wiper arms stuck in the middle

[friz15]

I have a 1968 vw bug. when I turn on the wipers the arms dont seem to clean the whole windshield. When I turn them off they stay up about 4" from the bottom of the windshiel. Can anyone tell me if this is a common problem and if it can be fixed?
Thanks, Jeremey

[boschmann]

To rule out any linkage problems you can remove the dash wiring cover (if it's still there) from under the hood & watch the motor & linkage to see if something is loose. Very often the cars have incorrect or just worn out wiper arms on them. By worn out I mean the clamp that attaches the arem to the shaft is loose & won't hold tightly. The original design in your car had a screw that you could find if you lifted the arm off the windshield & looked under at the base. If all is tight just release the arm from the shaft & reposition where you want it.