How to: OEM Wiper Blade Replacement ($25)

I got a replacement blade more than twice as long as the rear wiper blade. Then I removed the old one and cut the replacement to fit and put it all back together. It wasn't as easy as a normal replacement, but it can be done without too many cuss words. It's better than paying $9.

 

For anyone in the New England area who has an Ocean State Job Lot nearby, I just picked up a 28" Trico Teflon Shield Premium wiper blade for $5. It's the whole blade, and it popped right on effortlessly. I was all set to try to find a 28" refill, but I saw this and figured I'd give it a shot. No, it's not identical to the factory blade, but it's more similar in style than some of the other 28" blades I've seen. Meanwhile, I can still look for a 28" refill at my leisure. And you're right, the 14" for the passenger side is kind of hard to find.

 

For anyone in the New England area who has an Ocean State Job Lot nearby, I just picked up a 28" Trico Teflon Shield Premium wiper blade for $5. It's the whole blade, and it popped right on effortlessly. I was all set to try to find a 28" refill, but I saw this and figured I'd give it a shot. No, it's not identical to the factory blade, but it's more similar in style than some of the other 28" blades I've seen. See the link below. Meanwhile, I can still look for a 28" refill at my leisure. And you're right, the 14" for the passenger side is kind of hard to find.

Teflon SHIELD: Dual-Shield™ Wiper Technology | TRICO® Windshield Wipers

 

I do not know if anyone's mentioned, anyhow: any time you've got the wipers off be real careful to not let the bare arm snap down on the glass. Maybe put a thick towel down on the glass.

 

Just found this post to be the most likely to get my answer, but anyone had luck finding the little metal bands/tensioner springs separately? Local dealer has the inserts, and I got replacements for the front passenger and rear, but found my housing for driver-side but lo-and-behold missing the metal bits... cannot seem to find those by themselves

 

Nice post.
I too have also liked to use OEM wiper blade inserts.
They always fit and always secure correctly vs. aftermarket.
And note the price....very competitive.

 

I was looking to replace the wiper blades and found this helpful post. Yes, replacing just the blades rather than the entire frame seems a good idea; cheaper and less wasteful. I ignored the rear blade (I pretty much ignore that wiper) and purchased the two front blades from Amazon vendors:

I found the replacement straightforward enough to perform. The old blades slid out easily enough after pushing past the lock. Then the wire guides slipped out of the old blades and into the replacement, and then the replacement slides back in. I had removed the frames from the stalks for the purpose of the swap, figuring it was easier to swap blades on my desk rather than huddled over the hood of the car.

Looks fine. It doesn't rain much where I am, so getting the optimal wiper isn't as critical for me as it is for some.

I thought this thread was worth a bump, since most of my Googling led to reviews of various wiper brands with a new wiper frame, but very few suggested just replacing the blade.

 

It's been over 3 years, so I'll reiterate: when you got the blade off, be real careful, don't let the bare arm thwack down on the windshield. A thick towel on the glass, doubled over a bunch of times is good insurance.

 

*Note: The autozone brand wiper blade does not fit this car on the drivers side. It will just slip off. The manager of the store and I had to try a few of them before he believed me and refunded it.