Your favorite polishing pads and why?

**JSFM35X** · 06-05-2013, 03:19 PM

You know I dont do much heavy correction since I am onoly doing my own cars. I went to a local detailing day and was intoduced to a light cutting/polishing pad the Mint Green Uber pad. I have tried others like the LC Orange Cutting, LC White Polishing but nothing seems to work as well as that mint pad. I am sure there are other pads out there euqal or better and perhaps because I learned on it, it just makes me comfortable.

In the interest of full disclosure, Polishing is not my strong suit. I can get through it, but it aint pretty / fluid or fast. I recently switched from a Flex to a GG W/5" plate runnng 5.5 pads and I like that the best. I got my GG weeks before the Rupes became the flavor of the month and before I upgrade, I really want to see and try it. So until I get my hands on one I will contunue with what I got.

**ZL1Mark** · 06-05-2013, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by JSFM35X

In the interest of full disclosure, Polishing is not my strong suit. I can get through it, but it aint pretty / fluid or fast. I recently switched from a Flex to a GG W/5" plate runnng 5.5 pads and I like that the best. I got my GG weeks before the Rupes became the flavor of the month and before I upgrade, I really want to see and try it. So until I get my hands on one I will contunue with what I got.

The Flex 3401 feels like a wild freight train!

Not fun to use at all.

**Bunky** · 06-05-2013, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by SSizzlin`

The Flex 3401 feels like a wild freight train!

Not fun to use at all.

You can`t whip it around like a non-forced DA, but if you are patient with it rather than pushing it, I think is no problem.

**cardaddy** · 06-06-2013, 12:21 AM

What? Nobody likes the Harbor Freight pads?

I actually went out on a job with another detailer that sells a fairly high prices service (compared to everyone else for the same job) a week ago (who shall remain nameless) and he told me I didn`t need my equipment. (I had my GG and several dozen 5½" LC pads as well in my car just in case.)

So after getting there he hands me a GG with a HF pad on it and THAT is what I had to work with! I $hit you not!!! That darned thing was spitting foam from the minute I turned it on. I couldn`t believe it!

After I got fed up with it and told him I needed another pad, he dug out a worn out, full of crud, orange CCS that I don`t think had been cleaned in weeks.

Thank goodness the paint was fairly hard, (black 460LS) and I was working with Menz SIP but GOOD GOD!

I`m just glad my skills on the GG were enough to get past it.

So NO... Harbor Freight pads are NOT at the top of my list. (other than the garbage list)

**Lou Bunn** · 06-06-2013, 08:21 AM

Sounds like the problem wasn`t the Harbor Freight pads, but the neglect of them. I found them to work out as good as any.
My foam pads of choice are LC`s orange flat and green, white is ok.
I mostly use MF pads, CG brand. Sorry Megs, but you sent me a load of crap back in the day and while I love M101/105 and D300, your MF pads stink.
No one mentioned the LC gold pads, man, they are nothing short of awesome to apply BFWD with!

**cardaddy** · 06-06-2013, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Lou Bunn

Sounds like the problem wasn`t the Harbor Freight pads, but the neglect of them. I found them to work out as good as any.

Oh I`ll agree... didn`t see any real care being taken to ANY pads he handed me that day.

Between the wrap around part of the HF pad not being supported and just plain flimsy, then the Velcro separating from the pad itself I dunno` if I`d reach for one even if it was new. OTOH, I was able to work with it and the SIP to get it to finish out decent. Just that the mess from it shredding was more than I could put up with.

All this was just polishing, and not really building any heat in the pad ... Something tells me if it were compounding it`d be a quick failure.

(OTOH, it was actually cleaner than the old beat up CCS he handed me.)

**Todd@RUPES** · 09-10-2013, 09:58 AM

Proper pad care will greatly extend the life on any pad!

**addysdaddy** · 09-10-2013, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by SSizzlin`

The Flex 3401 feels like a wild freight train!

Not fun to use at all.

Actually I like that fact the Flex will walk if using bad technique. If I keep the pad flat again the paint, purrs like a kitten. Tilt it just a wee bit and the Flex will let u know you`re not paying attention. For me, I would not use anything else.

**psynx** · 09-10-2013, 06:44 PM

Polishing B n S all day!
and sometimes on my 3401 LC hybrid

**Todd@RUPES** · 09-19-2013, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by addysdaddy

Actually I like that fact the Flex will walk if using bad technique. If I keep the pad flat again the paint, purrs like a kitten. Tilt it just a wee bit and the Flex will let u know you`re not paying attention. For me, I would not use anything else.

This is why we offer such a huge selection of tools (and products) at Autopia. Everybody likes something different. I find, with the FLEX3401, that if I keep it flat and use firm (not hard!) pressure, it works perfectly.

**rlmccarty2000** · 02-13-2016, 05:41 PM

Trying to do some research on the LC Cool Wave pads that are on sale and I found a reference to Cool Waves in this thread. Anyone else have an opinion on LC Cool Waves?

**Swanicyouth** · 02-13-2016, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by rlmccarty2000

Trying to do some research on the LC Cool Wave pads that are on sale and I found a reference to Cool Waves in this thread. Anyone else have an opinion on LC Cool Waves?

I won a big box of them from Todd when they first came out. I like them better than the dimpled pads. I`m not sure why they never caught on.

Basically, if you like LC pads - you should like these. I`m not a huge fan of LC pads, because my experience is other manufacturers use a better glue for their Velcro.

But, these have held up pretty well.

**rlmccarty2000** · 02-13-2016, 07:06 PM

I normally use Rupes pads but they can be expensive. I kinda hate to get new pads that are being discontinued for unknown reasons. I figured if they were from LC they couldn`t be too bad. Thanks for the reply.

**nothingface5384** · 02-14-2016, 05:14 AM

Originally Posted by rlmccarty2000

I normally use Rupes pads but they can be expensive. I kinda hate to get new pads that are being discontinued for unknown reasons. I figured if they were from LC they couldn`t be too bad. Thanks for the reply.

I`m very limited in the padndepartment as I`ve only used Rupes, Griot Boss, low pro and Thin pro

Def like the Thin pro and low pro better then the Rupes and the Boss pads

I`m thinking the low pros will take the most abuse/neglect.
Thin pros were def the most balanced on my G21
But the smoothness was only really detected on Speed 5 and 6 and not in the lower speeds
And Speed 5 and 6 extended use on a large throw = separated pads..

**jrock645** · 02-14-2016, 09:47 AM

Thus far I like the hydro tech pads best. Works well on the Rupes or with rotary. For rotary specific, I really like the curved edge CCS pads. Really smooth and gives a lot of margin for error if the polisher starts to tilt one way or the other... Don`t have to worry so much about holograming because you ran the edge.