How do I tighten the rear wiper arm on a 1994 ford explorer limited

Motors shot probly not working under load presume its the right arm though

There should be a plastic cap covering the wiper arm nut

You may find the spline in the arm is stripped & need a complete
new arm

the ball joint may have snapped inside so the motor is no longer attached to the arm, has it been used in freezing conditions? often they snap this way, also the ball joint may have just popped off, you will ned to open it up, they are fairly straight forward so the problem would be obvious once open.

Regards
Dan

U need a socket or a wrench, 13mm i think, then just follow these instructions

Grab the trim cover over the base of the wiper arm with your thumb and forefinger and pull it upward to expose the wiper stud and nut.

2

Remove the nut from the wiper stud with your socket set.

3

Grab the wiper arm where it slips over the wiper stud with one hand and pull straight up to remove the old wiper arm. Discard the old arm.

4

Align the splines in the new arm with the splines in the wiper stud, making sure the wiper arm aligns properly in conjunction with the windshield, and push the arm down onto the wiper stud by hand.

5

Thread the nut back onto the wiper stud and tighten it down with the socket set. Push the trim cover over the stud and nut until it clicks into position.

there is a cover at the base lift it up and then you have a nut. 10mm remove this and pull off the arm. sometime they get stuck and you will have to pry it up.

Front Wiper Motor Removal & Installation

NOTE A new wiper motor assembly comes with the linkage arm installed.

1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the Precautions Section.
2. Remove the windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft
   WARNING Do not remove the wiper motor linkage arm from the wiper motor assembly. If the arm is removed, the wiper arms may not park in the correct location.
   NOTE Use a suitable tool to separate the wiper linkage arm from the wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft assembly.
   
3. Remove the 3 bolts and the wiper motor.
   
   
   
   Fig. Wiper motor and linkage
   

To install:

1. Install wiper motor and bolts.
2. Tighten wiper motor bolts to 10 ft. lbs. (13 Nm).
3. Install windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft.
4. Check wiper operation.

Rear Wiper Motor - Removal & Installation

1. Remove the rear pivot arm.
2. Remove the rear wiper motor shaft nut cover
3. Remove the rear wiper motor shaft nut.
4. Open the lift gate window.
5. Remove the rear wiper motor cover trim panel.
6. Disconnect the electrical connector.
7. Remove the 2 rear window wiper motor nuts
8. Remove the rear window wiper motor.
   
   
   Fig. Rear wiper motor view-2008 model shown, other years similar
   

To install:

1. Install rear wiper motor and tighten mounting nuts to 62 inch lbs. (7 Nm).
2. Reconnect the electrical connector.
3. Install wiper motor cover trim panel.
4. Install rear wiper pivot arm tighten nut to 53 inch lbs. (6 Nm).
5. Install shaft nut cover.
   
6. Check wiper operation.

Good luck (remember rated this post).

hi on the bottom of the arm there is a cover , covering the nut, pull the cover upward from the back end this will remain in the same place under that you will see a nut, just tighten as required...

why do you think the motor still works if the wipers don't move? Can you hear the motor run or can you see a little movement when you turn the switch on?

What happens when you activate the washers?

go to a salvage yard that allows you to remove the parts yourself. Then you can see how the motor and linkage assembly comes out.


don't have 1983 info, but here is 1994:

Section 01-16A: Wiper and Washer System, Ranger/Explorer 1994 Ranger and Explorer Vehicles Workshop Manual
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION Windshield Wiper System, Ranger/Explorer The windshield wipers are actuated by a permanent magnet, rotary-type electric windshield wiper motor (17504) . The two windshield wiper pivot arms (17526) and windshield wiper blades (17528) are mounted on a pivot shaft, one at each side of the windshield. The windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft (17566) are connected to the motor by windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip (17531) . Ranger and Explorer vehicles are equipped with an interval wiper and washer (IWW) system featuring a lever-type turn signal and windshield wiper switch (13K359) mounted on the steering column. The IWW windshield wiper governor (17C476) uses a relay contact to control current to the windshield wiper motor . The governor electronic circuitry controls the contact to supply current to windshield wiper motor . A rear wiper/washer system is available on Explorer vehicles. The rear window wiper system consists of a windshield wiper motor mounted inside the liftgate (40010) , an articulating windshield wiper pivot arm and windshield wiper blade , a windshield wiper/washer switch (17A553) and an inline circuit breaker. The front electric windshield washer system consists of a control switch, integral with the turn signal, a windshield washer reservoir (17618) and windshield wiper motor and the necessary windshield washer hoses (17A605) , windshield washer nozzle jet and brackets (17603) and attaching parts.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pivot Shafts and Linkage Removal and Installation
NOTE: The left and right pivot and windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip assemblies are serviced separately.

1. Perform Steps 1 through 9 of Windshield Wiper Motor Removal as described in this section.

1. If servicing left windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip , remove left windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft and windshield wiper blade assembly.

1. Remove left windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip access cover.

1. Remove left pivot nut, lower windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip and slide it out through left access opening. For installation, follow removal procedures in reverse order. Tighten nut to 10-13 Nm (7-10 ft-lb). Make sure the clip is fully seated in the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip . Do not try to install clip with windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip on motor crank pin.
   

----------------------------------------------------------
Windshield Wiper Motor Windshield wiper motor are not serviceable. If worn or damaged, the windshield wiper motor must be replaced as an assembly. Removal

1. Cycle windshield wiper blades until in straight-up position and turn ignition switch OFF.

1. Disconnect battery and wiper motor electrical connector.

1. Remove the right windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft and windshield wiper blade .

1. Disconnect the battery ground cable (14301).

1. Remove the right pivot nut and allow the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip to drop into the cowl top outer panel .

1. Remove the linkage access cover, located on the right side of the dash panel near the windshield wiper motor.

1. Reach through the access cover opening and unsnap the wiper motor clip.

1. Push the clip away from the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip until it clears the nib on the crack pin. Then, push the clip off the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip.

1. Remove the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip from windshield wiper motor crank pin.

1. Remove nut and ground strap.

1. Remove three attaching nuts from windshield wiper motor. Remove the windshield wiper motor .

Installation

1. Position the windshield wiper motor and install the three attaching screws. Tighten to 13.6-19.0 Nm (10-14 ft-lb).

1. Install nut and ground strap.

1. Connect wiper motor electrical connector.

1. Install clip completely onto right windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip. Make sure the clip is fully seated. Do not put the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip on the motor crank pin and then try to install the clip.

1. Install the left windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip onto the wiper motor crank pin.

1. Install the right windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip onto the wiper motor crank pin. Pull the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip onto the crank pin until it snaps into place. The clip is properly installed if the nib is protruding through the center of the clip.

1. Install the right windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft and nut. Tighten the nut to 9.5-12.5 Nm (84-110 in-lb). NOTE: When the battery has been disconnected and reconnected, some abnormal drive symptoms may occur while the powertrain control module (PCM) (12A650) relearns its adaptive strategy. The vehicle may need to be driven 10 miles or more to relearn the strategy.
   

1. Connect the battery ground cable and turn the ignition switch on. Turn turn signal and windshield wiper switch off so windshield wiper motor will park, then turn ignition switch off. Replace right windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip access cover.

1. Install the windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft and windshield wiper blade assemblies on the pivot shafts to dimension X. Dimension X is the distance between the centerline of the blade saddle and the top edge of the cowl top outer panel grille. The value of Dimension X for each vehicle is given in the Dimension X chart in the Specifications portion of this section.

1. Test the system.

Pull the wiper arm away from the glass until it is straight out. Then take a small flat blade screw driver and release the retaining clip at the base of the pivot arm. The carefully pry the pivot arm from the shaft.

I usually fix this by bending the arm as low as possible to the base part just make sure the arm doesnt hit the glass handle when it sweeps