DaGonz
Autopia fire/rescue.
I have had my PC 7424 for over 4 years now... I am still using the original CMA backing plate I got for it.
Son of a .......... Darn it Porter Cable.
- Thread starter Barry Theal
- Start date
CHEVYMAN
New member
Barry Keep us posted on what the out come is. Very interested!!!
CHEVYMAN
New member
Accumulator said:
CCSS2005 said:
You don't. Did I dream that 4 backing plates would melt on me? Did I even fathom snapping the rotating shaft of my PC during a job? No. ANYTHING you buy has the potential to fail. Thats the simple fact of life. Anything man-made has the potential to crap out on you at random moments. Sides, the main reason you're probably worried is because Barry was another person it happened to. This is a rare case don't forget. Open your ears to the silence of perfectly working PC's in the world if you want to be worried over such a low probability
Accumulator
Well-known member
CCSS2005 said:
I don't want to get too specific here...I'll leave that decision up to Barry Theal.
But the *presumed* cause of the problem is *apparently* not something that every PCXP user has to worry about. I'd take a PCXP to my Jag with zero hesitation and I can't think of any higher recommendation I could possibly make.
wishihadatalon
New member
Have you heard anything? I was polishing a WRX last night and had the same exact thing happen to me except the pad fell to the ground right before I was going to place it against the car so no damage was done. Muttgrunt told me about your situation, so I figured I would check it out.
Accumulator
Well-known member
wishihadatalon said:
Welcome to Autopia!
What exactly happened? Was it the same component failure that Barry Theal experienced?
Needless to say, you need to contact Porter Cable (or the vendor you bought it from).
wishihadatalon
New member
Same exact shaft snapped in the same spot. I sent an email to Phil at Detailers Domain where I purchased it from and am hoping he can point me in the right direction. I know it will be replaced of fixed either way because of the warranty and the fact that I hardly use it, but I am trying to figure out how it broke so I don't have to go through this again.
Thanks for the welcome, I have been trolling for a year after Marc (muttgrunt) told me about this place. Techniques and products mentioned here have helped me keep my new Mini Cooper in great shape.
Thanks for the welcome, I have been trolling for a year after Marc (muttgrunt) told me about this place. Techniques and products mentioned here have helped me keep my new Mini Cooper in great shape.
imported_DetailDan
New member
I just ordered a PCXP. My 7424 doesnt work anymore after about 4 or 5 years of use and a couple ~4 ft. drops to the garage floor. Seems like the quality of these machines has gone down.
Deep Gloss Auto Salon
New member
Barry: I am just curious why the nature / cause / explanation of this issue is being kept so tight lipped? Surely even if this is not very probable to happen on a large scale it is possible and any/all relative information can/will help all. It seems that was the original intent of this thread but that has since tapered off.
Accumulator: If you wish maybe you can answer this also since you have stepped forward in Barrys absence from this thread
Accumulator: If you wish maybe you can answer this also since you have stepped forward in Barrys absence from this thread
Accumulator
Well-known member
Deep Gloss Auto Salon- Eh, I don't mean to be all secret-squirrel about this stuff, but I don't like speaking for Barry either..
It *does* sound like the hollow piece in question is a weak link. I think the issue is what it takes to *break* that link.
Example: If you use a thick/normal wrench when swapping backing plates, you can apparently force-extend the piece to the point where it's more vulnerable to shearing.
If it fails *without* that having been done, then that's probably a manufacturing defect...*IMO*.
It's a question of just how vulnerable that hollow (sheesh, poor place to use an under-engineered part, huh?) piece is under "normal use".
Here's what I can't help but wonder though- people here push the envelope. KBM/etc., stuff like that, we tend to use the polishers hard and that includes applying significant pressure. I can't help but wonder if the design guys at PC took that into account :nixweiss
It *does* sound like the hollow piece in question is a weak link. I think the issue is what it takes to *break* that link.
Example: If you use a thick/normal wrench when swapping backing plates, you can apparently force-extend the piece to the point where it's more vulnerable to shearing.
If it fails *without* that having been done, then that's probably a manufacturing defect...*IMO*.
It's a question of just how vulnerable that hollow (sheesh, poor place to use an under-engineered part, huh?) piece is under "normal use".
Here's what I can't help but wonder though- people here push the envelope. KBM/etc., stuff like that, we tend to use the polishers hard and that includes applying significant pressure. I can't help but wonder if the design guys at PC took that into account :nixweiss
Barry Theal
New member
Gentleman I'm very sorry since I haven't replied to this thread. I actually forgot about it. I have been very busy with the new shop and haven't had much time to be on here. To sum it up though here is what I and someone from porter cable came to the conclusion was the result of this damage. I also heard that the hollow shaft is apparently stronger then the older pc7424xp shaft. Anyways here are some pictures. First look at the 2 wrenches one supplied by the manufactuer and one common household tool wrench. Notice how the common household wrench is thicker. As compared to the supplied wrench by the manufactuer.
In this picture notice how the supplied wrench is a perfect fit.
In this photo notice how the common household wrench is a much tighter fit.
What happened was my fault as I presume. I was using a wrench similer to the common household wrench. Over time the pressure from it being a tight fit is what caused the shaft to break.
Side notes from this is use supplied wrench. Also the Kevin Brown Method had nothing to do with this breakage and I wish people would stop finding ways to say there is something wrong with Kevin's method. If more people listen to him there Detailing would be a lot easier! Yes it I got lucky and found a local hardware store who had the pc7424xp at a greatly reduced cost, but the one I bought is not a knock off or anything like that. In all and all I'm glad this shaft broke since, I bought the Griots machine and love it. Its cute and like John Klevin says it fits in his purse on the weekends out with his boyfriends! :rofl Accumulator the package arrived and the sandwhich is coming. LOL
The machine is now with Porter Cable as they honored there 1 Year Warrenty. Sorry for the confusion.
In this picture notice how the supplied wrench is a perfect fit.
In this photo notice how the common household wrench is a much tighter fit.
What happened was my fault as I presume. I was using a wrench similer to the common household wrench. Over time the pressure from it being a tight fit is what caused the shaft to break.
Side notes from this is use supplied wrench. Also the Kevin Brown Method had nothing to do with this breakage and I wish people would stop finding ways to say there is something wrong with Kevin's method. If more people listen to him there Detailing would be a lot easier! Yes it I got lucky and found a local hardware store who had the pc7424xp at a greatly reduced cost, but the one I bought is not a knock off or anything like that. In all and all I'm glad this shaft broke since, I bought the Griots machine and love it. Its cute and like John Klevin says it fits in his purse on the weekends out with his boyfriends! :rofl Accumulator the package arrived and the sandwhich is coming. LOL
The machine is now with Porter Cable as they honored there 1 Year Warrenty. Sorry for the confusion.
JohnKleven
New member
Barry Theal said:
It's a good thing I read your whole post Barry LOL. Good luck with your new accessory!!! It should compliment your attire nicely.
John
imported_DetailDan
New member
Interesting. So you like the Griots better than the PCXP?
Deep Gloss Auto Salon
New member
Accumulator: Thanks Sir
Barry: Thanks for closing the loop on this one.. As for being busy and not having time to return to this thread, I am happy for you.. that is a great problem to have!!
Barry: Thanks for closing the loop on this one.. As for being busy and not having time to return to this thread, I am happy for you.. that is a great problem to have!!
fergnation
New member
Mine broke and I have never used a normal wrench on the PCXP ever!!!!!!!. The shaft in my UDM also broke. These new shafts are breaking on a few machines. I have the damn thing sitting in my garage with less than 20 hrs of use on it. I like the fact Barry that you are owning up to using your PCXP improperly. But I for one have not!!! The old PC never had this problem. Now there are a few people with these shafts breaking on them. ALso, the UDM had the same hollow shaft that one snap on the front of an Aston Martin Vanquish. Thankfully this had happened to me before so I had the experience to know when it was going to go and was able to pull it away from the vehicle.
Bottom line, Broken PCXP next to the broken UDM. Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice **** me. Burn me a third time, order from Griots!!
Bottom line, Broken PCXP next to the broken UDM. Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice **** me. Burn me a third time, order from Griots!!
Accumulator
Well-known member
Barry Theal- Thanks for revisiting the thread and giving the first-hand info.
Heh heh, looking forward to your taste-test
fergnation- Ah, your experience *DOES* make it sound like there's something amiss there. Glad we've cleared the air enough to know more about what's going on...or at least that your problem might be different from Barry's.
Heh heh, looking forward to your taste-test
fergnation- Ah, your experience *DOES* make it sound like there's something amiss there. Glad we've cleared the air enough to know more about what's going on...or at least that your problem might be different from Barry's.