So... I broke my Flex handle

Jngrbrdman

Jngrbrdman

New member
I have no idea how this happened. I've never dropped this machine on the handle or anything like that. A couple times it has vibrated the handle loose and I've had to screw it back in, but I've never had a problem beyond that. Well, on Friday night I was polishing a truck and the handle literally vibrated the bolt in half. It is totally sheared off at the base of the handle and in the machine. I wasn't even holding on to the handle when this happened. I was going down a fender and all of the sudden I heard the handle rattle and I thought it was loose again. Then it just dropped right off the machine. When I picked it up and saw the bolt was sheared off, you can imagine I was pretty surprised.

I'll post some pictures of it when I remember to have a camera with me in the garage, but you all know what a sheared bolt looks like. Has anyone ever heard of this happening to a polisher before? It was the weirdest thing.
 
First I have heard of this. It would have to be a faulty bolt I would think. I use mine almost daily and it is still doing just fine. Still under warranty?
 
Troy@DetailCity said:
First I have heard of this. It would have to be a faulty bolt I would think. I use mine almost daily and it is still doing just fine. Still under warranty?
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Good question. How long is the warranty on these suckers? I've only had the machine for maybe 18 months. I got it in the Spring of 08 I believe. Maybe 07. I'll have to look back a few posts to see when I first mentioned it. It seems like regardless of the warranty length on something, when a bolt shears off that shouldn't, the company should help out with a new handle or something. I can tap the bolt out, but now I'm left without a handle to work with.
 
Here is a crappy cell phone camera picture. I've got one of those achy body colds and I don't feel like going downstairs to find the camera. lol How is that for lazy?

20090903201238.jpg
 
What size is the bolt on the handle? Most machines we have around here are the same thread, so many handles would interchange. Id use left hand bit to try to extract the part of the bolt in the flex. (welding a nut and washer could be down also to get it out, but let pro do that.) Could the bolt in the handle be tapped back down the handle and replaced with new harder bolt? Just some ideas, doesnt look like to big of a problem to me.
 
It's a 1 year warranty. Is that a FLEX handle? You can get the broken bolt shaft removed. I'm not sure where you could take it but I know it can be done.

FLEX has a great handle that comes with the machine. I don't think I would like a side handle on a FLEX.
 
I like the side handle myself. I just sort of got used to it with the PC I guess. I tried the other handle that it came with and I just didn't like it. I may have to go to that one though.

Getting the bolt out isn't a concern really. I've got a couple neighbors who have the tools to take care of that. It just concerns me that my PC that I've been using for almost a decade and have dropped some ten to fifteen feet off the ground is still running fine without any breakages, but my two year old Flex spontaneously snaps whenever it feels like it. I can't beat the speed of the Flex with my PC, but the durability of Porter Cable is just beyond compare.
 
I don't think your being fair with FLEX. First of all that handle does not look like one that comes from FLEX. The handle's bolt is what failed, how is that the machine's fault?
 
Jngrbrdman said:
I can't beat the speed of the Flex with my PC, but the durability of Porter Cable is just beyond compare.
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I get to use the Ferrari analogy again.:dnaughty

Although my FLEX is holding up just fine, I'm not going to be upset if it isn't as reliable as a Porter Cable. Ferrari owners expect their Ferrari will not be as reliable as a Camry. The time the FLEX saves me far out weighs any reliability issues that might come up.

All I know is I've worked mine pretty hard (since February) and it's not showing any signs of wear.
 
Troy@DetailCity said:
I get to use the Ferrari analogy again.:dnaughty

Although my FLEX is holding up just fine, I'm not going to be upset if it isn't as reliable as a Porter Cable. Ferrari owners expect their Ferrari will not be as reliable as a Camry. The time the FLEX saves me far out weighs any reliability issues that might come up.

All I know is I've worked mine pretty hard (since February) and it's not showing any signs of wear.
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Do you have to take your PC to do smaller sections on the car since the Flex does not use smaller pads?
 
Bunky said:
Do you have to take your PC to do smaller sections on the car since the Flex does not use smaller pads?
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There aren't that many areas I can't polish with the FLEX just the way it comes. If I can't, then by hand is what I turn to. I've never gotten into using smaller than 5" pads on my PC.

If the paint needs correction in intricate areas then I would rather turn to something like the Mother's buffing cone on my drill or use the 3" Griot's Polisher.
 
Troy@DetailCity said:
It's a 1 year warranty. Is that a FLEX handle? You can get the broken bolt shaft removed. I'm not sure where you could take it but I know it can be done.

FLEX has a great handle that comes with the machine. I don't think I would like a side handle on a FLEX.
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That is the factory handle that came with the FLEX. Mine came with the side handle and a handle that is more like a rotary grip. The way I figure it, if it came with the FLEX, then it is part of the FLEX. Just like if the door handle breaks on my Toyota I'm going to blame Toyota. True it isn't a motor failure or anything that really impacts my ability to detail, but it is still a quality issue. I would expect every part of the machine to be well manufactured. If they use shoddy bolts in the handle, then it raises my eyebrow when I think about the other parts. Since I got this machine I've only had one other problem, but that was pretty serious too. It was where the factory wasn't lubricating that cotton ring between the housing and the backing plate and it was grinding the backing plate all to pieces. So there have been a couple concerns, but like you said, it is still a vastly superior machine when it comes to results than what I've gotten from my Porter Cable.
 
I don't know the year that Flex Buffers were introduced, but the first ones had a 6" backing plate (red in color I think) that vibrated like crazy, and if memory serves me, caused the velcro to separate from the plate. Flex did a recall, and replaced the 6" with 5.5" (5" BP coming soon). I've used the Flex continuously for a few months now, and I like it. The only adverse thing I've noticed is that intermittently the body (which includes the bolts) becomes so hot that parts of it cannot be touched without discomfort. If this trend continues, I will be kind of hoping that I can burn it up while it's in warranty, throw it away, and go get another one.
 
Coastal Eddie said:
...The only adverse thing I've noticed is that intermittently the body (which includes the bolts) becomes so hot that parts of it cannot be touched without discomfort. If this trend continues, I will be kind of hoping that I can burn it up while it's in warranty, throw it away, and go get another one.
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This issue has been raised before by JaredP. He attempted to contact the manufacturer and as far as I know has been unsuccessful in getting a response of any kind. If a company doesn't have time to address concerns such as this, I have other places to spend my money.

I've probably mentioned already, I've got a vapor cleaner that I need to either get repaired (no help from the vendor and the mfg is in Italy) or chuck @ $400 tool.
 
Mr. Clean said:
This issue has been raised before by JaredP. He attempted to contact the manufacturer and as far as I know has been unsuccessful in getting a response of any kind. If a company doesn't have time to address concerns such as this, I have other places to spend my money.

I've probably mentioned already, I've got a vapor cleaner that I need to either get repaired (no help from the vendor and the mfg is in Italy) or chuck @ $400 tool.
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That is correct. Twice I have used powerhouse mfg (the Flex distributor in the US - or so I have heard) web site customer service/inquiry feature with no response. This, on top of all the sellers/venodrs of the Flex on the various detailing boards don't even offer a stance on the high-heat issue.

While I love the machine, I can already sense that if anything ever goes wrong with it I may just be SOL.
 
RTexasF said:
So has it been repaired under warranty?
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That would have been speedy of them, but no. lol I haven't even had the time to call FLEX about it yet. I might do so after I get the bolt tapped out to see if they can send me another handle. I'm just a side handle kind of guy.... Worse case scenario is that I'll need to buy another one, so I'll have to call them sooner or later anyway. I'm going to get together with Gearhead and see if we can get the bolt out and then I'll go from there. :)
 
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