Kaiser Wiper Switches

[sierrablue]

Just an FYI for anyone struggling with finding the Kaiser-era wiper switches. Mine has been giving me some fits, and it's a worn out, broken switch anyway. I've had it apart a few times to try and fix it, but I finally gave up and started researching alternatives. I discovered that it appears to take the exact same switch as a Chevy II/early to mid-60s GM trucks/Suburbans. I'm sure somebody else has discovered this, but I can't find any reference to it here. About a $50 switch for the two speed.

You may have to switch some wires around, I haven't studied it yet, but regardless it works a lot better.

[Heep-J4000]

That's some good information , Thanks much!

I did have a look for a spare switch years ago for my 73' j4000 but could not find one.
Luckily I could repair the switch i had and never looked back because the switch was working like new after putting in a stiffer spring and cleaning the contacts!

[Analog]

Does anyone know of an option to get more speeds or add a delay on to the lower speed? The lower speed is a bit overkill in light rain. I'm sure many don't use their FSJ in rain but I do and it would be nice to have more options. I'd even consider a floor trigger switch which could be hit every once in a while. I know I can just quickly turn the knob but a floor switch keeps the hands on the wheel. A delay added onto the slower speed would be great too.

Would this work?
https://www.revolutionelectronics.co...-wiper-module/

[sierrablue]

If you were up for some wiring (and had the money) you could buy the Ford intermittent switch and box...your knob wouldn't work quite the same on a Kaiser era rig. You'd just push the entire knob for washers instead of the button in the middle--and I'm not 100% sure the knob would work. I think it would but I can't say for sure.

I found the same box you did on LMC truck:

https://www.lmctruck.com/1960-66-che...t-wiper-module

I don't see a reason why it wouldn't work just as well on the SJ as on the other cars, but I personally would hate that trigger system. And I'm not going to argue that the switches our rigs take are the best design in the world, so I wouldn't be against swapping out the switch if you could keep the factory knob and such. That's probably just a me thing though.

The switch is just a switched ground; theoretically I think you could put a resistor in (and make it a switched resistor for your foot?) to slow down the wipers. Just a thought.

Rain? Mine sees the snow (and unfortunately salt), rain, everything, I wouldn't worry about it

[sierrablue]

As I think about it, it's not as bad of a setup as I thought, but still weird. Not straightforward quite like "turn it right for faster, left for slower, and push the button for washers," is.

Got my new switch and installed it today. You definitely want to buy one without a button on it already--the button is pressed on, and thus is hard to get off (wrong length or I'd have left it. Also the washer prong on the back is clocked wrong, so you have to take the wires out of their plastic keeper to plug them in, but that's not such a big deal.

For me right now, the bottom line is that I have wipers (and now washers too!) reliably, and with all of the snow and slush and junk, I REALLY need the wipers and won't argue with having washers.