wiper dwell

[workmate]

hello all   i have a 2005 workmate The wiper does not have a dwell function on it I have heard i can put a later model stem in it. does anyone know which vehicles i would need to get one from and is it hard to do Thanks in anticipation David

[Tony Prodigy]

That brings back memories of when I too had a work mate for a company vehicle. The first day I drove it after being delivered brand new to our head office, it was a rainy day and when I activated the wipers for the first time, I discovered the poverty pack these work mates was known for and having NO intermittent wipers was a big turn off. Hell. it didn't even have power windows either. The front doors were retro fitted with aftermarket electric window kits and the rear doors stayed 80's style with the winder handles. 

I mean, how cheap can you be to skimp on something so basic and practically standard issue even down to the basic Hyundai crud box. I was so disappointed in that car and it reflected very poorly on our management at the time. Thank God, those Jack asses have been assigned to the dustbin of history and our current management are just fantastic who have not skimped on providing us with the best possible vehicles to date.

I digress. Now, going back to your question. I am not 100% sure if by just replacing the stalk will enable an intermittent function as it is just a switch more or less. I was told that there is could possibly be an additional relay mounted somewhere which facilitates that function. Not sure as I've never canvassed the idea. I just lived with it until that car was moved on. Thank God for that.

Another thing you could do is compare the wiring socket from a switch with intermittency to the vehicles socket where it plugs into. If you have time to visit a local wrecker they may oblige you with one that you can try whilst you're there and see if it does actually work. There may just be something in the onboard management system that may detect the new stalk provided it's compliant.

Worth a go I reckon. I'd be very interested to hear the outcome of this one. 

[workmate]

thanks Tony - David

[Hiro]

Is there no kind of intermittent function on the wiper stalk at all?  Very strange for 2005 even for a base-model fleet special.

EDIT: Redbook seems to indicate that the 2005 Workmate should have intermittent wipers, so that makes me think you're referring to the variable function.  In which case I wouldn't be surprised at all if you can swap in the variable stalk from an SR or SR5, I did the same with my '98 Corolla (actually used a Camry stalk which was almost identical) in order to upgrade from fixed intermittent to variable.