Single arm windshield wiper
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Super Member
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Oakville, ON
'12 ML350
Single arm windshield wiper
Raining cats and dogs here in NYC and just noticed that the W210 E-class still had the single arm wiper, which I've always considered to be such an elegant and simple solution.
Wonder why MB ever did away with it and returned to the conventional two arms setup on the W211?
[cross posted on W211 forum]
Wonder why MB ever did away with it and returned to the conventional two arms setup on the W211?
[cross posted on W211 forum]
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Sacramento, CA
Several MB's Superperformance MK III Cobra
Raining cats and dogs here in NYC and just noticed that the W210 E-class still had the single arm wiper, which I've always considered to be such an elegant and simple solution.
Wonder why MB ever did away with it and returned to the conventional two arms setup on the W211?
[cross posted on W211 forum]
Wonder why MB ever did away with it and returned to the conventional two arms setup on the W211?
[cross posted on W211 forum]
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 42
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From: Redmond, Wahington, USA.
Mercedes E55 AMG
Raining cats and dogs here in NYC and just noticed that the W210 E-class still had the single arm wiper, which I've always considered to be such an elegant and simple solution.
Wonder why MB ever did away with it and returned to the conventional two arms setup on the W211?
[cross posted on W211 forum]
Wonder why MB ever did away with it and returned to the conventional two arms setup on the W211?
[cross posted on W211 forum]
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Joined: Dec 2001
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300ce
I had the single arm wiper on my 1995 C36 AMG (first factory-blessed AMG that started the craze, my friends). That was the worst part of the car! A horrible design! The thing was loud and shook the entire car since the motor had to do things twice as fast to make up for the missing arm. On top of it all, the wiper smeared the windshield and was undrivable in the Seattle rains unless I kept the windshield meticulously lubricated with weekly Rain-X treatments and replaced the wiper blade around the clock. That was an engineering nightmare. I loved the C36 but hated the wiper. Thanks for the bad memories.
............I think your C36 had a bad wiper blade and/or wiper motor. I too consider the single wiper blade in earlier MB models to be an elegant design. I have had them in my W124 coupe, my W208 and in my W210 E55. They work pefectly.
Ted
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Oakville, ON
'12 ML350
Admittedly though, I've never personally owned an MB with the single arm design but based on feedback from friends and family who've had models with it, they've generally agreed that it was a positive aspect of the cars.
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'19 G63 Ed 1,'18 M5, '16 G63,'12 458 , '11 E63, Brabus SL55-K8, '10 S63, '94 E500 "Wolf", '91 560SEC
I have W210 with a Bosch Icon blade on it, works very nice and smooth. My guess is it was dumped in an effort to reduce costs.
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From: Caribbean/Florida/Colorado
E-ZGO 53hp., 1999 E 430 sport, 2004 E 55, 2008 Tahoe LTZ on 24"s
I believe the new two wiper systems incorporate the eccentric cam on the drivers side. It is basically a scaled down version of the mono wiper. The largest contributing factor to return to two wiper system is dimensional constraints imposed by the size of the windshields, that are smaller top to bottom and wider with greater aerodynamic curvature in it's profile than previous models.
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Joined: Apr 2007
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From: The Bay. We Fresh.
2008 W211 E63
I love my single wiper. It has worked better than any double wiper on previous cars that I have owned provided a good blade is on there. Plus the sinlghe wiper was a nice unique MB look vs the double wiper look every other manufacturer has.
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From: Denver, CO
Formula Mazda, Beast Junior...400HP 135i
The newer 2 wiper system uses a a standard linkage with dual pivot points on the driver's side so nothing complex or expensive about it.
That aside, while I have always loved the single arm setups, there were times when it couldn't keep up in very heavy rain so maybe that is why it was dropped. But even with that gripe, I wish they would have kept it!
That aside, while I have always loved the single arm setups, there were times when it couldn't keep up in very heavy rain so maybe that is why it was dropped. But even with that gripe, I wish they would have kept it!
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From: Sacramento, CA
Several MB's Superperformance MK III Cobra
If I am not mistaken Jaguar also had the single blade wiper on the XJ models.
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From: Daytona, Florida
SL600
My SL has the uni-wiper and it's one of my favorite parts of the whole car.
Those who are complaining about it needed to take it in and get new blades or something...it really is a superb design. Have you paid attention to how much of the windshield it covers? Probably 95+% of it, and all the areas you look out from. A two-wiper setup's coverage doesn't even come close.
Also, you don't get the chattering and squeege sounds when it's dry, or when you're at highway speeds, like you do with 2 wipers. I wish they'd bring it back. Since they'd had that thing forever, you can pretty much bet that doing away with it was a chrysler cost-cutting measure and probably not because 2 wipers work any better. They're prolly just cheaper...
Those who are complaining about it needed to take it in and get new blades or something...it really is a superb design. Have you paid attention to how much of the windshield it covers? Probably 95+% of it, and all the areas you look out from. A two-wiper setup's coverage doesn't even come close.
Also, you don't get the chattering and squeege sounds when it's dry, or when you're at highway speeds, like you do with 2 wipers. I wish they'd bring it back. Since they'd had that thing forever, you can pretty much bet that doing away with it was a chrysler cost-cutting measure and probably not because 2 wipers work any better. They're prolly just cheaper...
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From: Daytona, Florida
SL600
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1989 Toyota Tercel EZ - dyno'd @ 70whp/77wtq
LOL.... Call me 
But I don't know how much area the new 2-wiper system on, let's say, W211 covers. 
But my bimmer's 2-wiper covers pretty well.... may be only ever slightly less than single-wiper on W210. The only thing I didn't like about single wiper on my old W210 was it was too slow.
But I don't know how much area the new 2-wiper system on, let's say, W211 covers. But my bimmer's 2-wiper covers pretty well.... may be only ever slightly less than single-wiper on W210. The only thing I didn't like about single wiper on my old W210 was it was too slow.
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From: Germany
MB E420T
since this seems to be the place for single-wiper enthusiasts, thought i'd drop a question to the experts here 
so, got a used '97 E420T just 2 months ago, and since 2 weeks or so my window wiper makes suddenly more noise (coming out of the motorized section, not the blade). hard to describe the noise, but seems to be just the motorized elements not running smoothly... what to do?
can it be opened (plastic cover) somehow and lubricated? don't wanna go to the stealership and hear i gotta replace the whole unit for mucho dollars...
any similar experiences anybody?
thanks & happy posting
so, got a used '97 E420T just 2 months ago, and since 2 weeks or so my window wiper makes suddenly more noise (coming out of the motorized section, not the blade). hard to describe the noise, but seems to be just the motorized elements not running smoothly... what to do?
can it be opened (plastic cover) somehow and lubricated? don't wanna go to the stealership and hear i gotta replace the whole unit for mucho dollars...
any similar experiences anybody?
thanks & happy posting
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 525
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From: Phoenix, AZ
'12 E350 Coupe (3rd Benz)
Clk55
Friend had CLK55, it worked very smooth and seamless, it has been some time since I have been in the car in the rain, but it APPEARED to cover more surface area than a dual blade system. it was very nice elegant and quite. I DO not know how it would work in heavy rain, it would theoretically have to move twice as fast as a dual... but like I said, it has been awhile. 
Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 194
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I have the single arm in my W208. It looks nice, but I really don't care for it. It can't keep up in heavy rain, and it shakes the entire car when it's on. Sitting at a traffic light with it on it took me a few days of driving the car to realize that it wasn't the engine running rough but really was the wiper.
I'm glad the W211 doesn't have a single arm.
I'm glad the W211 doesn't have a single arm.
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,761
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From: North Carolina
98 Black C43 , 12’ ML 350 Blutec
since this seems to be the place for single-wiper enthusiasts, thought i'd drop a question to the experts here
so, got a used '97 E420T just 2 months ago, and since 2 weeks or so my window wiper makes suddenly more noise (coming out of the motorized section, not the blade). hard to describe the noise, but seems to be just the motorized elements not running smoothly... what to do?
can it be opened (plastic cover) somehow and lubricated? don't wanna go to the stealership and hear i gotta replace the whole unit for mucho dollars...
any similar experiences anybody?
thanks & happy posting
so, got a used '97 E420T just 2 months ago, and since 2 weeks or so my window wiper makes suddenly more noise (coming out of the motorized section, not the blade). hard to describe the noise, but seems to be just the motorized elements not running smoothly... what to do?
can it be opened (plastic cover) somehow and lubricated? don't wanna go to the stealership and hear i gotta replace the whole unit for mucho dollars...
any similar experiences anybody?
thanks & happy posting
