Info on the Flex XC 3401 VRG

[AL-53]

I called Flex today to get some info on the XC 3401 VRG..I wanted to know how the plate attached....I was told it is bolted on and is gear driven....the inside of the plate has a gear that mates with a gear in the housing....it is sorta like a direct drive system....so the plate is not like any other....it is a forced rotation in a orbital motion...this is what was told to me after speaking to the woman there..she took a box and opened one for me to see how it was attached.....



and I was told no stores have them..and I was not given a price...if you call a flex dealer..they have it dropped shipped to you.....





All the info I have....I am calling a few local dealers now to see what price they have....Coastal tools is one dealer also....



Al

[frostydog]

This is too wierd, I`m glad I saw this thread.



I`ve been looking at purchasing a more powerful RO machine (Makita 6040, Festool 160, etc..) And I was just about to pull the trigger on the Festool, unitl I read the recent posts regarding the backing plate flying off.



I live about 2 miles from the FLEX US distribution center (drive by it frequently) and a friend told me they make good tools and to see if they make something. So I went online last night and started looking around.



I found the XC 3401...it looks perfect. It is limited with only one backing plate (150mm ~ 6 inches), so that should work fine for most apps.



I just got quoted a price of $300.00, by the local retail dist. They said they would just have to run over to the dist center and could have it in about 15 minutes.



Al, if you go onto FLEX-TOOL.com, you can download the manual. It shows just about everything. My only concern is....there is a screw that holds the velcro backing plate to the machine. It looks (in the picture) to be recessed....but I can`t tell for sure. The pads FLEX supplies have a hole in the middle, which I`m thinking is to clear this screw.



I`d rather not be limited to using FLEX pads.

[AL-53]

the hole in the pad is just for centering using the centering tool....I asked If i could use any 6 inch pad and was told yes....I was quoted 319.00 today from a local store that sells Flex tools....I am going to call around to more places also....it has to be shipped to them also...



They are made in Germany....and was also told they are no longer part of Porter Cable since DeWalt bought them out....



also for Zoran ..I guess that guy never took his plate off....lol....



here is the blow up of the machine....way different plate...



http://www.flexnorthamerica.com/Serv.../XC3401VRG.pdf.....



looks nice...



AL

[frostydog]

I agree..it looks very nice.



It has a ridiculous amount of power (both torque and OPM), also a very large stroke. Plus I’m pretty sure it has rotation as well.



Seems pretty lightweight too.



Do you think at an OPM of 9600 you’re nearing the correcting abilities of a rotary?



I love the fact that it has a trigger.



and now you say any 6" pad fits....man, I`m getting that "compulisive purchase" feeling.

[AL-53]

I agree..it looks very nice.



It has a ridiculous amount of power (both torque and OPM), also a very large stroke. Plus I’m pretty sure it has rotation as well.



Seems pretty lightweight too.



Do you think at an OPM of 9600 you’re nearing the correcting abilities of a rotary?



I love the fact that it has a trigger.



and now you say any 6" pad fits....man, I`m getting that "compulisive purchase" feeling.

I would venture to say with a 8mm stroke and 9600 OPM and forced rotation..it should come very very close to a rotary for corrections....





I tried a Dynabrade head on a rotary and it corrected very good....I went up to 2200 rpm`s and it worked great...but do not know how many OPM`s that is...you could not bog if you tried....



the problem with the Dynabrade is its heavy..adds about 2 pounds to the weight of a rotary...and its only takes 8" pads....



so the Flex with a smaller pad size and the power it should closely match a rotary...but thats me just talking also...lol....



Al

[porta]

I have been told that this guys does vibrate a lot! The hands will get numb and etc...

But I have to give it a shoot before I can say anything my self



This may not a problem for you guys who are used with a PC

[YankeeFan]

I have been told that this guys does vibrate a lot! The hands will get numb and etc...

But I have to give it a shoot before I can say anything my self



This may not a problem for you guys who are used with a PC

Now that is a concern........that would push me more towards a Festool, if that is true.



Howard

[frostydog]

I have been told that this guys does vibrate a lot! The hands will get numb and etc...

But I have to give it a shoot before I can say anything my self



This may not a problem for you guys who are used with a PC

ooooooohh....that could be a deal breaker.



It was probably foolish of me to think that something oscillating at 9600 OPM`s wouldn`t vibrate a bit.



Although the PC`s vibrations would only start bothering me toward the end of polishing, after I`ve been polishing for quite a bit of time.



"in theory" if I could polish a car in half the time with the FLEX....it may not be enough time to cause the "numb hands"



Porta, do you know someone who owns the FLEX that you could confirm?? Or will you be trying one yourself in the near future??

[ZoranC]

also for Zoran ..I guess that guy never took his plate off....lol....here is the blow up of the machine....way different plate...

Al, thank you so much for the effort for the benefit of the community! I like the design of drive. I do not like that it is still secured by just one screw. However, I do not see that backing plate getting loose because it is not depending on friction to stay mounted so one screw should be more than enough even with zero friction, or so I think until I have to eat my words.

Do you think at an OPM of 9600 you’re nearing the correcting abilities of a rotary?

Considering their marketing material says "tken in conjunction with the large stroke length there is also the possibility of removing existing holograms from black finishes" I would say there is a good chance it would be getting there.

I have been told that this guys does vibrate a lot! The hands will get numb and etc...

There are very few reports on this tool total and among them there is no firm statement how much it vibrates and whether vibrations are unpleasant. Also, if I remember correctly one of persons saying it vibrates is also same person that said it uses standard rotary bp mounting so I will take that with a grain of salt.



I am considering placing purchase on 3401 as soon as my return of Festool is handled. Please remind me to take up close pics of Festool`s mounting mechanism so they can be posted for benefit of future readers.

[ZoranC]

Porta, do you know someone who owns the FLEX that you could confirm?? Or will you be trying one yourself in the near future??

You can wait on me getting 3401 as I have PC, UDM, and Festool (which will soon be "had") so I should be able to compare apples to apples. Plus I have highly sensitive instrument for measuring of how unpleasant vibrations are (called: chronical right elbow injury).

[Alfisti]

Sounds like an amazing machine if it has forced-rotation at those OPM and pad throw.



I have a BO6040 and its great. This sounds, and looks, a cut above it.



As a reference, the BO6040 on forced rotation, doesn`t exhibit excessive vibration. Only in RO mode do the vibrations increase.

[frostydog]

Thanks ZoranC...that`s good to know.



After hearing contraries about the vibration I may be picking one up before this weekend. I got the "go-ahead" from the wife to spend this weekend in the garage, so I have to use it while I have it



Alfisti...unlike the BO6040 I think the FLEX is always in forced rotation mode. That is...forced rotation can`t be toggled on and off. At least I haven`t read anything to that nature. But it`s good to know that higher OPM`s doesn`t always equal more vibration.

[AL-53]

I searched a ton of forums ..lol...worldwide..UK...Phippipines...Spain...and a few others and not 1 review...Maybe I will call Chrysler next ..they bought a bunch..lol..and talk to the shop foreman....



I have a pair of gel anti vibration gloves anyways....my buddy works construction and they are used for jack hammering..they do work nice...and not cumbersome....I can run a PC no problem and vibration is cut 80% I bet



and if I remember right the guy with the flex tool was running 6.5 or 7.5 pads on it...since they had no 6" available there....



AL

[Alfisti]

Alfisti...unlike the BO6040 I think the FLEX is always in forced rotation mode. That is...forced rotation can`t be toggled on and off. At least I haven`t read anything to that nature. But it`s good to know that higher OPM`s doesn`t always equal more vibration.

I only ever run it on forced-rotation (FR). RO isn`t necessary, so no probs about it being fixed.



Its not the higher OPMs that I was commenting on, but rather, on the vibration whilst in FR. FR lowers vibrations considerably. However, that`s with the 6040, which has a throw of 5mm, whereas the 3401 states 8mm. I`d suspect you`d some increase because of that.

[AL-53]

Ok...I did find a few reviews on the machine on the UK detailers site....some said it did vibrate..but lessened at higher speeds....I did not copy the link to it..but do a search of the model number and then they pop up...the reviews were not to in depth as they just got them..but it does contain pros and cons....



Al