I'm planning on taking the "entire" winshield wipers off because I need to paint them. I can't seem to find a way to successfully take them off. Is there a simple screw or something I'm missing?

 

Hard to explain. There are shaft stubbs sticking vertically out of the windshield cowl. The wiper slides down over these stubbs. The stubbs are splined so the wiper cant turn on the stubbs.Flip the wiper up as if your gonna clean the windshield. Now pry up on the wiper where it attaches to the stub. Pry straight up towards the sky. They should come off. Put a blanket over the hood for when the wiper pops off and scratches your hood.
Thats the best i can explain it.

 

cjrl, what type of vehicle do you have? The wipers are different for the different models.

On 2nd gens, there's a plastic cap at the base of the wiper (where it attaches to the wiper motor) that pops off. Underneath it is a bolt that you unscrew and then you can pull the wiper off.

Matt

 

This is the same for 3rd gens as well.

 

Are you getting them painted at a body shop?

I think it would be easier to cover the "overspray" area and do it without taking them off if you plan to do it yourself. It's actually really easy

My $.02

 

If cjrl has a 2nd or 3rd Gen 4runner, I disagree. It's easy to get the wipers off and you can hang them from a wire coat hangar and spray all sides. I lighlty sanded mine and put on a few light coats of Semi-gloss black Rustoleum. I did this last spring and they still look like new. It took about 30 minutes per wiper to sand and repaint. Even if it lasts for only a year or two, it's easy enough to redo them.