Cars and rear wipers?

Dave

I've just been wondering why hatchbacks have rear window window wipers and saloon cars etc. don't.

I was thinking thath it was to do with the aerodynamics of the hatchback meaning beacuse there wasn't a tapered rear to it that a vacuum is formed leaving no airflow to blow away the rain.

Or maybe that it's to do with the angle of the rear window/

Or maybe i'm thinking too much about this

Hellrazer

Actually one of the main reasons was because it is/was harder to actually physically get a rear wiper to fit on a saloon.There isnt anywhere to mount the motor linkages.
Ford got around this problem in the Orions by mounting the motors in a hole in the rear window.
On hatchback the motors etc are located inside the tailgate and are therefore not affected when the tailgate is opened.
Now whos thinking about it too much.

Dave

If they can mount the motor linkages on a hatchback surely they can mount them on a saloon no?

Hmmm I was hoping for more than one reply. This forum doesn't seem to generate alot of interest. Even from the mods.

Hellrazer

Originally posted by Dave
If they can mount the motor linkages on a hatchback surely they can mount them on a saloon no?

Hmmm I was hoping for more than one reply. This forum doesn't seem to generate alot of interest. Even from the mods.

Whereabouts on a saloon car would you mount the linkages/motor.There isnt any room.The difference with the hatch is that the rear window lifts up with the tailgate so everything can be located in the tailgate shell.
In a saloon its only the actual boot lid which opens so the rear wiper mechanism would have to be mounted somewhere fixed.

Dave

Ah yes. Sorry, wasn't thinking

milltown

AFAIK it's the aerodynamic thing. Rear wipers, having only one arm, don't need any linkages as they can drive direct from the motor. If the manufacturers are happy to mount a high level brake light just above the parcel shelf or near the roof then there's no good reason why a motor couldn't go in a similar position.

The fact is though, aerodynamics are as much use as a chocolate fireplace when you're averaging less than 5mph in city traffic.

Deacon Blues

From observation, once I'm doing over 40mph in my saloon, the rear window stays dry even when it's bucketing down. Slowing from there, it gets progressively wetter.

Also from observation, usually when you see a car with its rear window covered with a thick layer of muck, it'll be on a hatchback.

From this, can I suggest that car manufacturers are very lucky that tailgates allow easy fitting of wiper motors.

Woden

i don't think car manufacturers are very conscious of aerodynamics these days. i remember a lecture in which we where doing drag and the lecturere mentioned that the manfacturers don't publish there drag coefficients for cars any more as they are quite high

data

milltown

LOL @ the thoughts of Dataisgood doing lectures in drag