DIY: solving the "crap, my goddamn wipers are stuck in the middle of the windshield" problem
 

I started getting the "sticking wipers" problem a few days ago and decided to fix it.
First, I marked the windshield with tape so that I could put the wipers back into the right position.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l1.jpg">
Pull the rubber strip off the 1rst firewall.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l2.jpg">
Remove the plastic piece that covers the battery.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l3.jpg">
Remove the caps, nuts, and remove the wipers.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l4.jpg">
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l5.jpg">
There are 3 metal clips that hold the plastic piece at the bottom of the windshield (only one left on my car!), remove them and remove the plastic piece.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l6.jpg">
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l7.jpg">
Remove the ECU plastic cover.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l8.jpg">
You can see the wiper linkage fairly well in this pic.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l9.jpg">
You can see where the 2 linkages attach to the motor, pry the 2 arms off the ball end.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l10.jpg">
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l11.jpg">
Remove the 3 bolts that hold the linkage to the car (I suggest you use an extension, I ended up hitting the positive pole on my battery with the ratchet while unscrewing the bolt and I had a little spark show).
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l12.jpg">
Unplug the wiper motor connection.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l13.jpg">
Wiggle, curse and scream real loud, and remove the linkage assembly from the car.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l15.jpg">
You can see how badly rusted part of the linkage was, the spindle wouldn't even turn in the bushing.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l16.jpg">
I had to knock the crap out of spindle to remove it from the bushing (there is an c-clip, a flat washer, and an o-ring, make sure you remove the c-clip and don't lose the o-ring).
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l17.jpg">
Before you continue, make sure the nut will still screw on the spindle. After all that banging with the ball peen hammer, my threads were screwed up. It gave me an occasion to break-in my brand new tap and die kit and re-thread the spindle.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l18.jpg">
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l19.jpg">
I sanded, filed, and cleaned everything up real well and used some molypaste I had left from my previous bearing job on the Jetta to lube the spindle.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l20.jpg">
Everything ready for re-assembly.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/l21.jpg">
Reverse the instructions and put everything back in the car and... voila!!!
...or you can just buy a replacement wiper linkage and swap it!!!
Tomorrow: DIY: prop shaft seal replacement!

DIY FTW!

I need to do this too soon !

Awesome writeup! And very NOICE tap & die set!
 

My set doesn't come close to stacking up against that monster set.

<a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/feedback/msgs/41710.phtml" target="_new">Made a request</a> to have it added to the tech section.

Yeah, IPSQAFBWT!!!
 

I Probably Saved Quite A Few Bucks With This!

My buddy owns a car parts/tools store so I get awesome prices

haha, it's pretty embarassing to drive around with the wipers vertical on the windshield

I did the same thing a few weeks back, fortunately I was able to wiggle the entire assembly in one
 

piece by manually moving the linkage arms. For ex. placing the wipers back on and moving them to the "12 o'clock" position on the windshield.

Good work....I did this a few weekends back. Wasn't needed but good preventive measure

do you mean you didn't pry the arms off the ball end?
 

if that's what you did, how the hell did you manage to wiggle the whole thing out?