Rear Wiper

[Jim Haseltine]

When I got my RS the rear wiper parked horizontally and swept to horizontal on the other side.
Now it doesn't. It hasn't dropped from the park position as seems to be common in the A6, but it's now parking about 10-15 degrees high and sweeping to the same below horizontal on the left so that tip of the blade is just touching the body beyond the bottom of the screen which is playing hell with my OCD. The wiper still moves at normal speed.
So, do I just remove the arm, fit it level again and forget about it or do I need to do something with the motor?
Tight parking at my other half's place means that I can't delete the thing.

Talking of tight parking, is there any way to trigger the alarm remotely? The OH's car bears witness to locals using a RNIB parking method and somebody in a Freelander came within a fag's paper of the RS on Saturday night, something I'd rather not see again.

On the high side of things, found a 20" space saver with a 195/50-20 Spacemaster tyre so at long last I've got a spare wheel.

[don0301]

Mine started "drooping" the other way, low in park. I believe the "grip" mechanism (how it fixes to the car) fails over time.

I replaced with an original arm ordered from ebay for £25.

Works perfectly ever since.

The old arm can be a PITA to remove. Take care with it if DIY.

[bal]

On the high side of things, found a 20" space saver with a 195/50-20 Spacemaster tyre so at long last I've got a spare wheel.

Where did you manage to find the space saver? Does it fit into the boot with no issues?

I've been looking to get a spare but didn't like the thought of having an original wheel and the boot floor raised.

[Jim Haseltine]

On the high side of things, found a 20" space saver with a 195/50-20 Spacemaster tyre so at long last I've got a spare wheel.

Where did you manage to find the space saver? Does it fit into the boot with no issues?

I've been looking to get a spare but didn't like the thought of having an original wheel and the boot floor raised.

It was at a breakers - was told it was a spare from a 2012 A6, it was the first 20" I'd found with the 195/50 Spacemaster, it's a steel rim - I'd been looking for one from a Q5 which is an alloy but they're rarer than hen's teeth. The Spacemaster tyre when it's not inflated is very compact so the wheel fits in the wheel well with space to spare. I've just got to do something to adapt the retaining screw.

[robin993]

I would love to know the part number for that wheel...?

My avant had a new rear wiper motor just before i got it, the total cost was £155 to the seller, who replaced it... which was super nice of him.

[Jim Haseltine]

It was at a breakers - was told it was a spare from a 2012 A6

Bit of digging on the Vredestein web site suggested it's an option for the A6 Allroad and further digging showed:
4G0601011A steel rim with folding tyre (emergency wheel)
D >> - 29.09.2014 6,5JX20H2 ET17

4G0601010C steel rim with folding tyre (emergency wheel)
D - 29.09.2014>> 6,5JX20H2 ET17

[IanH755]

Jim - IIRC the space-saver wheel doesn't fit over the front brakes if you get a front tyre issue, so the idea is to take a full sized rear wheel off as well and put the space saver on the back and the full size on the front, which would require either two OEM/small jacks or one big trolley jack style bugger.

Have you looked into this to see if it's correct at all?

[Jim Haseltine]

Haven't tried, but I always* fit space savers on the rear anyway. It's a two-stage process - jack the rear, fit spare, jack front, fit wheel I've taken off the back.
When it stops snowing/raining/being otherwise generally unpleasant outside I'll see if it fits over the front brakes.
One thing about the wheel - it's damn heavy.

*always being maybe 3 times in the last 20 years.

[Jim Haseltine]

Just tried it - the space saver does clear the front brakes - as does a standard A6/A7 20" space saver with a 145/60 tyre (not that I'd use one except as a seriously last resort).
What it could do with though (here's my anal OCD kicking in again) is a spigot ring as the wheel centre bore is considerably larger than the hub spigot. I measured 57(ish)mm on the hub and 67(ish)mm on the wheel with a set of calipers with a flat battery - couldn't find my verniers. Google searching suggests 57.1mm & 66.6mm.

[Jim Haseltine]

And tonight I've found the problem with the rear wiper - it's cracked at the mounting, looks like it's been tightened by The Hulk, there's a gap of about 5mm between the sides of the crack.
That'll be a new one then.

[don0301]

And tonight I've found the problem with the rear wiper - it's cracked at the mounting, looks like it's been tightened by The Hulk, there's a gap of about 5mm between the sides of the crack.
That'll be a new one then.

Told you that 8 days ago..

[Jim Haseltine]

You did indeed. It wasn't that I didn't believe you, today has been the first day that I've been able to get the cap off the thing to check.

[Jim Haseltine]

Hm. Getting the old wiper off was a bit of a task. The arm came off with a bit of twisting but left the mounting bush in place which was too small for my puller. Ended up drilling it with a fine bit and then cracking it with a nut splitter.
Used it as an excuse to fit a later style setup though.

[don0301]

Told you that too

[douglas96]

Nice trick with the nut splitter!

I’ve been told before that when removing wiper arms, it may help to hit the arm with a soft blow hammer, whilst applying the pulling force with the puller. I don’t know why the manufacturers still persist with using the steel on alloy design with the amount of problems it causes.

I’m surprised that none of the saloon owners have been gloating about their non existent rear wiper in this thread!