Interior/Exterior Another style of rear wiper delete (no plastic plug)
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2nd Gear
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 100
Likes: 2
Another style of rear wiper delete (no plastic plug)
Hey!
I've been AWOL for a while and I'm so glad to find the 1st generation forums still alive and kicking! Way to go, everyone
. You've actually motivated me to keep the spirit alive so I thought I'd finally post an old project that I never got around to posting:
The Non-Plastic Rear Wiper Delete
In the process of booty wiping my MINI (a la many awesome DIY's found on this site), it occurred to me that one could use the top cap from a bicycle headset to seal the wiper hole. This may very well be the one and only way to safely use a bicycle part on your MINI! A top cap is essentially a fancy aluminum washer used to load a bicycle's "threadless" headset bearings before its handlebar stem is bolted in place. Here is someone else's photo of a typical top cap with matching allen bolt:
I've been using a top cap for nearly a year and it turns out to be a better "booty wiper" for several functional/aesthetic reasons:
1. There are different styles of caps but, for the most part, they're semi-spherical with thin flanges and countersunk bolt holes (to be less likely to gouge body parts during a bike crash). Thus, a top cap installed in the wiper hole tapers into the requisite grommet and doesn't appear to stick out in the way that a flat plastic plug would. Yes, this is an aesthetic/optical illusion, but it does seem to blend in or disappear more than the plastic plug I had initially tried -- perhaps it does so because it resembles the curvature of the MINI logo right below.
2. A top cap comes with a matching bolt and a modified nut. The bolt head sits flush within the cap while the opposing nut -- specifically called a "star-fangled' nut, SFN -- pinches the rubber grommet safely; it has a gentle curve that doesn't cut into the rubber when install backwards. Incidentally, I used a plain nut tightened against the SFN to make the assembly resistant to loosening from the outside (i.e. curious-vandal proof). Note: There are different, high-tech SFNs available but you'd want to use the low-tech stamped metal variety like this one (my actual application):
3. There are myriad colors and designs available so you're bound to find one that suits your taste if you're not after a plan-jane, incognito look. Browse around some bike parts websites -- cyclists like to personalize their bikes as much as we MINIacs do our cars, so you'd be surprised with what you may find. I happened to use a rather pedestrian Cane Creek lizard-logo cap but you're sure to find something that reflects your personality! Perhaps I should start a trend: rear window plugs in lieu of bumper stickers or hard-to-see grill badges!
4. This assembly is designed to compress... so when paired with a properly sized grommet, it doesn't need silicone to seal the wiper hole. This means that it's easily reversed, isn't messy, and is certainly weatherproof.
5. Top caps are machined and anodized -- and with their recessed and sometimes color-matched allen bolts, they appear to be purposely-designed for this use. In my experience, other MINI owners don't initially notice my missing wiper blade. I think that the "manufactured appearance" of this style of plug generally escapes attention -- I'll spare everyone the supporting stories here.
As proud as I am of this idea, I should nonetheless share my honest, objective reservations about it:
1. Finding the right top cap requires some legwork. I tested the two most common sizes, 1" and 1 1/4"; both do work, but canvassing your local bike shops for spare parts or searching online is a little more involving than going to Lowe's for a specific, known part.
2. Even if you can spare the time and effort, it will cost a few dollars more. I initially bought two plastic plugs for $2 but ended up spending $5 for the Cane Creek top cap, bolt, and SFN. This was rather cheap since I resorted to my local, regular bike shop, but be assured that most bike shops are like small-town hardware stores: they're not only happy and willing to meet your individual needs -- they often have random, un-inventoried hardware to sell cheaply or to even give to you free.
3. Anodization only yields a very thin and porous oxide layer, so a color-anodized aluminum part may fade with long-term exposure. I've heard that more expensive brands of anodized parts have protective paint but I can't confirm that. All I can report is my cheap, black Cane Creek top cap on my MINI has faded to a gun-metal gray -- which, incidentally, is rather good looking! (it's not the one pictured above).
4. Grafting a bicycle part onto your beloved MINI would pervert it.
5. It adds weight to your car. Just kidding... it only weighs about 50 grams (~1/8 Couric).
Enough discussion. Here's the procedure for this type of wipe:
1) Obtain your desired top cap. Either a 1" or 1 1/8" size will work, but I've never tried the new 1 1/4" size. Be sure to get a regular SFN or make sure that any different SFN will serve this purpose.
2) Remove the wiper (see other threads).
3) Measure the inside diameter and depth of the windshield hole.
4) Cover the hole with tape and drive to your local Lowe's or Home Ripoff.
5) Buy an appropriate grommet. You can err on the short side for the depth but matching the inside diameter is necessary.
6) Find a nut (nylon locking is better) that fits the allen bolt of your top cap.
7) Test fit the grommet in the parking lot and return it if it doesn't fit.
8) Install the top cap with the SFN backwards (so that it doesn't cut your brand new rubber grommet). Hand tighten the SFN enough to seal against water. If your top cap and grommet are the right size, I'm sure that it's quite difficult to crack your windshield by overtightening here, but just to be safe, there's no need to show your grommet who's the boss.
9) Hold the SFN stationary with wide pliers while you tighten your secondary nut against it.
10) Take a picture of your handiwork and post it here.
I know that I really should post my own picture -- in all honesty, I never submitted this project because I never got around to taking an actual picture of the finished product, but I'll certainly do so in the next few days now that I've committed myself to doing so! Just wanted to share the idea in the meantime...
I've been AWOL for a while and I'm so glad to find the 1st generation forums still alive and kicking! Way to go, everyone
. You've actually motivated me to keep the spirit alive so I thought I'd finally post an old project that I never got around to posting:The Non-Plastic Rear Wiper Delete
In the process of booty wiping my MINI (a la many awesome DIY's found on this site), it occurred to me that one could use the top cap from a bicycle headset to seal the wiper hole. This may very well be the one and only way to safely use a bicycle part on your MINI! A top cap is essentially a fancy aluminum washer used to load a bicycle's "threadless" headset bearings before its handlebar stem is bolted in place. Here is someone else's photo of a typical top cap with matching allen bolt:
I've been using a top cap for nearly a year and it turns out to be a better "booty wiper" for several functional/aesthetic reasons:
1. There are different styles of caps but, for the most part, they're semi-spherical with thin flanges and countersunk bolt holes (to be less likely to gouge body parts during a bike crash). Thus, a top cap installed in the wiper hole tapers into the requisite grommet and doesn't appear to stick out in the way that a flat plastic plug would. Yes, this is an aesthetic/optical illusion, but it does seem to blend in or disappear more than the plastic plug I had initially tried -- perhaps it does so because it resembles the curvature of the MINI logo right below.
2. A top cap comes with a matching bolt and a modified nut. The bolt head sits flush within the cap while the opposing nut -- specifically called a "star-fangled' nut, SFN -- pinches the rubber grommet safely; it has a gentle curve that doesn't cut into the rubber when install backwards. Incidentally, I used a plain nut tightened against the SFN to make the assembly resistant to loosening from the outside (i.e. curious-vandal proof). Note: There are different, high-tech SFNs available but you'd want to use the low-tech stamped metal variety like this one (my actual application):
3. There are myriad colors and designs available so you're bound to find one that suits your taste if you're not after a plan-jane, incognito look. Browse around some bike parts websites -- cyclists like to personalize their bikes as much as we MINIacs do our cars, so you'd be surprised with what you may find. I happened to use a rather pedestrian Cane Creek lizard-logo cap but you're sure to find something that reflects your personality! Perhaps I should start a trend: rear window plugs in lieu of bumper stickers or hard-to-see grill badges!
4. This assembly is designed to compress... so when paired with a properly sized grommet, it doesn't need silicone to seal the wiper hole. This means that it's easily reversed, isn't messy, and is certainly weatherproof.
5. Top caps are machined and anodized -- and with their recessed and sometimes color-matched allen bolts, they appear to be purposely-designed for this use. In my experience, other MINI owners don't initially notice my missing wiper blade. I think that the "manufactured appearance" of this style of plug generally escapes attention -- I'll spare everyone the supporting stories here.
As proud as I am of this idea, I should nonetheless share my honest, objective reservations about it:
1. Finding the right top cap requires some legwork. I tested the two most common sizes, 1" and 1 1/4"; both do work, but canvassing your local bike shops for spare parts or searching online is a little more involving than going to Lowe's for a specific, known part.
2. Even if you can spare the time and effort, it will cost a few dollars more. I initially bought two plastic plugs for $2 but ended up spending $5 for the Cane Creek top cap, bolt, and SFN. This was rather cheap since I resorted to my local, regular bike shop, but be assured that most bike shops are like small-town hardware stores: they're not only happy and willing to meet your individual needs -- they often have random, un-inventoried hardware to sell cheaply or to even give to you free.
3. Anodization only yields a very thin and porous oxide layer, so a color-anodized aluminum part may fade with long-term exposure. I've heard that more expensive brands of anodized parts have protective paint but I can't confirm that. All I can report is my cheap, black Cane Creek top cap on my MINI has faded to a gun-metal gray -- which, incidentally, is rather good looking! (it's not the one pictured above).
4. Grafting a bicycle part onto your beloved MINI would pervert it.
5. It adds weight to your car. Just kidding... it only weighs about 50 grams (~1/8 Couric).
Enough discussion. Here's the procedure for this type of wipe:
1) Obtain your desired top cap. Either a 1" or 1 1/8" size will work, but I've never tried the new 1 1/4" size. Be sure to get a regular SFN or make sure that any different SFN will serve this purpose.
2) Remove the wiper (see other threads).
3) Measure the inside diameter and depth of the windshield hole.
4) Cover the hole with tape and drive to your local Lowe's or Home Ripoff.
5) Buy an appropriate grommet. You can err on the short side for the depth but matching the inside diameter is necessary.
6) Find a nut (nylon locking is better) that fits the allen bolt of your top cap.
7) Test fit the grommet in the parking lot and return it if it doesn't fit.
8) Install the top cap with the SFN backwards (so that it doesn't cut your brand new rubber grommet). Hand tighten the SFN enough to seal against water. If your top cap and grommet are the right size, I'm sure that it's quite difficult to crack your windshield by overtightening here, but just to be safe, there's no need to show your grommet who's the boss.
9) Hold the SFN stationary with wide pliers while you tighten your secondary nut against it.
10) Take a picture of your handiwork and post it here.
I know that I really should post my own picture -- in all honesty, I never submitted this project because I never got around to taking an actual picture of the finished product, but I'll certainly do so in the next few days now that I've committed myself to doing so! Just wanted to share the idea in the meantime...
Last edited by MiniBetterThanBeer; Feb 12, 2008 at 12:14 AM.
Thread Starter
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2nd Gear
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 100
Likes: 2
Here's what a carbon fiber cap looks like in situ:
This one, the Niner YAWYD (you are what you drink), accepts beer caps:
I couldn't find a picture of my favorite cap from the Canadian company Syncros. It says "look up, eh?"
www.purelycustom.com is one of many companies that make customs.
...I'm getting carried away with this.
This one, the Niner YAWYD (you are what you drink), accepts beer caps:
I couldn't find a picture of my favorite cap from the Canadian company Syncros. It says "look up, eh?"
www.purelycustom.com is one of many companies that make customs.
...I'm getting carried away with this.
Peace Keeper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,747
Likes: 1
From: Defiance, Ohio
That is what owning a Mini is all about
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Thread Starter
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2nd Gear
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 100
Likes: 2
a quick secondary search yielded this site...I think I am going to look into a blue and white Yin Yang cap 
http://www.purelycustom.com/c-44-hea...aps-18539.aspx
http://www.purelycustom.com/c-44-hea...aps-18539.aspx
Write me if you have any questions, and please post a photo!
Thread Starter
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2nd Gear
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 100
Likes: 2
Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout! Outstanding execution, 03Indigo!
Here's mine (seasoned with road salt). It matches the dark gray but, honestly, it looked better when it was still black a year ago -- I've gotta get a better cap some day.
Thread Starter
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2nd Gear
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 100
Likes: 2
I'm jealous that you have a paint sprayer.
...or "You're an idiot if you can read this"
Isn't that the best approval -- passing the S.O. test?!
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,692
Likes: 2
haha, my sprayer is a rattle can 
...I use it for all my partz
and yeah, when the wife approved, it was a good feeling. First thing she said is "good, the rear wiper on that car is useless, and it looked gay, now it looks hot." We have a pet gecko, so having geckos on the car made her really happy
...I use it for all my partz and yeah, when the wife approved, it was a good feeling. First thing she said is "good, the rear wiper on that car is useless, and it looked gay, now it looks hot." We have a pet gecko, so having geckos on the car made her really happy
nice.. i did this as well..just havent really posted up pics..
and also..and FYI to those who havent noticed..this is indeed from last year..not last month
just making sure everyone knows..
but when getting black..because its anodized..mines starting to turn like a purple-ish color..like fading.. so just thought i'd share that bit of info
(i still love it tho..w/o the wiper..)
i did this as well..just havent really posted up pics..and also..and FYI to those who havent noticed..this is indeed from last year..not last month
just making sure everyone knows..
but when getting black..because its anodized..mines starting to turn like a purple-ish color..like fading.. so just thought i'd share that bit of info
(i still love it tho..w/o the wiper..)
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
Last year I put together some kits of the hardware and purchased a few different colors of these caps. I also had some customized with MINI wings. I brought them out for AMVIV, MOTD and MITM, and even sold a few. Anyway, I have some of these kits left, various styles and colors that I will be bringing to Vegas again.
-Scott
-Scott
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
I am seriously considering MOTD at this time.