E70 FRONT and rear wiper arms and blades fitted to my E53
 

Well I've been itching to do something else to the X5 and wiper upgrade is on my to-do list,

With an upgrade in mind I've been searching the net trying to see if front E70 wiper arms can be retro fitted to the E53 to accommodate the genuine aero blades and before people say you can get bosch blades to fit the stock E53 arms thats fine but i hate the way they look awkward with the big cover hiding the connector and they look even worse sat in the car looking out.

Anyway I could find no one else that had done the mod the only mention i could find was on a post on here where someone had fitted the E70 rear arm and blade and i think it was Raj had said the fronts can't be done due to the arms being to long, that's when I thought sod it I'll buy the parts and give it go because if there too long i can shorten the arms if needed.

So the parts turned up today I recived the rear parts arm, blade and cap and the fronts arms and blades.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps64968219.jpg

So then popped home to test fit and sure enough like Raj mentioned one side the passenger side was to long but not by much and the drivers side was spot on,

Here's how the passenger side fitted:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps34e72e6b.jpg

So took it back to work and set about shaving an inch off it and here is how.

The end is clamped round the bar

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...psdc66b418.jpg

So i cut the end free

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...psede34f1e.jpg

Then trimmed the arm down an inch and repositioned the arm in the end ready to weld back up

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps3b5ebe33.jpg

Once welded and welds ground smooth and touched up with satin black.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps604b668b.jpg

Back on the car this time bolted on.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...pscb77d389.jpg

Pic of the before.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps181d4ff8.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...psaba5ea48.jpg

And the after.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...psfe1ca6ef.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps9c40096e.jpg

A pic I found on the google of a set of aftermarket conversion blades on an E53.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps3b487b91.jpg
And for good measure the back before and after ( no mods needed).

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...psdabd83f9.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps6d5604b2.jpg

Some I'm sure will be thinking what's the point but I love there low profile sleek look rather than the dated old style or the aftermarket conversion blades and the work GREAT

So i might be the first person running the genuine E70 front wipers ( that I know of)

Quite an effort on the welds - good job

TFS!
makes me mind thinkin ...

Thanks guy's

Thinking about it welding it back up after might be over kill as originaly the end is only clamped on and I noticed when i was repositioning the end back on after trimming it was very snug so you could probably just bond it back on and you cant see any of this as its on the underside of the arms.

I purchased the car with the aero blades. I didn't like them at all. They would skip when the temp started to dip. So I just purchased the OEM blades, and I'm happy. The inserts are easy to change. I am not sure why this mod is needed, as Bosch aero blades fit in without any mod.
I can take some pics to prove this.

Cheers

As i originaly said I know you can get aftermarket Bosch aero blade conversion kits but I don't like the way the old style hook on the factory E53 arm has to attach to them as it leaves you with an awkward looking big lump in the middle of the blade ( although Bosch have done a reasonable job of hiding it) as well as making the arm it's self sit further off the screen and I'm just of the opinion the OEM aero blades are far superior to the old fashioned blades quieter, better performance ( especially at higher road speeds) and they last longer and just look more modern and sleek. IMO

Nice DIY write up...just a reminder for those who might not pick-up on the LHD/RHD aspect...using driver/passenger side can confuse some owners if they're not paying attention to the country of origin & the possibility of the poster having a LHD or RHD vehicle.

But if the terms left/right are used instead (with the understanding that left side/right side of the car is determined by the perspective of the driver behind the steering wheel) then it doesn't matter if the instructions are based on the vehicle being LHD/RHD.

But if driver's side/passenger's side is used...then one most be cognizant if the writer has a right had drive vehicle or a left hand drive vehicle to determine which side is passenger & which side is driver. :)

I really like the e70's REAR wiper...it has a sleeker more aerodynamic appearance vs the e53's rear wiper. :thumbup:

The rear arm looks especially good. Nice job on scheduling that rainfall too!

I'm bumping this thread because I emailed Darren but haven't heard from him in a while, I was going to have him get me E70 front wiper arms and blades and modify the passenger blade so I can install them.

Is anyone handy with an angle/grinder/welder and some touchup paint (I'm looking for a body shop guy most likely or a mechanic) who can shorten the arm up for me and modify it? I don't know if my skills/tools are up to the task.

My Bosch Icons are pretty shot after 2.5 years, and before $50 for new blades I'd really like to get the E70 wipers on there so I don't have to keep the blades vertical before washing the car

I too like the original arms...I put the Bosch icon's on my Chevy and I like them but I just like the original ones on my x5.
The E70 rear arm looks good though and I might do the conversion
How much did u pay for the rear if you don't mind?

You can get the E70 rear wiper cap and blade for about 45 bucks bolts right in.

if I lived in the U.S. I would do it for ya but for you to pay shipping to canada would be outrages I would think. (did bodywork for over 10 yrs and was licensed back then.)

I would think it would be the passenger arm regardless, the drivers arm on rhd was fine it was the passenger arm that over hung the windshield

I'm actually reading Darren's post above maybe I can pry the clamp open a bit slip the arm out, shorten it and just reattach and use some jb weld epoxy underneath to reinforce.

yeah your right passenger side I had a brain cramp lol.

it would be tough to pry that crimp apart ,it might be possible could be hard on the wiper arm though.

Well Darren emailed me and looks like he is going to get me a set and modify for me stay tuned!

Really cool! I was thinking about doing this same thing. At least for the rear. Do you have the part numbers handy to do the rear wiper conversion?

Look them up in RealOEM you just need a rear wiper, cap, and blade for a Pre-LCI E70 LHD X5.

I don't have a use for the rear one as I deleted mine.

Bumping Darrin's thread because I got the parts to do the front wiper conversion (my rear is deleted)

I'll be bringing the passenger arm for modification next week to my body shop, question though.

Can I not just ask them to leave the end intact, and cut out a 1" section on the middle of the arm where it is straight and not clamped, and then just place back together and weld/grind touch up paint? Or is cutting out a section in the middle of the arm not recommended for structural reasons over time (stress on welds, etc)?

Or am I overthinking it and that would be just fine? Seems it would be easier for the shop to just cut a section out and weld it back and touch up, then to cut open the clamp on the end of the bar.

in my opinion I would only do it at the end of the wiper arm. as you can distort the metal more. just my opinion though. see what they say.

hey RB where did you get the rear wiper delete plug from .and come on snap some pics of it too. :)

I did this recently. Very happy. The stresses are lower at the end, and there is more "meat" because of the existing crimp connection. I used a Dremel to cut away the minimum amount of the crimp to separate the parts (they were still snug) and then cut the bit off the arm, pressed the parts back together and drilled and tapped for two 8-32 flat head machine screws. Looks stock and something I could handle in my garage...

I got it as a free sample from Caplugs - Home - Caplugs actually, here is the page, I just clicked the "sample" button and they sent me 2 in the mail. Be aware though they will call looking for you to place a larger order.

Caplugs - Button Plugs with Flush-Type Heads - Caplugs

I bought this one: BPF-1 1/8-6

They sent 2 of them in an envelope, its been working well for over 2 years now, fits tight in place and no silicone needed.


If you look at this thread on page 4 which I linked you will see a familiar face, and member z168 used the plug I have on mine originally, he has since upgraded to this plug which he shows on the later pages:

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...-delete-4.html

Uro-Wiper-Delete Rear Wiper Delete Plug, Mk4/Mk5/Mk6/Mk7 Golf/GTi and B5/B6/B7/B8 Wagons

I was thinking of getting the plug from uro tuning but 30.00 kept me thinking about it . looks like a nice plug and all.

Dave thats awesome thanks for that, I will be sure to have the modification done to the end of the arm, the machine screws sound great I just didn't really want it distinguishable from the one side. How much crimp did you get rid of so you were able to release it? I'm thinking I could Dremel it myself, press it back into place with whatever amount of crimp remains and perhaps just use some JB weld on it?

I am in on this mod. Allows the front blades to be flipped up when it pours ice overnight without having to "park" the arms up. The evil with the park method is that they are going to try and move the minute you fire up the car.

To start I have ordered the rear arm end cover, wiper arm, and matching blade.

^Stephen this is why I did the front wipers, precisely! I hate parking with the wipers vertical when I wash the car.

I will post some pictures tonight of my screw together version (no welding needed...). Its been fine so far. I have pictures in my phone, but don't know a way to reduce the pixel size in my phone to where the website will let me upload them.

Here are the pictures. Trimmed 1.7 inches off the arm, then used the dremel to cut the minimum window to free the crimps. Then drilled and tapped for #8-32 screws, and countersunk for flat heads. Painted the screws black and was done...

^Dave thanks for the pic you did great work! I have to double check my measurements as OP says trim an inch but you ended up 1.7 inches down, I may try to hammer out the arm from the clamp using a thin flat head and a mini sledge as it seems you didn't have to trim much off the clamp to get it to release, trim, touch up paint, and then hammer the arm back in the clamp and secure with JB weld in the recess between arm and clamp.

RB I can do it for you the way OP did it, if you want to send it to ND.

I mounted it up to measure, and with only 1" off the end I would have had some contact. Not sure if the arms vary or the car pivot points are a little different...

I did try to pry it open, but couldn't get it to budge. Broke the tip off a stout screwdriver in the process. The last picture is with the arm slid back into the modified end piece. I ended up cutting the giblet into tiny pieces (see picture where it is clamped into the vise before I started dremel work). I started with one pass down the center (just deep enough to cut the arm, but not to cut into the end piece you are working to free).

^Alex I may take you up on that offer, as I'd really like to have it as clean as possible, welds grounded smooth, and touched up paint so it really looks like nothing was modded.

I'll be visiting my body shop tomorrow and showing them, if its going to take them a while and/or they aren't really interested I'll send it over man.

or couple of spot welds and your done easy peasy. :)

EDIT: I dropped off at the shop today and had them take 1.5" off the arm, figured it was a good balance between the inch the OP listed and the 1.7" David noted above.

I can't imagine that the .2 inches would be that big of difference, if anything I would just have the resting position of the wiper be a touch higher on the windshield so it didn't make contact.

My shop is going to complete it today and I'll pick it up tomorrow so I will update with a pic when installed and mounted if all goes well :)

Picked up today looks clean as hell and best part, it was Free.99! Haha my body shop guy is cool as hell
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/06...5f3361cd79.jpg

nice clean job on the wiper arm, nice steel on the steering wheel.

Just an update, 1.5 inches was perfect. Just trimming an inch off the end may be cutting it close.

Will get a pic later of them both installed but very happy with the mod. ^puddin that was my wifes Toyota steering wheel lol

oops . my meds are getting to me lol. I can`t wait to get my slipped disc in my neck fixed,at least thats my excuse :)

Installed. Excuse the dirty X it's been raining http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/06...c60b9f0e1e.jpg

Looks great!:thumbup:

Looks awesome. I'm considering this mod just for the convenience of being able to lift the wiper arms whenever I need to. If you reckon your X is dirty, then I would be embarrassed to post a pic of mine for sure!

Well done! Did you upgrade the rear wiper too? You can use either E70, X3 or the Volvo CX90 wiper. Here's a thread on rear wiper upgrade.
http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...yone-done.html

Thanks guys! Yes honestly just being able to lift them without making them vertical is really 90% of why I did this mod!

^^X5only, here is an old pic from 2 years ago (wow my old Ractive tips were cheesy), yes I did "upgrade" the rear wiper but it was a deletion upgrade. I keep my glass clayed and sealed, haven't missed it one bit in over 2 years.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/05/yja9u3eb.jpg

What do you use to seal it?

Lovin' this! On my to-do list...

BUMP
 

BUMP for the newbies

Woo just saw this. Even though I just put new wipers on, the back needs fixing so E70 the crap outta that one first

There is a rear arm as well.

^Still loving the E70 front wipers (my rear is deleted completely with a plug) - I clean the blades each time I was my X5 and they are still going strong as well and not nearly due for replacement yet

Nice. I need to replace wipers I think I'll go full blade replacement

:thumbup:

:wow:to do list

The rear wiper on mine was chattering the other day according to the wife (her car), and I was considering doing the E70 replacement. But before doing anything I looked at the arm as it was. Parked the blade vertical by switching off ignition during a wipe. Looked at the arm and it was slightly twisted. After a quick re-alignment (used 2 12" metric crescent wrenches) so the blade was perpendicular to the glass, there's no more chatter and the arm wipes fine.

Around here there is zero chance a rear wiper delete would work - wet, dirty roads in winter (we get warm snaps called Chinooks (look it up Leonardo)) just pile the brown crap on the back glass and no amount of glass treatment would stop it. Wipers Ho!

Nice fix

Finally got a chance to do the front wipers upgrade. Already did the rear years ago. Maaco modified the passenger side for free and did an astounding perfect job, wow:thumbup: The only give away that it's been modified is the missing part numbers that were on the 1.5 inches cut off section. I used E70 LCI 2013 wipers. They used a machine to pry open the crimp around the bar, shortened the bar by 1.5 inches, re-clamped it and touched it up with matching original paint. Very happy with the upgrade, absolutely perfect:thumbup: Love the low profile sleek and modern look rather than the dated old style or the aftermarket aero conversion blades. They also work GREAT.

Also now I don't have to keep the blades vertical before washing the car. Allows the front blades to be flipped up during winter without having to "park" the arms up.

Apologies for bringing an old thread to life, but has anybody tried an X3 F25 passenger side arm, to see if it fits, is shorter, and therefore requires no modification?

I'm definitely doing this mod, tired of the aftermarket flat blades looking awful and not really clearing the screen as well as I would like. Is possible the springs on my arms are tired and need replacement in any case, after all she is 18 years old.

Last spring I bought new Denso DUR Hybrid blades to my E53. The connection is very sleek compared to Bosch or SWF retrofit blades. Now after months of use I have to say these are the best wiper blades I've had on my car.

https://cdn.autodoc.de/thumb?id=7612...i&ccf=94077812

I'm looking at X5only's pictures and am amazed that you can lift both arms on the LHD E53 - since you cannot do this on the RHD version... :rolleyes:

But back on topic, I recently swapped out the factory wipers for these: -

https://www.tricoproducts.com/pub/me...e_2280x270.png

They work and fit pretty well...

The post is about replacement arms with an offset that allows the wipers to lift when parked.

Haha... missed that.. TLDR... been a long week... :rolleyes: