Porter Cable Pad Breakup

[jimmybuffit]

I used the white pad that came with my 7424 from Coastal.

3M SMR on high, #6, for about 7 or 8 minutes, before the breakup started.



I switched to a new pad (same type), worked at #4 and finished the rest of the car.



Defective user or pad?



Thanks



Jim

[Steve @ Guru]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKK!!!



I wouldn`t dream of using the pad that came with the PC. Mine was rock hard and seemed like it would do more harm than good.



Sorry, just shocked the heck out of me! :)



:edit



My guess is that the heat from the PC combined with heat from the surface (running at speed 6 for 7-8 mins) broke down the bonding agents, causing the separation.



/edit

[imported_Tony]

My PC pad came apart. I washed the pad and then tried to spin the pad dry. A big piece just flew off. Like Geeky said that pad is, well very poor at best.

[HellrotCi]

My pads did the same thing. The pad didn`t actually seperate from the backing plate. Since the pad is a larger diameter than the backing plate, when you apply pressure to the outer edge of the pad, the backing plate just cuts into the underside of the pad. Bad design if you ask me. :nono



After I found Autopia and learned about the velcro backing plate and the 6" velcro pads, which I got from CMA, I threw the ones that came with my PC away. :p

[2wheelsx2]

All the screw on types do that. Even the Meguiar`s pads. What seems to happen is that the edge of the foam pads is a little "behind" the backing plate, so there is a torsion force put on the area where it is attached. That, combined with the backing plate cutting into in with the pressure you apply to the PC, cuts into the foam and destroys the pad quickly.



This problem doesn`t exist for the velcro pads.

[jimmybuffit]

Yeah, I now think the small backing plate is the culprit. Rocking it just forces the breakup...



I guess I expected alot more from Porter Cable...



So, now I`ll use these.



Thanks for the help!



Jim

[jimmybuffit]

No, really, I`ll use these...