Trying to change out my rear wiper blade and it looks like I've got to pull the spare off to get the arm to angle out far enough to disengage the blade holder from the arm hook. Is there some trick or is it because I've got 305/70R 16 tires and I've used up the little bit of space the original tires provided to do this? Doesn't matter if it's in the 12:00 or 3:00 position

 

Therein lies the problem

 

I dont know if it helps but on my H3 If I switch off the wiper midway of its movement it stops at that point. I get more clearance that way

 

I've never had a problem changing my rear wiper blade? Plus, I have a wider view out the rear window.

 

Done! As if it wasn't enough problem R&R'n the spare, the wiper ARM has to come off too, and naturally the arm and post splines were seized together. Good thing I had one of those old battery terminal pullers. Made it easy.

 

I do not know why you had an issue????? I can change one in about a minute and never remove the spare. Done it 3 times, twice on the 07, and once on the 09. The blade comes off the arm sideways, not toward the glass.

It must be an engineer thing...... way OVERTHINKING it!

 

Don't know what kind of blades you're using Doc, but there was NO WAY mine was coming off without rotating the blade 90 degrees to the wiper arm, and that ain't gonna happen without removing the spare. Check out the picture in the owner's manual under 'Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement'.

 

BH-
Just my two cents, but this style of wiper does not require a 90º angle when it is removed from the wiper arm.
This style has a tab to release and then slide and off.
This type of wiper has enough space to clear the hook and remove with little to no angle of wiper

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HUMMER-H3-R...-/152863164558

W-

 

THAT might be the whole problem. That's an O.E.M. blade, mine's an aftermarket. That could be what Doc was using as well.

 

I found the rear wiper blade pretty useless so I took the whole arm & blade off years ago and never missed it.