PC / Coastal Tool / CMA Question

**FL2000VW** · 10-22-2002, 08:13 PM

I ordered a PC from Coastal Tool and it will be shipped with their hook & loop back-up plate. Will this plate be compatible with the pads from CMA that I ordered? I probably should have ran this by all of you guys first... Thanks - FL2000VW

**laynlow** · 10-22-2002, 08:15 PM

Yep. :xyxthumbs

**NattyBumppo** · 10-22-2002, 08:47 PM

The short answer...yes. Now for the long answer.......I also purchased my PC from Coastal and am using the H&L backing plate that they ship. Prior to my buying a PC, I was using a friends who had the Meg`s 5" H&L adapter (the Coastal one is a Porter Cable, 6" plate) and found the Meg`s plate to be much easier to work with. The Meg`s 5" plate is very slim and doesn`t get in the way. When working around trim items and side view mirrors it isn`t an issue. The Porter Cable adapter (i.e. Coastal), since it is a 6" plate, reaches out almost to the ends of the standard 6.5" pads, is also twice as thick as the Meg`s plate and does tend to get in the way in those areas I already mentioned. Additionally, since the Coastal adapter extends so far to the end of the pad and is so thick it seems to be digging into the ends of the pads and seems like it can substantially shorten the pad lifespan.

When I posted this observation at another board one of the manufacturers reps agreed and basically said they found the same to be true.

Either will work but I plan on purchasing the slimmer, less obtrusive Meg`s backing plate. I don`t know what the CMA plate is like since I`ve never seen it first hand.

**shaf** · 10-22-2002, 09:20 PM

Hey Natty, how would you characterize the high speed vibration/balance of the 6" PC pad compared to the 5" Meguiar`s one? (Not sure if you know this, but did the Megs equipped one have a 6" weight too?) Thanks.

**NattyBumppo** · 10-22-2002, 10:19 PM

Originally posted by 4DSC

Hey Natty, how would you characterize the high speed vibration/balance of the 6" PC pad compared to the 5" Meguiar`s one? (Not sure if you know this, but did the Megs equipped one have a 6" weight too?) Thanks.

Ya know, that`s a damn good question re: the counterweight. No kidding, the first thing I noticed when I used the PC I received from Coastal was that it didn`t wobble/vibrate as much as my friends Meg`s branded PC did. I did have to change the counterweight on my PC when I received it as it came with the 5" one installed but since my buddy had his Meg`s PC for a couple of years and with the Meg`s plate, I just assumed he had it setup properly. But man, what a diff. Now I need to ask my buddy to check the counterweight in his Meg`s branded PC and I wouldn`t doubt it has the 6" cw in it.

I`ll let you know.

**shaf** · 10-22-2002, 10:43 PM

Originally posted by NattyBumppo

Ya know, that`s a damn good question re: the counterweight. No kidding, the first thing I noticed when I used the PC I received from Coastal was that it didn`t wobble/vibrate as much as my friends Meg`s branded PC did. I did have to change the counterweight on my PC when I received it as it came with the 5" one installed but since my buddy had his Meg`s PC for a couple of years and with the Meg`s plate, I just assumed he had it setup properly. But man, what a diff. Now I need to ask my buddy to check the counterweight in his Meg`s branded PC and I wouldn`t doubt it has the 6" cw in it.

I`ll let you know.

Hmm, if you say yours is noticably smoother I`d bet even money he`s still got a 5" counterweight. The reason I asked was because I had heard lots of stories about how people with the Megs plate got lots of vibes until they switched to the 6" weight. But I`ve only heard a little on how a 6" backing pad (like CMA or generic pads) feels. Anyway, let me know. :wavey