We were driving down the road in the rain with our wipers on. Then suddenly the passenger side wiper crossed up with the driver side wiper. We got out and untangled them, but then they would not work.

The next day my father-in-law discovered that the bushings were broken off. He went to the auto parts store and got some more, but they will not stay on. A mechanic said the right passenger wiper arm is bent, as well as the transmission arm. He said we need to replace them both, as well as the bushings.

Does anyone know a good step-by-step guide to doing this repair correctly?

 

Best thing to do is to go to the local "U-Pull" junkyard. You can learn how the wiper system works by disassembling a junked van like yours in the yard, then you can collect all the parts needed to repair yours on that same trip. This is the easiest and cheapest way to learn how everything works without damaging your vehicle during the learning process. Plus, you'll have access to every single part you may need at a very low price.