Time to re-educate me on PC Pads - confused by the *new* ones

[Inzane]

I need some help with PC pad re-education, my way of saying I must've had my head in the sand for a while and now all of a sudden I see there are a whole bunch of new pads out there and I don't have any idea how they relate or fit in with the older pads.

First, what I already have:
2 Meg's 6.5" yellow polishing pads
2 LC 6" VC yellow cutting pads
2 LC 6" VC white polishing pads
2 LC 6" VC grey finishing pads
1 LC 7.5" advanced VC white polishing pad
6" backing plate

And recently ordered in the mail:
5" flexible backing plate
1 LC 6.5" flat white polishing pad
1 LC 6.5" VC orange cutting/polishing pad (hooray, my 1st ORANGE pad)
1 LC 6.5" VC grey finishing pad

Anyway, to my point now. After getting straight all the differences in the old pads, like the ones I've listed, now I see the new pads and don't know what to make of them. It looks like CMA has changed their pad line-up. Two things I see different. They're using a two-tone color scheme now (is this to distinguish their house-brand pads from standard Lake Country pads that everyone else sells?). And they have introduced a RED pad. Red? Where does that fit in now (compared to grey, white, orange, yellow....)? Also, other companies out there, like Sonus for example, now have BLUE pads, and GREEN pads, etc..

Ahhhh!! If you can help my understanding of the new pads/pad systems, that'd be appreciated. Thanks!


P.S. Any idea when the infamous PC accessorizing thread in the Hall of Fame forum is going to get an overhaul?

[audio1der]

"7.5 inch, Red Concours Finishing Pad - Like the grey pad, this red pad has no cutting or cleaning action. This new, incredibly fine, European foam was introduced in 2004 for applying the final liquid wax or paint sealant using a D-A polisher. While made for the OEM market and demanding enthusiast, this easy-to-use, Hi-Gloss Red Finishing Pad glides over the surface creating a mirror-like shine.

This is also the pad to use for layering one wax or sealant on top of another or for building up multiple layers of shine."


Sonus has their own colour lineup, that does not correlate colour-wise to LC. You can draw equivalencies easily by reading about them, but I know the Sonus pads were off my shopping list quickly due to the availability(US sources only) and price after exchange and shipping up here.

[Inzane]

I guess CMA is saying use the red pad now for LSPs (waxes/sealants), and use the grey pad for final glazes. Whereas before the white pad sorta did double duty for both polishes and glazes, and the grey pad was used for waxes. Hmmm... I think I'll hold off on the purchase of the LC/CMA red pads for now and continue to use my grey pads.

BTW, my daily driver is a "'01 Sentra SE 5spd P/P", just like yours (but no mods). Great car!

[EdLancer]

LC has specially designed pads for DA and orbital polishers. They were introduced in April 2004 to take more heat between thee hook and pad.

http://www.lakecountrymfg.com/foampads_dafoam.html

[rockyram]

Audio1der,do you have Canadian source for the 7.5" pads?And where do you get your pads from?

[Inzane]

Originally posted by EdLancer
LC has specially designed pads for DA and orbital polishers. They were introduced in April 2004 to take more heat between thee hook and pad.

http://www.lakecountrymfg.com/foampads_dafoam.html

Excellent! I had just ordered and received a set of those very same pads plus the 5" flexible backing plate.

[Lore]

How are those Lake Country DA pads different than the Constant Pressure dual-color pads that CMA sells? Those are the 6" ones that I bought from CMA last week.