Griots Garage 3 inch HD Backing Plate

jehsautosalon said:
Ps. I actually converted my Griot's Garage 3in DA into 1in by using the Flex rotary backing plate and some DA/rotary adaptor. Pretty balance to use but I really don't use it tool long. Just for some thigt spots.
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Good idea. I already have all the parts to do it too.
 
Brownie said:
Here is the facts on 3" Orbital Backing Plates.... With any counterbalance assembly, the "Dance" between the Counterbalance & combined weight of backing plate, buffing pad and liquid must be carefully considered.
It isn't as simple as finding a 5/16" threaded backing plate and fastening it to the machine. Lake Country manufacturers a great 3" Backing Plate...however it has a weight range from my research to be around 80-83grams. In addition, using only three rivets to hold the plate together will allow for potential flex and/or warping of the center hub. Additionally, with no center recess the plate efficiently transfers heat to the pad subsequently reducing pad life.

The Griot's Garage 3" HD Orbital Backing Plate was built from the ground up to work in concert with the GG6- 6" Random Orbital Polisher. It features a center recess, Velcro Brand micro-hook and 6 HD rivets with a steel hub washer. The plate will ensure smoother performance from the GG orbital. Combine this 3" Plate with this tool, along with the new BOSS Pads and you'll experience paint correction as fast as any 3" tool on the market. In spite of it 8mm orbital, the insane rotation experienced with this set-up will compensate delivering ridiculously fast correction. I wouldn't recommend using the tool at speeds faster than 3 or so... I'm confident many of you will dedicate a 6" Random Orbital to a 3" tool... PS... I wouldn't recommend using a thin 3" Backing plate like what's found on the 3" Random Orbital or from other manufacturers. It'll assuredly deliver excess vibration, making the tool unbearable.
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Jeff, I had been thinking that the new HD 3" backing plate was also made for the GG 3" polisher in mind, but reading your comments again it looks like it was just intended for the GG6.

Does the 3" HD BP installed on the GG3 make the GG3 a better machine?
Or does it throw the balance off in the opposite way that it makes the GG6 better with small pads? Making it too heavy or sluggish with less rotation.

Seems like the GG3 with the 3" HD plate along with the new BOSS 3.5" pads or the LC Thinpro 3.5" pads may really get the full potential out of the machine.

There are just some things that the large orbit polishers do not work well on and the 8mm orbit works better.
 
^^^^ The 3" backing plate was designed from the ground up exclusively for the GG6. It has a 5/16" spindle and could never fit on the GG3 and the GG3 doesn't have the torque to spin it (I'm guessing because it looks so beefy compared to the tiny backing plate on the GG3)
 
Just ordered the 3 inch backplate.... gonna test it with the lake country force padd
 
I ordered the HD backing plate and six three-inch Boss pads, among other things. They should have arrived yesterday but FedEx now says that there is no delivery date. This is the second Auto Geek order in a row with which FedEx has had problems. Hopefully it doesn't become a trend.

With the three-inch pads I expect to work on pillars, the top of bumpers, mirror caps (but not the stems), maybe door jambs and maybe to finish headlights. With that said, the Flex 3401 with five-inch hybrid pads can already do the majority of the smaller jobs, but the tool is large and so it is oftentimes difficult to get a pad in tight spots. Hopefully the GG6 with three-inch thin pads can get a little more coverage in small areas.
 
I picked one up with free shipping over the weekend looking forward to trying it out. So far I have had no problem with FED X 2 days to the Burgh :) Problem is it takes AG 2 days to ship :(
 
Has anyone received their new 3" HD backing plate? Interested to hear some 1st impressions, even if it's just based on the look and feel of it.


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I've received mine but won't have the opportunity to use it until tomorrow. It appears to be a heavier and slightly enhanced version of the LC 3" flexible backing plate. It does feel dense in comparison and I can tell that it has a hair larger profile. I will use it tomorrow and report back but based on the weight alone I believe it will provide more balance and less vibration than the LC 3" offering (which, based on the nearly identically worded descriptions, I assume LC makes both backing plates).

I think this backing plate looks more durable and balanced than the LC offering and one thing I almost forgot to mention (that was completely left out of the AG description) it also features a center cooling recess, which could really help manage excess heat build up that occurs when using a smaller backing plate on a full sized DA. Hope this helps!
 
Eldorado2k said:
Has anyone received their new 3" HD backing plate? Interested to hear some 1st impressions, even if it's just based on the look and feel of it.
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I received mine today. Unfortunately I haven't used my GG6 in so long I misplaced the wrench needed to change the backing plate, so I can't test it just yet.

The three-inch plate is just as small as expected. The is a little plastic screw-on cover surrounding the bit they attaches to the tool. The item is fairly weighty and feels nice. I look forward to using it on a Charger and a Challenger this week.
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This is a size comparison between the three-inch HD plate and a five-inch plate.
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This is a size comparison between the Griot's Garage Boss three-inch pads and pads from Lake Country and Flex.
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This is a size comparison between the three-inch Griot's pads and the five-and-a-half-inch Griot's pads.
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I tried to center a microfiber pad as well as I could to show the amount of "buffer" in between the edge of the pad and the backing plate.
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The pile is very tall on the microfiber pad - so tall that it obscures the little hole in the center of the pad unless you poke up through the bottom (maybe with a pen or something).
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The Griot's pads have descriptive names stamped on the back.
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I'm pleased with the purchase so far. Odds are the whole package will perform well. :)
 
Thx fellas! I'm debating on buying 1 tonight while the price is right.


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it's funny how there are quite a few 3" DA backing plates out and it doesn't seem that much consideration/thought went into them concerning vibration/performance (and so forth) as much as GG put into it theirs. the one thing i disliked about using smaller pads/backing plate on the DA is the vibration would rattle your bones and was uncomfortable to use. props to GG for doing their homework once again...
 
WRAPT C5Z06 said:
Bought one to try on my HF DA.


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Ditto. I received mine today, here's what it looks like.

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-Minor gripe: I wish it wasn't black in color, that way I'd able to mark it.
-Maybe it's just me, but for some reason I thought it was going to be a bit thicker than the Lake Country 3" backing plate.. They're actually the same exact thickness [5/8ths of an inch]

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-They both have a "stainless steel hub washer"

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-They're both the same exact diameter.
-The Griots backing plate is slightly firmer than the Lake Country.

-While they both have a stainless steel hub washer, it shouldn't be confused with this washer, which seems to be made from the same exact material on both [I'm guessing acrylic/plastic/hardened board]?
-The Lake Country washer has a reinforced center to ensure it keeps its shape during its life of being tightened to the polisher. The new washer that came with the Griots does not.

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-The Griots backing plate is a little bit heavier than the Lake Country. I wish I had a scale...


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Does anyone that has received their GG 3" HD plate also own a GG3 that they could try it on? Just to see what impact it has on the GG3 performance. I realize it is heavier, but inertia can also be your friend once the polisher is up to speed.
 
Eldorado2k said:
-Minor gripe: I wish it wasn't black in color, that way I'd able to mark it.
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Same problem with the backing plates on the G15--they are black. Picked up a silver permanent marker that works great.
 
DBAILEY said:
Does anyone that has received their GG 3" HD plate also own a GG3 that they could try it on? Just to see what impact it has on the GG3 performance. I realize it is heavier, but inertia can also be your friend once the polisher is up to speed.
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DBAILEY, this plate will not work for the GG 3". The GG3 has a smaller arbor and is weighed to match the GG6 counter balance.
 
Mantilgh said:
DBAILEY, this plate will not work for the GG 3". The GG3 has a smaller arbor and is weighed to match the GG6 counter balance.
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Arbor? Are you talking about the bolt size? I thought the 5/16” thread size was the same for both. That the GG6 and GG3 are the same. I've never taken my GG3 plate off before. I guess I'd better check for myself. People have said both in the various threads about the this GG 3" HD backing plate.
It was said that it may not be a good idea, but not that it would not work.

I want one anyways for the GG6. I'll just order one and try it on my GG3 myself to see what it is like.
 
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