So I began to use my new PC for the first time yesterday. .

**ET Awful** · 03-12-2006, 05:24 PM

But, to my dismay, and this one I`ve never heard of happening before, after about 1/2 an our or so, I let my friend take over the buffer. . . After about 5 minutes, he pulls the buffer away from the car and immediately after he does, the backing plate and pad go flying across the garage.

Now I know darn well that thing was screwed on tight and had been working fine, but after close examination, this is what I saw:

The PC was stripped as well. Fortunately, Lowes swapped it right out with no problems at all, and although I couldn`t finish his car the way I would have liked (basically was able to strip off all the old wax), I was able to use the cheapo PC pad that comes with the unit to put a quick coat of NXT on to give him some protection until I get a new backing palte and can finish the job right.

Has anyone ever had that happen?

**imported_themightytimmah** · 03-12-2006, 06:57 PM

Hasn`t happened to me, but I`ve blown a few pads off the plate by lifting the PC off the work surface. The PC is very unfriendly towards running with the pad off a surface.

**imported_Neothin** · 03-12-2006, 07:29 PM

i also havent seen that happen before. I`ve had backing plates melt and that sent pads flying everywhere, but the screw itself stripping? That`s a first for me.

**ET Awful** · 03-13-2006, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by Neothin

i also havent seen that happen before. I`ve had backing plates melt and that sent pads flying everywhere, but the screw itself stripping? That`s a first for me.

I didn`t think it was something that would happen too often. The only thing I can think of is that either the PC or the pad were faulty to begin with.

Oh well, I ordered another pad, Lowes exchanged the PC, no big deal. I`m just glad he didn`t hit the car with the spinning shaft of the PC after the pad flew

**a.k.a. Patrick** · 03-13-2006, 06:13 AM

It actually looks like the BP was not fastened on completely.......The fact that it is stripped at the top of the post means it had been ratteling in the threaded centering.....

**splattj** · 03-13-2006, 06:47 AM

It looks like you may have cross-threaded the backing plate into the PC and destroyed the threads. Just make sure it spins in freely without much (if any) resistance before you tighten it down at all.

**BobD** · 03-13-2006, 06:50 AM

Also, you said your friend pulled it away from the paint and it went flying. NEVER have he machine on unless the pad is touching the paint.

**ET Awful** · 03-13-2006, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by splattj

It looks like you may have cross-threaded the backing plate into the PC and destroyed the threads. Just make sure it spins in freely without much (if any) resistance before you tighten it down at all.

I know it wasn`t cross-threaded, it went on very easily and was very snug.

The only possibility I can think of is that (if I remember correctly) when I put the backing plate on, I used the washer that came with the 7336. Perhaps that prevented the plate from screwing in far enough.

Oh well, I`m still shocked that the PC AND the plate were both stripped.

A new plate is on its way, and the buffer was exchanged with no problems.

My only regret is that we don`t have any really nice weather coming up for the next couple of weeks, so I won`t be able to finish his job properly.

Ah well, such is life (I`m sure happy I only do this as a hobby and not for cash, I`d have one ticked off customer)

.

**imported_chpsk8** · 03-13-2006, 01:56 PM

Glad to see no real damage was done.

When you put the backing plate on did you have to turn it with a little force to get it to thread on?

Usually when you put the backing plate on it will spin with very little resistance all the way to the end, then you turn it about a quarter turn while holding the wrench and it`s tight.

Either way, just be careful on the next one. Might want to run it for a couple minutes, then check on it.

**ET Awful** · 03-13-2006, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by chpsk8

Glad to see no real damage was done.

When you put the backing plate on did you have to turn it with a little force to get it to thread on?

Usually when you put the backing plate on it will spin with very little resistance all the way to the end, then you turn it about a quarter turn while holding the wrench and it`s tight.

Either way, just be careful on the next one. Might want to run it for a couple minutes, then check on it.

Nah, it went on with no force at all, just like you`d expect it to.

Like I say, the only thing I can think of is that I used the washer that came with the 7336 and that may have spaced it too far so there wasn`t enough threaded material in the spindle.

Oh well, no real problem other than not being able to finish a job I wasn`t getting paid for anyway

. Well, that`s not entirely true, I do owe my buddy some barbecue

**Prometheus** · 03-14-2006, 05:20 PM

I`ve never used the washer that came with the PC. Just seemed like a waste to me, and the backing plate screws all the way in. Works fine for me.

**2 MaXiMuS 4** · 03-21-2006, 02:18 PM

its happened to me, when I first used it as well! I think the cause of that problem was the little washer. Fortunately for me the backing plate wasn`t completely stripped, so I just took off the washer and put the backing plate back on. Works fine.