“Do It Yourself” Windshield Wiper Replacement
Part of do it yourself auto repair, is changing out the windshield wiper blades. This is something that can easily become overlooked, as you do not need the wipers to be functional for the car to run, but you do need them when it starts to snow or rain. This has been a situation to deal with many times in my life. Living in either Phoenix or Los Angeles, well, there is just not that much “weather” in these two towns. Trouble is, as they say when it rains it pours, and this has happened in my driving experiences on many an occasion.
One occasion was particularly memorable. It had not rained in the greater LA area for months. Dust and sand had collected on my windshield, but it was not a problem, until it started to rain. I had to get from VanNuys to Pasadena in forty five minutes, and I could not see a thing, as it started to rain, and the rain combined with the sand, and made mud on my windshield. I turned on my wipers, and they fell apart. Now, if you have ever driven in LA traffic, being able to have clear visibility is a must, aside from the nerves of steel.
I hadn’t kept up on my car maintenance, I hadn’t paid attention to the small engine repair manuals and the advice given in those manuals. So I went to the nearest Auto Zone, on the corner of Victory Blvd. and Burbank. They sold me the replacement blades, and usually they would have had time to help me with the installation of those blades, but they were busy. Everyone had pulled in to buy blades.
The sent me to the section of the store that had the car and motorcycle manuals, I bought the one for my model of Chevy, and headed out into the rain. Once I understood exactly how to remove the old blades, I became more confident. I threw those a way and opened up the pack of new wipers. It was really just like putting a puzzle together. I reversed the process of removal, and installed my own blades. I was on my way, and managed to make my appointment in Pasadena on time, which is rare on any occasion in LA.
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