Need help. Rupes LHR 75e or ....?

[jester7677]

Ok need people to share their experience and what they would do. On the fence if I should invest in a new polisher.

My back isn`t what I would like it to be (popped a disk at 26 doing squats) so in an all day polishing session, let`s just say I pay for it for it for a few days. Also, the vibrations of my PC with a 3" backing plate and LC thinpro 3.5" pads makes my hand to numb. I have had carpal tunnel as early as my 20`s. I`ll wear anti vibration gloves which help, but I hate wearing them. Like the Michelin man. This is the only activity that gives me this issue.

I have a Flex 3401 and a 4" backing plate that I use 5" thinpro LC pads with, and I have thicker ones as well.

I like the smaller pads cause they allow me more control in the contours.

Should I replace the PC with something like the Rupes LHR 75e? Would I be able to use the LC Thinpro 3.5" pads? Will the Rupes offer little difference and just stick with what I have?
I`m polishing a 2018 Audi SQ5, Honda Pilot and Honda Civic.

I`m on the fence.

[Civicclutch]

I’ve have the 75e as well as the griots 3”. The rupes has more power, less vibration than griots but this is my personal opinion


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[The Guz]

I have both and the Rupes is more refined. I like both the Rupes Mini and PC and use them for different things with a 3" option. Should you get one over the PC? Well that is a question you will have to answer. The backing plate is 3" on the machine so I am sure the thin pro pads will work.

[BudgetPlan1]

I`ve really come to like the 75 Mini lately, even so far as to using it with the 4" Rupes pads to do entire panels as opposed to just the curvy parts of the panel. It also works well with the thin pros when things get tighter.

Much more enjoyable than the GG6 with 3" plate.

[TheMeanGreen]

Adams Swirl Killer Mini. I`ll be stepping up to that instead of the Rupes, when I am able to financially move on from the GG3. #brokecollegestudent

[Stokdgs]

Jester7677 --

Your Flex 3401 should have a 4.5" backing plate for the 5" pads, not a 4" backing plate..
They also make smaller backing plates for this Flex you have if you want to go to 3" pads..
The Flex will not stop rotating which is what really makes corrections better..

I dont have any Rupes machines but I hear that they are engineered to only use their products and when done this way, they are supposed to be very smooth running which is a concern from you, as I read your post.
But I also read that they stop rotating on certain curves, etc., and I know not why this happens or much about it either..

I may be reading something erroneously from your post, but I hope you are not doing full on corrections with anything smaller than a 5" pad, or it will take forever and you will be changing out those smaller pads a lot more so that makes the process more laborious and time consuming..

Certainly, smaller pads and backing plates are used for doing smaller things like the tail light lenses, headlight lenses, perhaps the edge of a spoiler, the B Pillars, etc., but never for the whole vehicle, unless there is no other choice, etc..

One can still work contours, etc., with the 5" pad, by just tilting it so the top edge fits flat in that area, but you really always want the pad as flat as possible on the work..

The Flex 3401 VRG may have too much vibration for your condition and it does rotate counter clockwise, which is the only machine I have that does this, but I am ok with that, since I hardly use it that much for my specific needs anyway..

On the medical condition -carpal tunnel - I know a lot about that.. Had it really bad from decades of all kinds of power tools that eventually damaged the tunnels in each finger and the arms..

I had them all repaired by an awesome hand surgeon and have been completely trouble free for over a decade, so there may be an alternative for you as well.. I hope so..

Of the machines you already have, the Flex is the best machine to do the work, but its vibrations may not be good for you.. Especially on the hard Audi paintwork..

Correction is always about pad rotation, so the machine that gives you the most consistent, rotation, and in your case, the least amount of vibration will have to be the best choice for you...
Good luck, hope it all goes well for you !
Dan F

[kkritsilas]

There is nothing smaller for the 3401 than the 4 3/16" backing plate (or, if you have it, the older Lake Country 4" backing plate, no longer being made). It isn`t possible to have a smaller backing plate due to the backing plate`s gear teeth on the back side that engage the polisher`s ring gear.

As for the 3401`s vibration, you may want to look at the Lake Country Hybrid Force pads. They are specifically intended for used with forced rotation polishers, and are fairly thick. The Thin Pro pads are intended to for use with dual action polishers, and their thin construction is designed to maximize power transfer to the pad, to try and reduce pad stall and get as much of the limited power most DAs have to the pad. The 3401 has neither the power limitations, nor the pad stalling of DAs. Therefore a thicker pad will cushion a lot of the vibrations, and wiill still continue to turn, even over contours.

[SWETM]

I have have also problems with both the lower back and the neck. Have a 21mm longthrow polisher and was going to get a smaller polisher to get a easier polishing work. The polishers I was chosing between was the Shinemate EX603 mini and Shinemate EP803 mini rotary. Copys of 75e mini and Flex P8 mini rotary. I went with EX603 mini as I`m still in the learning curve for polishers. But I had a hard time to determind which way to go. If you only take the smooth and vibrations in the mix I would go with a mini rotary polisher. And if your budget allows hands down rupes ibrid nano polisher.

[Justins00ss]

Adams swirl killer mini is awesome. I was in a jam and borrowed my buddies Rupes 3in mini. It was very nice but not for 300$.

The Adams has been a beast and has been used pretty much on detail the past year.

[Mike lambert]

I had a Rupes Mini, i now use a Griot’s 6 inch with the 3 inch plate and 3 inch Griot’s pads. Every bit as good and half the price with a lifetime warranty.

[Accumulator]

I had a Rupes Mini, i now use a Griot’s 6 inch with the 3 inch plate and 3 inch Griot’s pads. Every bit as good ...

Hmmm....hope I don`t feel the same way as I got a Rupes Mini in hopes of it being better than my GG6/3".

Still haven`t tried my Rupes yet, but I`d sure be surprised if it`s not better/smoother than the PC, and hopefully the GG6 too.

[Mike lambert]

Trust me it’s smooth but not as much as you’ve been told. Vibration is about the same weather I have a6,5,or 3 inch pad on the Griot’s.

[Accumulator]

Mike Lambert- Yeah, same plate/pad selections for the GG6 here too. Don`t get me wrong, I`ve been quite happy with it, but I bet I`ll like my BOSS15 a whole lot better for use with full-size pads and I simply prefer the smaller Rupes (eh, I mean "I think I will prefer...") for use with smaller pads. After putting small plates/pads on full-size machines for so long, I`m simply tired of it and find myself using the (not quite potent enough) GG3" pneumatic for most 3" work, figured I can improve upon that and TBH I just don`t like air tools for polishing.

[Stokdgs]

There is nothing smaller for the 3401 than the 4 3/16" backing plate (or, if you have it, the older Lake Country 4" backing plate, no longer being made). It isn`t possible to have a smaller backing plate due to the backing plate`s gear teeth on the back side that engage the polisher`s ring gear.

As for the 3401`s vibration, you may want to look at the Lake Country Hybrid Force pads. They are specifically intended for used with forced rotation polishers, and are fairly thick. The Thin Pro pads are intended to for use with dual action polishers, and their thin construction is designed to maximize power transfer to the pad, to try and reduce pad stall and get as much of the limited power most DAs have to the pad. The 3401 has neither the power limitations, nor the pad stalling of DAs. Therefore a thicker pad will cushion a lot of the vibrations, and wiill still continue to turn, even over contours.

Well, they used to make 3 different sized Flex backing plates in a pack but perhaps it didnt work out, too many returns, didnt sell enough of them, but I definitely remember seeing them for sale, a few years ago..

Well, if you really want to get away from vibrations forever and get a backing plate and pads down to 1 inch, size, then you need Rotary Power which can do it all...
Dan F

[jester7677]

Well, if you really want to get away from vibrations forever and get a backing plate and pads down to 1 inch, size, then you need Rotary Power which can do it all...
Dan F

Yeah, beginning to think rotary might need to be my next step.