Any 3rd party windshield wipers?

[cdnpaul]

With winter coming my wipers are going to be needed much more. I'm using the factory ones and just had the blades replaced with only a slight improvement. Are there any better solutions out there?

[rover4x4]

i have bosch on my steed

[rover4x4]

o yeah they work very well. i use rain x too that is effective but since the windshield is pretty much vertical i dont get much help from the wind. there are those silblade wipers but they are $$. i think one wiper blade is just about as good as the other provided they are in good shape and your windshield is clean. ie no bug guts sap etc..

[loykd]

How about wiper arms? is the only option genuine LR part?

[rover4x4]

ok yeah prolly. if you are taking about the thing that the blade attaches too. but the blade can be any manufacturer as long as it is the proper length. www.ROversdownsouth.com has the factory blades.

[chrisvonc]

I think the Silblade are awesome replacements. We put a set on our D90 right before the huge snow storm last winter and they worked out great.

[milli]

I concur. The Silblades are great. (ex-Olympia, WA resident)
They do not squeak. www.expeditionexchange.com has them and they might even offer a special for d90.cm.
I put rain-x on my windshield and rear window, it smears. It's great for the other glass though.

[read]

Yet another vote for the silblade. I've had them for a year now and the work just as good as the day I put them on. I also recommend silbead for glass treatment.
http://www.expeditionexchange.com/silblade/index.htm

Read

[cdnpaul]

Thanks for the info. I just ordered the Silblades. Can't wait to try them out!

[loykd]

I've looked at all the local auto parts stores for wiper arms, and (no surprise) they don't have them listed in their catalog. The best I could find was a "universal" silver arm that is adjustable in length. Not so good. The bushing on my wiper arm is worn smooth from the knurled knob so I did the simple fix of drilling and tapping for a set screw. It's good enough, and a lot cheaper than the $$ spent for the genuine LR part. (Still saving for Zach's throw toys)

[cdnpaul]

What an ordeal! I thought I'd save some time and order the blades direct from Silblade since they're on the east coast. What a mistake! They don't have the adaptors so they just decided to cancel my order without letting me know. I just found out today (over a month later) so I just ordered them from Expedition Exchange since they provide the adaptors. D'oh!

[chrisvonc]

Originally posted by milli
...www.expeditionexchange.com has them and they might even offer a special for d90.cm.

That was actually their last special. Their current one is for the ExpeditionWare Mirrors which I just installed last month. Look for a write up about them in the upcoming updates.

CVC

[cdnpaul]

Geez, yet another thing I have to have. I wish I could figure out how to turn my D90 passion into a profitable venture :)

[chrisvonc]

haha.. Yeah, if I could figure out how to generate my salary from sitting at home working on the site, playing Xbox, and wheeling on the weekends, I would be all set.

[PT94D90]

I ordered Silblades from EE a few days ago, I should get them from MIB (men in brown) tomorrow. These factory blades suck. I also ordered the convex mirrors from them.

[cdnpaul]

I totally agree with you and I also ordered the convex mirrors today after hearing from Chris as I think the factory mirrors suck too.

[PT94D90]

Yeah, the factory mirrors are bad, very limited field of view. The boys at EE are good. Good prices, good products. Their customer service is awesome. I plan on buying some OME shocks and springs from them in the near future. I'm getting those Silblades just in time, we're supposed to get a big snow/rain/sleet storm tomorrow night. I'll put em right to the test.

[Glenn_Guinto]

Bought some convex mirrors and been using them for 6 months now. The difference is night and day from the stock ones. Virtually no blind spot and much much safer!

I also use the Silblades on my Disco and they are great. Been using them for over a year now and still no sign of diminished performance. I got mine last year from EE but I recently found out that some local Napa Stores carry them too if you wish to avoid shipping charges.

Glenn

[PT94D90]

That's good to hear Glenn. Hey, where exactly are you located? I grew up in Montclair. I have family in Oradell.

[Glenn_Guinto]

Phil, I'm in Rochelle Park. A little town between Paramus and Maywood. That's pretty interesting to hear from people that were once from our area.

Tons of Rovers around but mostly the soccer mom types that don't have a clue. Lately, I've also noticed a sudden surged of New Gen RRs driving around in the most Bling Bling way possible (i.e. driver has seat slanted all the way back while listening to bass thumping sounds eminating from the cabin and sporting at least 20" chrome rims :grin )

Anyway, sorry to hi-jack this thread... BTW, I have Silblade wipers. :tounge

-Glenn

[TDI Guy]

Glen, where did you get the mirrors by us? Also did you get my email that I saw you cruising down Rt 17 the other night in the Disco? I tried to catch up to you but was headed to the plaza while working.

Randy

[Glenn_Guinto]

Randy... I bought the mirrors from EE soon after I got my 90. When I bought it, I drove the 90 from the PO's house in Randolph, NJ when I carelessly changed lanes on I80 and almost rammed into another car on the next lane. I ordered the mirrors the very next day from EE. The NAPA store in Lyndhurst had the SilBlade wipers last time I was there.

Were you in your patrol car when you saw me on 17? I could've used your 'escort' that night to get through that highway.;) Traffic on that road is horrendous, especially these days towards christmas. BTW, I didn't get the email, I have been having some email problems on my verizon account lately. I don't even get email updates from this BB. Oh well.

[TDI Guy]

Yes, I was working and was in the car. Your disco looks great. I like the boarder to boarder stickers on the doors

[Panama Disco]

What an ordeal! I thought I'd save some time and order the blades direct from Silblade since they're on the east coast. What a mistake! They don't have the adaptors so they just decided to cancel my order without letting me know. I just found out today (over a month later) so I just ordered them from Expedition Exchange since they provide the adaptors. D'oh! Need some help, I order the blades from Amazon to save a couple of bucks and free shipping and just realize through this post that I need the adaptors to fit them properly. Does someone knows where I can purchase this adapters??...or the only way to get them is to buy the silblades from EE ??

[read]

I order the blades from Amazon to save a couple of bucks and free shipping

Sounds like it was worth it. I'd try contacting silblade directly.

BTW: I'm still rocking the same set. no drop in performance yet.

[Backstay]

Silicone blades and graphite blades are now available from PIAA. 13" fit the Defender. Special deals for d90 members. Contact john@piaalights.com

[Panama Disco]

Sounds like it was worth it. I'd try contacting silblade directly.

BTW: I'm still rocking the same set. no drop in performance yet.e-mail from Silblade:

"Dear Peter,

I do not believe our SilBlades (even with the adapters in our package) will fit your Land Rover Defender. If they don't, you will have to get Amazon.com to refund your money. Sorry about that. Thank you for your interest in SilBlade wipers."

There has to be a place where i can buy them !

[cgalpin]

I got mine from EE a few years ago (and could probably use a change now too). But no idea if they are a discontued item or not.

charles

[themaxx]

EE still carries SilBlades, I bought a set from them back in October. I had some trouble with the adapters recently and Ho was good enough to send a few others to try. I'd get intouch with Ho and see what he can do.

Ade

[evilfij]

$2.50 each at wal-mart.

YMMV.

Ron

[Panama Disco]

$2.50 each at wal-mart.

YMMV.

Ronreally? can i get them online? do you have the link?

[evilfij]

I don't know if you can get them online. They are the generic brand in 13in.

[aclarke]

I'm not sure why everyone has so much trouble getting their Silblade wipers from Silblade directly. I usually buy stuff like that from EE, but since I was buying them for my wife's Toyota at the same time and EE doesn't carry those I bought them from silblade.com . The arrived quickly, with free shipping to Canada, and work just fine on the truck ... on the front. On the rear, it turns out that my rear wiper arm has some strange post mount that's different from the front wiper. I bought a new arm from Rovers North but seem to have lost that in the meantime. Oh well.

I bought them last winter, I think, so maybe they don't have them any more.

- Andrew.

[Panama Disco]

Well the silblades did come with some adapters as is stated by silblade and they fit like a glove. Still don't know why when i contacted silbaldes directly told me they wouldn't fit on a Defender.

[tomaco1]

Has anyone tried the PIAA 13" blades?

or the Silblade Flexblade?
http://www.silblade.com/

[aclarke]

Has anyone tried the PIAA 13" blades?

or the Silblade Flexblade?
http://www.silblade.com/

We have the Silblade flexblades on my wife's Corolla. They work really well, and are great winter blades too. When I last was purchasing from them they didn't have them for Defenders, although maybe that's changed.

- Andrew.

[rover4x4]

whats so good about these sillblade or whatever?