What kind of pad you use with your Flex 3401?

I

iRxtasy

New member
Hey guys. I started out detailing my family's car using a harborfreight DA polisher w/ 3m backing plate w/ lake county 5.5 inch pads.

(using HD Cut and HD Polish)



I recently got a Flex 3401 and this machine seems so much harder to use. I'm not sure if it's me putting too much pressure, the pads, or me putting too little compound.



Well when try buffing with the Meguiar Microfiber pads using HD Cut. The pad would grab onto onto the paint and start pushing me around. Even if I grabbed it extra tight. So at that point, i switched back to my HF DA polisher and don't have this problem.



Any tips on how to use this machine correctly?



Also planning to order some more pads. Any recommendations? (going to be working on cousin's audi tomorrow, and from what i read, the paint is extra hard)



Thanks a bunch!
 
The same pads that your using on the HF DA will work with the Flex. Foam, MF both work. I have no luck with Meg's. pads though. The adhesive they use is weak with forced rotation of Flex machine. What you are feeling is the forced rotation, it has a tendency to pull the machine and you around. Your old DA is not forced as you can put pressure on it and stop the rotation. Flex wont stop! It's just going to take some getting used to. I can 1 hand my Flex that others say can't be done! I have been using it almost exclusively for about 6 years. With Opt. MF. pads and the right compound I can do 2 step corrections in 1 step now! I'm probably going to pick up a Rupes in the future though, as it is achieving the same cut in a much faster time.
 
I did a correction today using my Flex. On flat or convex surfaces, control is easy. Its the concave surfaces that give it a mind of its own. With my PC 7424, concave surfaces would just make it stop rotating. Right now I'm using my supply of hex logic pads and look forward to trying the Optimum MF ones.
 
Less pressure just allowing the weight to do the work helps when its grabby, takes getting used to. We have 3 HF polishers and 1 Flex and its night and day use wise.. The flex doesnt stop and pressure effects grabbyness. Also when use with our b&s mf pads it grabs a lot!
 
iRxtasy, with my 3401 I am using mainly lake country pads and sometimes menzerna ones.



As others have mentioned flat horizontal surfaces don't seem to be an issue. On verticals i face some times the same issue. I believe it is not the pad / polish combination, but a matter of technique. I think Mike makes a good point in this video (at 19.30 min onwards).



In depth Look at the FLEX 3401 Polisher - YouTube



and in this one



Tips for using a Rotary Buffer and the Flex 3401 on vertical panels - YouTube



Additionally a light spritz (spray bottle) of distilled water on the pad midway through the passes may help on general workability,
 
IMO the handling characteristics of the Flex 3401 are just the nature of the beast...what I refer to as "its signature 'recoil' ". I had better results when I manhandled it than when I tried to just let the machine do the work without applied pressure; not as pleasant an experience but more efficient time-wise.



I've never used my Meguiar's MF pads with mine as I figured it'd tear 'em up, rather using Meguiar's burgundy foam cutting pads (both the newer ones and the old 7006).



So you people *are* using MF pads with the Flex and it's not messing them up? Anybody using any of the newer-tech wool pads?
 
Ch96067 said:
Are you reffering to these ones Acc?
Click to expand...



Eh, wasn't really referring to anything specific, I'm out of the loop on current hotness in pads (don't do correction much any more, might never do a seriously aggressive whole-vehicle job ever again!).



I have used the PFW pads in the past, worked OK until it got too loaded and then never cleaned up quite to my satisfaction.
 
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