did nothing when powered up and switched on. The arm did move manually though, so at least it wasn’t just corroded up internally.
I’ve marked this job as a three-spanner task in our difficulty grading. But that’s only because there’s a risk of damaging the aged fixings, turning the job into a nightmare. To avoid damage or other problems, make sure your tools fit well. Work against the full width of screw fixings, and use a socket rather than an open ended spanner. Here’s how I made my motor whizz efficiently again.