203 Windscreen Wipers

D

Dr Tom

Member
Fellow Frogger
Joined
Apr 29, 2022
Messages
30
Location
Mylor South Australia
Hi guys - when I bought the black 203 last year the wipers did not work... I pulled the whole mechanism including the motor apart and it was seized up... got it going eventually...now this year the rain has come in, the damn things aren't working again...any suggestions before I pull the whole dashboard apart again?!
And does anyone have one of those little crank handles that screw on so you can operate the wipers manually?!
Cheers
Dr Tom
 
The spindles for the arms can jam if the car hasn't been used. Mostly the grease in the motor goes hard. You used to be able to have the armatures rewound. Cheapest would be a good secondhand unit. I'm afraid most of the crank handles are tightly held. Before you pull it out make sure the unit is getting current.
My conclusion on early Peugeot electrics is this. If the car is original and well looked after the electrics are fine. My 203 has original electrics including wiper motor. But if it's the well used second hand example of the type we used to pick up the electrics can be a lot of trouble.
 
What you have to accept is that there are many useless things in this World. A hip pocket in a singlet and a wooden leg in a bushfire come readily to mind - along with 203 wipers! In my experience the motors rarely have sufficient torque to start on a half wet screen and if left for any time have a reluctance to start at all. A vigorous wind with the supplied crank will generally get them going. I now know why this is an essential tool - one you need.
I make a pretty fair replica of what is becoming a coveted possession. The secret is the French Standard thread (5x.9mm). If you send me a PM with your address I'll mail you one.

Tony
 
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Commerciale said:
What you have to accept is that there are many useless things in this World. A hip pocket in a singlet and a wooden leg in a bushfire come readily to mind - along with 203 wipers! In my experience the motors rarely have sufficient torque to start on a half wet screen and if left for any time have a reluctance to start at all. A vigorous wind with the supplied crank will generally get them going. I now know why this is an essential tool - one you need.
I make a pretty fair replica of what is becoming a coveted possession. The secret is the French Standard thread (5x.9mm). If you send me a PM with your address I'll mail you one.

Tony
Click to expand...
Thanks Tony, very generous! My postal address is PO Box 104 Mylor SA 5153
Cheers, Tom
 
Have to disagree on the 203 wipers although one French test suggested they had been inherited from the 201. Driven long distances in rain without problem although their screen cleaning performance is not modern. They certainly lift when trucks pass in wet conditions.
 
Just on the 203 wipers I'd add you don't need a radio (nor could you hear one anyway) because the wipers and motor keep up such a cheerful fast chatter. The onboard entertainment system.
 
Commerciale said:
What you have to accept is that there are many useless things in this World. A hip pocket in a singlet and a wooden leg in a bushfire come readily to mind - along with 203 wipers! In my experience the motors rarely have sufficient torque to start on a half wet screen and if left for any time have a reluctance to start at all. A vigorous wind with the supplied crank will generally get them going. I now know why this is an essential tool - one you need.
I make a pretty fair replica of what is becoming a coveted possession. The secret is the French Standard thread (5x.9mm). If you send me a PM with your address I'll mail you one.

Tony
Click to expand...
I disagree Tony, the wipers on my Yellow 203 went like the clappers..... pun intended! On the Redex re-run a few guys asked me how I got them to go so fast. No credit to me as they came with the car at that speed
 
The 203 wipers are no worse that the early 403 converging wiper type. I always found wiper speed satisfactory for a single speed. Biggest problem with 03 wipers was the small spindle size that used to put a lot of wear on the arms where they sat on the spindle. The 403 had trico arms available with little lead inserts to fit the spindles. The 403 had rubber sealing washers around the spindles that always leaked. Oddly enough I've still got parts to do up a 403b wiper mechanism, new spindles and all but I'm sure the new wiper blades are hard by now. The last time I bought wiper blades for the 203 from France the rubber was too hard.
 
i bought some 203 blades at a swap meet from a Melb mob Old Lucas , have soft rubber in them
same as early landrover and vw ?
 
VW, yes, but the genuines have those nice little fastening screws. Basil never bothered about the wipers in his restorations, I thought it an oversight.
 
403 wiper motors are great in my humble opinion. Very meticulously made, if you have ever pulled one apart. Usually, if sitting for a while, the gears can becone gummed up. Not hard to fix, one screw, some turps and new grease, voila! If the armatures need a bit of a clean, best to use contact/circuit board cleaner, which can be bought at any repco. Use a tooth brush when cleaning, as you dont want to damage the insulation the windings have.

I bought my wipers from a boat shop, https://www.bosunslocker.com.au/products/wiper-arm-spare-for-standard-wiper-adjustable-arm-180-280mm. Worked a treat, and you can tell it will last because they use them out at sea 🌧 🤣

Barley had an issue with my wiper motor, or wipers, and I've driven my 203 many times in the rain. The sound of the motor is like music to my ears
 
Have cleaned and reassembled four 203 wiper motors which were in the spares box but gave them to those in need. Kept one for myself (installed and all working perfectly.) They are no harder than a fishing reel to clean all the hardened old grease out. A few months ago replaced whole peugeot assembly with Camry two speed set up for obvious reasons (quite useful really!) Not difficult either but leaks a little around the shaft. Have rubber washers to install as appropriate if I ever get around to braving the cold in the workshop.James' marine ones was a good solution also and easily obtainable along with blades etc from marine shops.Much , much better than Pug originals and blades obtainable anywhere.
 
Thanks all...yes the wiper blades Basil put on are those skinny things that hardly wipe anything...need to replace those too...some good suggestions here.
 
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