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MG TD TF 1500 - TF Wipers

The wipers on my TF work adequately when the car is at speed. When I slow down or stop and am at idle, the motor barely moves.
Is that normal? Or, does it indicate a need to open the wiper box and re-lubricate everything?

Thank you

Tom
'54 TF
T Norby

Looks like a voltage related issue to me. At idle the dynamo / generator is not generating much and the battery is doing the work. At speed the voltage is higher, providing more urge to the wiper motor. The CRT wiper motors are weak in any case and everything needs to be well lubricated and in good order. I fitted a later wiper motor (MGA type), as others have done, to improve matters.
Dave H
Dave Hill

As Dave said, it is likely a voltage issue.
Assuming the shunt coil on the armature is not burned, there are two things to check:
1) Be sure the grease in the gearbox has not started to harden and the rest of the wiper bushings are well lubricated.
2) Be sure there is an adequately large capacity wire leading to the wiper motor. If this is too small, especially combined with #1 above, it can result in too large a voltage drop to the motor.
It is rare to see burned armature windings on a TF wiper motor.
Lew Palmer

remove the wiper arms,take the cover off the gearbox and just pull out the cable (the wiper spindles will spin like crazy!). Give it a good clean and clean out and replace the grease in the box and grease the telemotor cable and replace.
You will be amazed how free it all becomes.
Just been through this with a friends car.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Like Dave H. I converted an MGA motor for the TF, converted to use the original mounting position and holes. PJ



PJ Jennings

Thanks everybody, for your input.
I'll start with Ray's advise. I did not know it was so easy to pull the cable. Will do this weekend.

Tom
T Norby

Its easy to pull it out, but can be a struggle to get it back in.
Dave H
Dave Hill

If it is awkward,just push it in till it hits the first box then screw it in 2/3 turns. Now just turn the wiper spindle and it will drive it through the second.
As an aside, many years ago my passenger side wiper box disintegrated, for 3 or 4 years I convinced the MOT inspector that only deluxe models had an electrical wiper on the that side and passengers had to do it themselves by hand.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Ray that's funny! Never heard that story before. LOL! PJ
PJ Jennings

Also, does my photo show a proper TF wiper arm and attachment? I have a suspicion I may have arms from some other car.

Tom
'54 TF

T Norby

Tom, I believe that was an adapter to use the later wiper arms, my car had one on each shaft. The ones I got from Moss fit the shaft and have a collar in them with a chrome nut to tighten them up. Much nicer looking and possibly how the originals were made. PJ
PJ Jennings

This thread was discussed between 29/11/2018 and 01/12/2018

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