[TC.Barky]

Hey all,

Been tracking a small water leak after the rain last week. I've tracked it down to one of the wipers which is loose. Threw a 19mm spanner onto the nut on the outside and the nut turns fine but turns a bit, pops and then goes loose again (as though something stripped - I'm really really hoping it's not ha). Anyone who has had this apart have any ideas there?

Noticed the two wipers are slightly different also. The second image is the one that is loose.

[Gwagensteve]

Wipers are the same, It's just the plastic cover is missing on the loose wiper. Sounds like the thread is stripped.

[TC.Barky]

I've got the dash mostly off (just the bonnet release and speedo cable left in basically) as I was trying to work out where the water was coming from and I can see there is a plate moving back there. You can see it in the below video

https://youtu.be/VlaIcnrPOYw

The nut (red arrow) and the thread (blue arrow) in the below image are turning together. Have tried hitting it with some penetrant and trying to stop that square thing in the video turning with a flat head screwdriver as my suspicion is now that they are just seized together. But yeah if anyone has pulled one out and knows what is back there that could be helpful.

[TC.Barky]

Well finally got the zook out of the shed and it's watertight. Cleaned up some wiring and cleaned out the heater box at the same time as I had the dash out (just drilled a 42mm hole and put a grommet in for future access - had to drill it on the front of the heater box as I have the AC unit hanging in the way of the usual access point. As for the wiper linkage, for anyone who has a similar issue in the future...

Because the weather cap wasn't put back on for some reason and the wiper retaining nut wasn't done up tight enough, it unfortunately rusted in a slightly loose position. There's not much on the back to hold onto, you can fit a pair of small vice grips or some chunky square pliers in there and hold onto the square part that sandiwches up to the body panel when the nut is done up tight, but only when the dash is removed, otherwise I found I could only get a flathead on it to try and brace it which in my case was nowhere near good enough.

In my case even with a reasonably firm grip on the square part behind it was rusted on so tight I couldn't crack it with assistance. If it was done up tightly you might have more luck cracking it. Tried to grind the nut off (long shot) with no luck. So unfortunately had to cut the thread/protrusion/stud off the wiper linkage. FYI if anyone is unfortunate enough to be in this situation, the only cutting tool I could fit in the space (have to get close enough to the body of the car so angle grinder no good) was a dremel.

Ordered a full new linkage from suzistore, just over 100 bucks delivered express post. Dash out/in is reasonably easy, much easier than a late model car (newer pajeros are a ballache in comparison). Biggest issues I had was loosening and tightening the jam nut on the bonnet release cable (prob be easier without the AC crap in the way) and working out when to put the ducting in so that it wasn't in the way when placing everything else (fyi glovebox inner and wiring looms first on the passenger side and then attach the ducts, drivers side install it in place before installing dash but you will prob have to pop off one side of the two ducts that cross behind the cluster when getting the wiring and the speedo cable in the correct spot.