I have ran just rain-x before. Short version is that there will be bugs and road grime in anything that is driven. Wipers help get rid of most of that so you can see better and get rid of the rest of it later. If you have a very small windshield due to a chop where wipers would be difficult use rain-x and have a large washer pump reservoir so you can blast off the derbies before they dry. Chevy washer pumps from the 80's (the 2 screw inner fender mount ones) are cheap and work great at keeping the windshield clear.
You see lots of weekenders around here not running wipers, they do ugly up a custom. Lots of rainex will get you home from a cruise night. Some of the real hard core custom guys around here don't even have holes in the cowl for wipers, but you see a lot of guys with bullets covering up the wiper shafts too. Anyway I usually run wipers on my cars but my bike doesn't have any and my rain glasses (don't leave home without them) have been rainexed to the max.
Mandatory down here with windscreens, wind deflectors are different and not required. Some remove wiper arms and use bullet covers.
Rain X is fine but you won't be able to bring a car with no wipers into Kentucky and register it. Wipers is one of the items that must be operative on a Sheriff's inspection prior to registration. You might want to check with the Wisconsin DMV for their w/s wiper requirements. Gary
Same issue in New York. You must have your car inspected every year and windshield wipers are required, even the condition can result in failure. If you happen to know someone that owns an inspection shop you can get by, but check with your local DMV. Also resale could be an issue. I find RainX works great.
I have ran without wipers for 20+ years and have had very few issues. RainX is awesome and it works great for me because most of the time my car is in motion. . If I lived in a big city and commonly stuck in traffic it may not be so good. The only issues that I have had is not applying the RainX properly and misty foggy days. I've not had problems with the DMV I guess because I have wipers on the car. (well they are in the trunk)
In Texas if you register with antique tags there is no inspection on the cars so they get by. Any other type of registration they have to be there unless you leave the windshield out of the car when it is time for inspection.... yes, it will pass that way
I believe it is a NY State Inspection line item, but I planned on doing wipers on the '59 Ford. I have a Newport Engineering wiper motor, new arms & blades. I want to be able to drive the car anywhere at any time.
Maybe where you are. It rained here this morning. Also, before y'all in CA commit to filling the holes, if a cop spots the absence, he or she can write you a fix-it ticket. Think about that prospect. On some fix-it tickets, you can just pay the fine instead, but that won't stop the bronze brom just writing you another ticket, or 11 other tickets.
How about this scenario? State requires wipers, owner removes wipers, accident occurs in rain storm. Insurance co. doesn't pay because car doesn't meet state regs.
All they need to know is that the wipers flew off on impact and couldn't be recovered. That would be my story anyway.
Yeah, that was more of the 'My dog ate my homework' excuse. If they are required, it's best to have something on there.
Absence of wipers were the FAVORITE reason for Santa Clara P.D. to pull over hot rods (1956-1962 mainly) Non fendered cars got pulled over, ticketed. While he was at it, the policeman wrote 'no windshield wipers'. The clever policeman asked to see my vehicle registration on my channeled 'A' Coupe. He wrote, "Registered owner failed to sign the back of the registration slip; also failure to change number of engine cylinders. Illegal installation of V-8." Went to court, the judge shook his head, asked what I did to make this policeman so mad at me. Case dismissed. (Judge even dissed the no fenders! That time...) I installed a '17 Dodge hand wiper thru the windshield frame. Never got fenders...
I'm currently doing body work and have been thinking lately that if the whole wiper assembly was gone it would look way better and wouldn't miss it- just rain-x the windshield. I know it's illegal to not have them in WI, but it is also illegal to shave door handles too. At least that is what the state sheriff told me and ticketed me for it when I was a youngerster with my bagged and channeled s10. I will have hobbiest plates transferred over from my old 39, but I was also told that things like shaved handles are illegal no matter if u have hobbiest or not, it's a safety issue. That being said, I see customs and hot rods with shaved handles and bullets on their wipers and don't have any issue. From what I've seen in this state, the cops seem to raz the newer modified vehicles. They seem to have more leeway with older cars as long as your not driving like an A-hole.
That's what I did on my '55 Chevy. Wipers were stored in the trunk and could be installed in a minute if police or a monsoon called for them. Otherwise, a couple of Rain-ex applications every year kept the windshield clear.
This is the rain forest where I live I use rainx and now I have good blades and arms.I had an ot truck without wipers and rainx or not I had to sit the rain out on the side of the road.
I spent my younger days in San Jose, and got hassled a lot for equipment violations. One ticket had not only "no windshield wipers", but also "no windshield", along with about 8 additional violations (unfinished chop job). Cops name was Hassleman too! By the way, I don't run wipers on the truck......yet.
I doubt that there is a state in the Union that does not require wipers as safety equipment. In most states with a yearly inspection you can buy one for and added fee. No more legal than not having wipers but it gets done all the time. These days if you are not commonly being a but the local constabulary will overlook some things on out old heaps. That was not the case 40 or 50 years ago, but now businessmen drive hot rods, they have gone mainstream and most drivers of said cars are no longer considered to be hoodlums. I personally don't see it being good sense to not have them but I don't build my cars to look cool as a rule. I think that if one is not going to run wipers that the bullet caps on the wiper shafts is a good idea that way in a rainy month ( in may KC had 4 dry days) you can put them on and drive then pull them when it is dry or you are sitting in you lawn chair at the local cruise nite.
Not sure about some of the other states but here is what Texas looks at with wipers.... If there is a windshield... it has to have wipers. The windshield itself is not required and can ONLY fail for a cracked or broken windshield if it impairs the operation of the wipers. The wiper blades must be in good working order and the blades are allows up to 1/2 inch of tear at the end of the blade. Like I said before.. no wipers... remove the windshield and it will pass inspection. The inspector will hand you the inspection sticker and you keep it in the glove box. Exhaust sytems have their quirks too.... the only thing that is inspected is for leaks (and presense of cat on 75 and later vehicles)... muffler not required. Got a pickup? If it has a tailpipe with rust holes in it... won't pass. Cut it off !! As long as the rear opening is behind the cab it will pass with no tailpipe... but not with a tailpipe that has holes in it. (can't do this if there is a camper shell on it though) Some state inspection laws have some quirks in them for sure!
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