The only time I exposed the wiper drive system to lube it, I saw pressed metal clamped to balls. I loosened the clamps and slathered the balls in grease.
Now, about six months later, I had a short period where the wipers were pausing for a second or two at the end of each upstroke. It went away after awhile, but obviously something's wrong.
Seems to me like those pressed metal halves clamped to the steel balls were crying out for a nylon bushing. Before I open this thing up again for a look, any chance that there should have been bushings in there?