hood catches on wiper arm?

[SS Ball3r]

so my hood has always caught on the right side wiper arm when you open it. it was always just a little catch tough. there is a spot where the paint has worn off and a slight dent from the PO. Now it is catching really real,ly bad. i dont know what could has changed to make this worse. i tried physically pulling on the hood to see if it is getting loose, but i couldnt get it to move. also the bolts were all tght and the hood apears to be as far forward in adjustment as i would wat it to be. So if anyone has some suggestions for m, i would greatly apreciate it.

[riffman12]

i had the same problem a long time ago. I think i just took the wiper arms off and put them on different notches until it worked...

[SS Ball3r]

there are different notches that they can fit on? Can you elaborate please?

[MJFX328]

coupes rub. sedans dont. AFAIK

[chris25s2]

there are different notches that they can fit on? Can you elaborate please?

The wiper arms are splined to the shaft. Remove the plactic cover on the arm over the shaft (if it is still there). Remove the bolt holding the arm to the shaft. Open the hood and pull the arm off the shaft. The spring pushing hte wiper down on the windshield will put a side load on the arm/shaft and makes it a little hard to take off. Once off, you will see the fine splines on the shaft and arm the connect the two. Simply slightly rotate the arm on the splines when you put it back on. Test and adjust as needed until you get enough clearance.

Or you can do what I did when I had the same problem. Once the wiper arm is off, simply bend it slightly to give more cleanance. It does not take much. Try to bend it close to the monting point so you do not have an S bend in the arm. It is soft metal (which is why they bend so easily in the first place), but take it slow and easy. I have heard of people breaking them trying to adjust them on the car.

Chris

[hipe36]

^ yep!

[chongasm]

coupes rub. sedans dont. AFAIK

Happens on mine. Might try this fix tomorrow.

[SS Ball3r]

awesome. i apreciate the info. and i thought i was the only one with this problem, lol....

[pussiwillow]

my sedan rubbed, i took them off and moved them one tooth at a time til they didnt rub

[Yovi]

i just thought someone put the wrong arm on lol, i guess i can fix it now, along with that bug chunk of paint thats missing

[dhinez]

I gotta try this. My does this too.

[SS Ball3r]

lol, there are soo many.

[1rstbmw!]

Add me to the list haha.

[riffman12]

awesome. i apreciate the info. and i thought i was the only one with this problem, lol....

c'mon these are e36's

you're never the only one with a certain problem

[Chistakoff]

c'mon these are e36's

you're never the only one with a certain problem

Oh so True..

[mchkc240]

Just be really careful when you tighten the nut. Because if you over tighten the nut you will break the wiper stud.. And you cant replace the stud only. You have to get the whole unit. Ask me how I know.

I broken mine so I had to get another wiper unit

[2slow4u]

Wow talk about precision built...It's like once one car has a small problem like this, chances are thousands of others will to.

My sedan does this too.

[drtweak1992325i]

Mine only rubs when i open the hood. It did before my accident last year when i took them off...but its no biggie if its only when it opens for me...

but yes you can change them up. just make sure they dont go off the window.

[SS Ball3r]

its the little things that make the e36's so great...lol

i do love my car though, event hough its not as nice as i wish my wallet could make it...

[mgthompson]

My driver's side rubbed. Most of the black paint was gone from the arms so I bought new ones from Bav Auto. The new ones don't rub. Maybe the originals were bent?

[filler]

This makes sense, my hood only rubbed after I put in my CAI and replaced my hood cowl cover.

I guess I put the wipers on wrong. . . time to call the guy I just sold it to

[Bris328is]

its an easy repair--remove the hood and throw it away, duct tape on a peice of plywood.

[GardenBeast]

its an easy repair--remove the hood and throw it away, duct tape on a peice of plywood.

lighter than stock, too.

[Bris328is]

lighter than stock, too.

see --ita all the rage--and easily adjustable

[BMWMPow3r]

coupes rub. sedans dont. AFAIK

My sedan rubs. you have to adjust the wiper arm by pulling it an sliding over the gear head on a slightly different gear. Actuat the wiper a few times, then check clearance and repeat, and repeat, and repeat.

mine still rubs, also the arms are bendible. the previous owner might of done this to eigther get them to clear the hood, or get the wipers wipe evenly across the windshield.