Windshield wipers

[7wt]

I have had great luck with the RainX blades. I have used the RainX Latitudes but I think their standard ones work pretty darn good enough to go back to them. The Latitudes lifted a little at the last inch on the passengers side and that bugged me dearly. I am going to try the Scrublades next though, I am a sucker for a good gadget.

 

[jeepmedic46]

Think the scrubblades will be my next investment.:smiley_drive:

 

[James86004]

The OEM blades that came with our 06 Chevy lasted for well over 2 years before needing replacement. I have tried all the different brands of blades at the auto parts store, from the $3 ones to the $25 ones, and none of them ever lasted more than 6 months.

 

[dustboy]

I tried Silblade Flexblades on my LC. Got 2-years out of them before they started smearing. And despite their warranty claim they wouldn't replace them because they "weren't defective".

Smoke me once shame on you...smoke me twice shame on me!

"Affoolmeh, uh can't get fooled again!" -W

Those turkeys..I thought for sure they'd pay for themselves what with the 5-year guarantee.
Oh well, hopefully my mileage will vary!

 

[01tundra]

George at Extreme Outback is carrying some very interesting wiper blade called the Scrublade.

"These twin blade wipers have a scrubber surface on the leading edge of the outer blades. During the wiper stroke, the outer blade "scrubs" the windshield and the second blade squeegee's it clean. Then on the reverse stroke the exact same thing happens".

http://www.extremeoutback.com/index.cgi?exact_match=yes&product=Scrublade&cart_id=2685559.21102

I'm going to pick up a set next time I see him.

I just figured a review was in order for these little jewels.....

I received them last Thursday right before we were heading out for a 4 day camping/wheeling trip, so I threw them on, excited to possibly get to try them out. I noticed when I was installing them that the little black retainer caps that hold the blades into their framework were really loose - in each package there was one loose from falling off during shipping....but I figured they knew what they were doing so I dismissed the obvious.

Well last night about 30 miles from home the rain finally started falling, so I turned on these magical wiper blades for the first time....first wipe, about like the other 5,000 wipers I've owned....second wipe, about the same.....third wipe, this is when the magic happened....heard an awful squeal across the windshield and a flapping sound on the roof every time they would get to the top of their stroke.....had to turn them off and drive without wipers the rest of the way home to save the windshield.......

Bottom line, not only the most overpriced, sorry excuse for a wiper I've ever owned, but they didn't even last 5 minutes.....needless to say I put my old blades back on and they work flawlessly.....should have known to leave well enough alone! These wipers are a flawed design that do not work for basic street duty and now that the little caps are somewhere on the interstate I suppose there's no sense in trying to return them....notice the small black cap that fell off on the drivers side as I was removing them last night.......pure TRASH and the worst product I've ever purchased !

 

[t0mills]

Thanks for the honest review!

I was going to order these...

 

[Darton]

Piaa silicone

 

[01tundra]

The cheapest damn blades you can buy at a local auto parts store, since they will likely encounter more abuse off road and not last as long anyways........hindsight is a beautiful thing, isn't it?

 

[michaelgroves]

I'd still be interested to see other reviews of the scrublade. There's no excuse for the retaining clips to have been loose when delivered, but it seems to me that if they were loose, it kind of renders the remainder of the review somewhat moot.

Bearing in mind that their claim to fame is that they clear insect gunk etc. off your windscreen, rather than providing the absolutely best, quietest and clearest wiping away of the rain itself, the couple of wipes they did manage before falling apart were not all that telling!

 

[01tundra]

I'd still be interested to see other reviews of the scrublade. There's no excuse for the retaining clips to have been loose when delivered, but it seems to me that if they were loose, it kind of renders the remainder of the review somewhat moot.

Bearing in mind that their claim to fame is that they clear insect gunk etc. off your windscreen, rather than providing the absolutely best, quietest and clearest wiping away of the rain itself, the couple of wipes they did manage before falling apart were not all that telling!

Order up a pair and see how they work out for ya, maybe mine was an isolated incident .

 

[01tundra]

And for the record, this is in NO way a negative review against Extreme Outback Products. George has already offered to make things right, so in my book they are a stand-up company. It may be that I just received the "lucky" pair, who knows......it happens (and usually to me :!)! I know for a fact that they sell top notch products, because I own several of them. So in summary, I will continue to support Extreme Outback Products without question, but when it comes to the screwblade wiper on my rig......I'll have to pass .

 

[Martyn]

I just figured a review was in order for these little jewels.....

I received them last Thursday right before we were heading out for a 4 day camping/wheeling trip, so I threw them on, excited to possibly get to try them out. I noticed when I was installing them that the little black retainer caps that hold the blades into their framework were really loose - in each package there was one loose from falling off during shipping....but I figured they knew what they were doing so I dismissed the obvious.

Well last night about 30 miles from home the rain finally started falling, so I turned on these magical wiper blades for the first time....first wipe, about like the other 5,000 wipers I've owned....second wipe, about the same.....third wipe, this is when the magic happened....heard an awful squeal across the windshield and a flapping sound on the roof every time they would get to the top of their stroke.....had to turn them off and drive without wipers the rest of the way home to save the windshield.......

Bottom line, not only the most overpriced, sorry excuse for a wiper I've ever owned, but they didn't even last 5 minutes.....needless to say I put my old blades back on and they work flawlessly.....should have known to leave well enough alone! These wipers are a flawed design that do not work for basic street duty and now that the little caps are somewhere on the interstate I suppose there's no sense in trying to return them....notice the small black cap that fell off on the drivers side as I was removing them last night.......pure TRASH and the worst product I've ever purchased !

That's not good.

I think we need to find out if you just got a bad set, or if there is a problem with the design.

I haven't picked mine up yet so I can't compare.

I'll get some answers for you.

Did you buy your wipers from Extreme Outback?

 

[michaelgroves]

Order up a pair and see how they work out for ya, maybe mine was an isolated incident .

Not available here, I'm afraid.

As a matter of interest, while I can understand you being negative in the light of your own bad experience, but what do you think they would have been like if the endcaps hadn't been loose? IOW, do you think there were fundamental flaws with their design or performance in addition to the loose-fitting caps?

 

[Antichrist]

I just keep my eyes open for a good sale, or clearance, on Anco or some such. Then I stock up. For instance, I got a about 8 winter blades a year or two ago for something like $1.50 each on clearance at Autozone. At that price, I can't imagine a $25 pair of wipers lasting over 15 years.

 

[Martyn]

I talked to George at Extreme Outback today about the Scrublades. The issue seems to be a defect in the blades you were sent rather than a design issue.

I know that doesn't alter your experience but it does put the issue in perspective.

Robbie Gordon won this year’s Dakar in his class (and third overall) using the Scrublades with no problems. All his chase vehicles were also equipped with the Scrublades. So that's a very positive perspective.

I'll be fitting my Grand Cherokee with a set of the blades and driving from Northern Cal - Southern Cal - Expo - Northern Cal. I asked George to send me a set in a sealed box. I'll have a full in depth unbiased review available at Expo.