Wipers are an integral part of any vehicle. Their wide assortment today in the consumer market sometimes baffles motorists when they need to choose. In order for frame or frameless wipers to effectively cope with their task, it is necessary to learn a few nuances.
The most pressing dilemma for a potential buyer of car wipers is the definition of their type. Frame and frameless models in a very wide range can really confuse the car enthusiast. In this case, you should familiarize yourself in detail with the advantages and disadvantages of models that differ in their designs and materials used. Indeed, without this, it is impossible to understand how car glass cleaners can effectively cope with their function in bad weather conditions.
Frame wipers
Traditional famous wipers, the history of which goes back to the last century, still cause sympathy among some motorists with a decent driving experience. These framed glass wipers are made of steel and have a metal hinge pin with a rubber blade that rests on the car glass. They are quite cheap, but have low reliability due to the quickly loosening hinge structure. In addition, the metal elements of the wipers freeze over in winter, which complicates their operation.
Nowadays, some German manufacturers have started to produce wipers with plastic construction and hinges. This technical solution allows you to exclude excessive freezing and simple cleaning from ice. At the same time, the use of plastic improves the flexibility and accuracy of the rocker arm fastening. And it also makes the wipers lighter and more durable, since they do not loosen like their metal counterparts. They are more tightly in contact with the glass.
It should be understood that, having saved on wipers by choosing cheaper frame models, the motorist, as a rule, gets a product with low build quality. In this case, the cleaners do not cope well with their direct duty, and besides, the procedure of their work is often associated with excessive noise in the form of a squeak. Poor contact with glass will not be able to provide high-quality cleaning. And the average service life is from six months to a year.
Determination of wiper wear is carried out according to the degree of cleaning the windshield. As soon as characteristic stains appear on the surface, drastic measures should be taken to replace the wipers. And despite the fact that these cleaners are prone to increased freezing, when in frosty weather it is simply impossible to tear off the rubber fragment from the glass, the result is their only plus - economic affordability.
Frameless and hybrid wipers
Ease of use and a longer service life make frameless wipers more popular today than their frameless counterparts. Moreover, the analysis of this segment of the consumer market eloquently testifies to the fact that more modern frameless cleaners are very decisively ousting their classic competitors. And in this case, the presence of a plastic or metal hinge plays a secondary role.
The synthetic (natural) rubber coating of the metal or plastic base and the central fastening, contributing to the optimal change of geometry, with the lower connection of the rubber fragment on the wipers, characterize the design of the product as extremely comfortable and reliable.
The aerodynamic appearance of the wipers improves the overall appearance of the vehicle. They are practically invisible from the passenger compartment, which makes it easier for the driver to see when driving. Moreover, frameless solutions are subdivided, depending on climatic conditions, into models for winter and summer. Products on the plate exclude icing and operate quietly. They can be easily cleared of snow. And the durability of using the rubber fragment on such cleaners is ensured by the presence of special protection in the form of a casing on both edges.
One of the varieties of such car glass cleaners is a flat "frameless". Its simplicity of design ensures a lower cost. Despite the identical functionality in comparison with other models of frameless wipers, their popularity is not so high due to their less presentable appearance. They use less rubber, although the rubber fragment itself, adjacent to the glass, is completely similar to its "brothers".
Hybrid wipers came to the global consumer market from Japan. Their advantageous characteristics in comparison with frameless counterparts are due to the quality of design and assembly, as well as reliability. In these models, the rubber part of the wiper is so firmly held in the body that this completely eliminates the possibility of backlash in the plate or deformation of the rubber element. They work silently, and you can clean them of ice in winter with a simple scraper.
The traditional frame with plastic shroud certainly adds to the overall weight of the hybrid wiper, but provides ample protection for the rubber band and increases the pressure on the windshield. But there is one limitation on the use of such cleaners in the form of a strong bending of the glass, since in this case the plastic casing will interfere with the normal operation of the rubber part of the wiper. In the commercial network today you can find such cleaners made in Japan and Germany.
Wiper Blades Manufacturers
Since the range of wipers in the domestic consumer market today is really very wide, motorists should know its real leaders among manufacturers, the best wipers of which guarantee high quality and reasonable prices.
Mexican frameless wipers of the Anco Contour brand worth nine hundred rubles are ideal for most modern crossovers and cars. Their brush length is 50 cm. An obvious design advantage is the ability to install elements on a pin lever. A significant disadvantage is the lack of instructions in Russian. Fixation on a quick-release mechanism and a set of adapters are also among the advantages of the design. However, insufficient adhesion of the elastic to the glass, after which visible stains remain on it, cannot be considered satisfactory.
A set of wipers "Bosch Aerotwin" worth six hundred rubles and with a brush length of 53 cm during the inspection of operational properties received a fairly high rating from consumers, which is expressed in their approving reviews. However, the high-quality packaging of bosch wipers was not the most convenient for removing wipers from it. In addition, the absence of instructions in Russian and the presence of uncleaned stripes during operation repeats the indicators of the previous model. However, a more acceptable price level creates an irrefutable advantage over the aforementioned competitor.
Hybrid wipers from the German manufacturer of the Heyner Hybrid trademark costing only 300 rubles per set and 50 cm long brushes have two adapters for different levers in their set. Tight fixation and high level of glass cleaning by the device are indisputable evidence of its high quality. But in this case, the instruction in German creates significant difficulties with the installation of wipers.
It is important to know that the conventional division of wipers into "winter" and "summer" should be regarded to a greater extent as a marketing ploy. According to numerous reviews of motorists, winter wipers break down after one season of operation, since they use poor quality rubber and there is a poor assembly, which affects the increased noise and massiveness of the products. For this reason, many people prefer to use quality summer cleaners all year round.
Silicone and graphite wipers
Car wipers also differ in the type of coating applied to the rubber wiper. Silicone and graphite are used as such a filler. At first, it was the latter that was widely used. However, today, when more expensive and high-tech silicone solutions have appeared, they are considered the most priority.
The increased popularity of silicone wipers is due to the fact that they provide better contact with the windshield than graphite-coated rubber. This is reflected, among other things, in the quiet operation and durability.
