Astra wipers

[neb]

hi all, does anyone know what the go is with changing the wipers on the 05 AH Astra's? holden tell me that you have to replace the hole head = approx $85. i can't work out how or if you can just replace the blades. any help appreciated please.

cheers

[chevypower]

lesson number 1: don't ask that question to a Holden dealer - go to a no-name car repairer - it's the wiper blades for crying out loud

[jneil]

Yeah...we got rolled on this one...$80 for blades and $20 for fitting!!

That will teach me to get them to replace them cause I couldn't be stuffed doing it myself and it was in for the service anyway!

Will be checking this out next year for sure though.

They do do a bloody good job clearing the screen though :p

[EddieVE06]

Yeah...we got rolled on this one...$80 for blades and $20 for fitting!!

That will teach me to get them to replace them cause I couldn't be stuffed doing it myself and it was in for the service anyway!

Will be checking this out next year for sure though.

They do do a bloody good job clearing the screen though :p

Can I ask how many km you guys got from your blades. We were told we needed them replaced with 15,000km which we thought was a little early given that we haven't been getting rain here in Melb. We fought the issue and had them replaced free of charge saying that for wipers to be gone at 15,000km was not acceptable.

I suppose once again that a good service dept will allow a bit of give and take.

[jneil]

You can!

Ours were changed at the 15000km service, which was just over a year. They were ordinary at cleaning the window though (probably due to the fact her car sits outside in the weather and SHE never bothers to clean it :p) which was why the wife kept busting my nuts to get them fixed.

I really should have given them a look at and cleaned them up as best I could and we may have got another 6 months out of them over summer. It was too easy to get them replaced at theservice...until I saw the bill...and WTF!! :cussing:

I don't think it's the rain that kills them is it, more the sunlight, dirt and crap that kills the rubbers???

[EddieVE06]

You can!

I don't think it's the rain that kills them is it, more the sunlight, dirt and crap that kills the rubbers???


15K seems a little low for wipers though. The service dept said it was more te dirt that builds up and lack of rain that causes them to wear away. Not sure in the good old days things got replaced due to use now they get replaced due to lack of use

[ace078]

Yep, you need to change the whole head!!! Something about the wiper arms being more pedestrian friendly, oh, and more aero dynamic.

[neb]

thanks for the reply guys. yea my misses astra has done about 20000klms i think and i am pretty sure they are stuffed due to it being so dry up here and no or little rain. so does anyone know if you can get aftermarket ones yet? i have tried a few places but most people have no idea. thanks for the feedback.

[Dacious]

When I clean the Astra (yes, missus never touches it) I wipe the blades down with the Holden wiper/washer fluid, which seems to keep them a bit more together. Missus car has now done 65K and had one set of blades since new.

I believe you are going to see these all-in-one units more and more.

[Mongy]

Just fitted a set on my wifes Astra a week ago just before the last big storm. Aunger "Big Grey" silicon blades part number OEXBG2202 and used Trico windcreen cleaner/additive part number A90020. Works a treat, not a smear, crystal clear even in torential rain. It cost me about $15 for the lot from the local Autobarn. The silicon blades are heaps better than the crappy standard rubber ones fitted by Holden that is for sure. You just have to trim the length after you fit the new blade. Remember not to cut them both at the same time because they are different lengths.

[planetdavo]

It's very common for European sourced cars to have complete wiper heads.
The negative people will see this as a waste of money.
The positive people will see it as guaranteeing always having good solid heads that don't lay over and flop like the normal ones always end up doing.
A small price for extra safety through clear vision.
If you can't stomach the price, go to Repco or whoever, and get some universal Trico's.

[chrishsv]

If you look closely at the wiper arm that holds the insert you will see 1 tiny tab either end of each arm, if you get a small screwdriver and carefully bend the tabs upwards you are able to remove the blade...Buy some holden wiper inserts or something similar, cut to length and bend tabs into new inserts, works well and is still secure, hope this helps
cheers

[chevypower]

man so many people get sucked in by this "genuine Holden parts" crap - the wiper blade is a bit of rubber - thats all it is, there is no precission in it at all. I pay a couple dollars for each wiper blade, there is no way I would pay $85 for the same piece of crap

[Marco]

If you look closely at the wiper arm that holds the insert you will see 1 tiny tab either end of each arm, if you get a small screwdriver and carefully bend the tabs upwards you are able to remove the blade...Buy some holden wiper inserts or something similar, cut to length and bend tabs into new inserts, works well and is still secure, hope this helps
cheers

The ones on my TS Astra (which are a different design to the AH blades) had a similar thing - the holders were crimped to hold the rubber blades in. Used a pair of pliers to uncrimp them and have been changing my own blades ever since for a lot less than the price of a Holden genuine part.

Incidentally, I think it's actually lack of rain that stuffs wiper blades because they don't get lubricated and dry out.

[German Statesman]

man so many people get sucked in by this "genuine Holden parts" crap - the wiper blade is a bit of rubber - thats all it is, there is no precission in it at all. I pay a couple dollars for each wiper blade, there is no way I would pay $85 for the same piece of crap

You're missing the reason why, chevy - they aren't a rubber strip you thread into a couple of claws on a wiper arm. The entire head (ie the rubber strip and its injection-moulded plastic holder) has to be replaced.

I believe Trico do a complete head replacement for them now.

Wanna whinge about replacing the rubber strips?? The BMW 7-series ones are a limp rubber strip that you insert two stainless steel strips into, then thread on like the VZ ones - $85 a pair plus fitting :cussing: , no aftermarket equivalent. On the good side, I had a pair last me 100,000kms.

Cheers

JOHN

[neb]

chris how britle is the palstic on these arms? i suppose i can only try and if they break then i am up for hole new head.
German, do you know off hand how much trico ones are?

[German Statesman]

$25ea popped into my head for some reason - I remember when I was a circus advisor a Repco rep told me about them, and I was offering them as a non-genuine alternative at one stage.

Check Bosch too - they are heavily into wipers in Europe and may do an equivalent: in fact wouldn't surprise me if they are the OEM supplier.

Cheers

JOHN

[clarkey62]

Yep, you need to change the whole head!!! Something about the wiper arms being more pedestrian friendly, oh, and more aero dynamic.

My wifes got an '02 Astra and you can most certainly just change the blades only

[chrishsv]

chris how britle is the palstic on these arms? i suppose i can only try and if they break then i am up for hole new head.
German, do you know off hand how much trico ones are?

It was soft metal on the ones i changed, 02/03 astra convertible, if yours are plastic there may not even be anything holding them in a secured position, see if you can move the blades back and forward within the arms, if you can your laughing just change the inserts

[BearSS]

The AH wipers are different to TS. I don't think you'd be able to change the INSERT (not blade) only, the whole BLADE (not head) needs to be changed.

As one of the guys has said on this thread, a lack of rain is often worse than heaps of rain. Next time you're at the lights when its raining lightly turn your wipers off and look at everyone elses going flat out damaging their wipers and screens.

[mj00]

Yes, you can change them! (without changing the whole head) - I just did mine (05 AH Astra) 10 mins ago.

I found this thread because, yes, I also had difficulty, and went googling for answers. (ok, I know this thread is 18 months old, but I hope I can help someone else now!)

All you need is a medium flat blade screwdriver (about 4-6mm) and a pair of pliers.

Using the screwdriver, insert it at the passenger end of the wiper, in the gap between the blade and the end-cap. Twist and pop the end cap off.
Now there is a soft metal pin on the top, poking into the rubber to hold it in place. Prise this pin up out of the rubber.
Slide the insert out, pop in your favourite insert from Trico/Whatever other brand you prefer (I used Trico Multi-edge Premium), trim to length, push the pin back down with the pliers, and pop the end cap back on. Voila!

[Fnomna]

Are they the same type as the VE ones? If so, the video links to replace just the rubber are here
Australian LS1 and Holden Forums (http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?p=1223020#post1223020)

[mj00]

Are they the same type as the VE ones? If so, the video links to replace just the rubber are here

Yes, it is the same.