The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Newcomers → Do we need 2 windshield wipers?
1984 300zx NA
We currently have 1 driver side windshield wiper.
I think the motor is missing on the passenger side.
I always assumed that we would be okay with just the driver side. However one of our team members brought it up as something we needed to address before the November race (aka get the passenger side wiper operational)
Just want to see y’alls opnion on if that whiper is actually necessary.
Not required by the rules. But it sure is handy in heavy rain.
A lot of people overlook their rain solutions, and that's fine 90% of the time. But that first time you get caught in heavy rain you will wish you had sorted it out. Working wipers are super useful for when you are in rain that is past rain-x's ability. Something on the inside to combat fogging is critical. We use an electric defrost kit like you have on your rear window combined with the factory HVAC blower/ducting. Our windshield stays perfectly clear. A lot of people swear by different chemicals for fighting fog, but they all seem to work to varying degrees based on the car and how much air movement you have inside by the glass. The electric defog works in any car.
Always have your teammates go out when it is raining.
We only have a driver's side wiper. That part works fine for dealing with rain. Fogging up is seriously a larger concern. We don't have the stock heater/blower in our car and last time we dealt with rain the fog was a complete deal breaker even with our windshield being treated with anti-fog chemicals. We had to wait out the rain in the paddock until it lightened up enough that our windshield would stop fogging.
Our current anti-fog solution is less than ideal, but hopefully we don't have to deploy it (basically a microfiber on a stick windshield cleaning tool stowed within driver's reach).
Always have your teammates go out when it is raining.
That's been my solution also, but much like bringing a spare engine ensures you won't need it, having the heavy, complex, overdone Benz wiper system fully intact on our car has ensured that we haven't raced more than 5 min total, over a dozen races, in the rain. It is apparently an effective rain deterrent system.
Install this inside your front windshield and never fear the rain again.
https://www.frostfighter.com/clear-view … -about.htm
Seriously, it's amazing. You'll never notice the lines while driving, and it's worth every penny in the rain. Even more pro level series are using it.
We only have a driver's side wiper. That part works fine for dealing with rain. Fogging up is seriously a larger concern. We don't have the stock heater/blower in our car and last time we dealt with rain the fog was a complete deal breaker even with our windshield being treated with anti-fog chemicals. We had to wait out the rain in the paddock until it lightened up enough that our windshield would stop fogging.
Our current anti-fog solution is less than ideal, but hopefully we don't have to deploy it (basically a microfiber on a stick windshield cleaning tool stowed within driver's reach).
I’m thinking we are OK with just the driver side wiper. Unless it is pouring rain I feel like that single wiper should suffice. And in all honesty I don’t know if I want to be out on the track and pouring rain conditions . I grew up in Texas — and sometimes it can rain so hard that even to windshield wipers will not be enough.
We do have a marine grade blower we’re going to rig up to attempt to defrost our window in the event of rain. I’m hoping that just threatening mother nature with a marine grade blower will be enough to fend off the rain for the race weekend.
I have a Lemons car with one wiper and another with two. One wiper is "good enough".
Everyone is terrified of rain, but racing in the rain is honestly the most fun I've ever had. It's harder, the lines are different, traction is different, it challenges you more, but it's also more rewarding to get right. A couple years ago in NJ when it was monsooning (literally) the radios were full of teams complaining about how terrible it was and why were they doing this? We just laughed while driving around them. Same in CT this year.
Rain is fun, embrace it, learn from it.
Everyone is terrified of rain, but racing in the rain is honestly the most fun I've ever had. It's harder, the lines are different, traction is different, it challenges you more, but it's also more rewarding to get right.
I have already told my team I am bored with the Dustbuster...won't drive it anymore unless it is a monsoon and then it is the second most fun I have had on 4 wheels. Does it help that the wipers work perfectly...yep. Does it help that not only the stock defrost works but the blend door to do bi-lev does and it dries out your racing shoes...yep. The real fun is the fact that it can still brake very near its dry braking markers, four wheel drift through corners and generally pass more cars in 5 laps than it does in a dry race. I have not set the fast wet lap in the van (I assume) for our team but no one has more fun in it in the rain than I do.
A couple years ago in NJ when it was monsooning (literally) the radios were full of teams complaining about how terrible it was and why were they doing this? We just laughed while driving around them.
Rain is fun, embrace it, learn from it.
First time in the rain, and we loved it. Definitely got too wet, definitely need to get some solutions for inside the windshield, but our car was a hoot to have out in the rain.
The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Newcomers → Do we need 2 windshield wipers?