So Why The Offset?

[ACTIVE8]

On an Xantia the rear wiper blade is mounted on an offset, unlike the normal arrangement of staying inside the hook end, the Valeo design has a solid pin on the wiper, which has the effect of placing the wiper parallel to the arm, but offset approx one space higher. Therefore why did they design it like that?

[ekjdm14]

Seen the type of attachment you mention on one or two different vehicles over the years. I'm unsure of the reason other than just being a different method of attaching, perhaps to do with needing a bit more pivoting action as the U type can swing about 160* outwards but only 5* or so inward whereas the pin type could potentially spin 360*. Vehicles with a lot of curvature in the glass may need the extra pivot.

Or another reason could be a slightly misplaced wiper spindle in the tailgate, perhaps due to a cock up in design or such. The offset of the blade could be used to bring the blade back parallel to the edge of the glass at the end of it's stroke.

Both the above are pure conjecture and it may be "just because" that's what was in the parts bin at the time they made the Xant' too. We know the French are good at making use of whatever is available at the time to make a car!

[chinkostu]

try putting a conventional wiper on the arm, you'll see the washer hose fouls the wiper itself and doesn't quite work properly. This was only an issue on the MK1, the MK2 has the rear washer jet on top of the roof so you can use a normal blade. The french oddity was having the wiper ABOVE the arm rather than under it (so it sweeps the washer water on the way up!).

It's probably wise to keep hold of the offset housing and try to swap the rubber over as I can't see them being made for long. You can also fit Aero blades with the horrid huge adaptors to clear the nozzle.

[Mandrake]

Yep same problem here - normal arms don't fit because they foul the spray nozzle.

I had to carefully transfer the rubber from a new blade to the old one.

[CitroJim]

That all makes perfect sense and explains why the S2 has a straight one... Something I've wondered for years has now been answered... I'm happy

[chinkostu]

I think citroen did sell the s2 with an offset blade aswell!

[CitroJim]

I think citroen did sell the s2 with an offset blade aswell!

That's got me curious now... I had a very early R Plate S2 but you know, I can't recall now what it had... Or even if it had the roof mounted washer jet...

The very early ones were a bit of a mish-mash of S1 and S2 so it would not suprise me..

It's like my S2 1.9TD poverty-spec. 'Sensation'. It's clear Citroen used it as an opportunity to use up lots of surplus S1 bits they had left over such as the orange side repeaters, interior and the engine...

Not that it's any the worse for that though