Porter Cable 7424XP and vibration on setting 6

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sperrinejr

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I recently purchased a PC 7424XP and was trying it out for the first time. I was compounding out some scratches on my truck. I had it set between 2 and 4. I cranked it up to 6 to get out some heavier scratches and the Lake Country pad just flew off the machine while using it. It broke right where it joined in the center of the pad. I was using a foam cutting pad velcroed to the backing pad. There was a lot of vibration at the #6 setting. I had the correct counter weight on. Is so much vibration normal? Maybe I was not applying enough pressure to the pad? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
 


If you lift the machine away from the surface you are working on, the pad will fly off, especially on setting 6.


It broke right where it joined in the center of the pad.
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could you elaborate?





 


2003 GMC Denali said:
Is it just too much for the DA mechanism to be free-wheeling ?
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The PC moves in small, but rapid movements. Even though there is a counter weight, the pad is still off center during random orbit. The Centrifugal force that is generated during random orbit will cause the pad to be thrown off.



Edit: Unless there is at least some light force pressing on the pad.






 
I assume you are talking about at high speed settings. I run mine frequently in the air on speed 2 or 3 for pad drying.
 
I've NEVER had a pad fly off and I've dried MANY pads with speed 6 in the open air. Are you using the proper counter weight?
 
I took a picture of the backing pad (now in two pieces) showing where it broke. I did have the machine against the paint when it flew off after breaking. Not sure if I had turned it on prior to being in contact with the paint surface or not. I bought a DVD which explains how to use the PC 7424XP.....probably should have bought that first. And yes, I did have the proper counter weight on. I was using a 6.5" pad.

View attachment 5862
 
Let me guess... A Lake Country backing plate? That happens more than often. It has happened to me before and happens even when little pressure has been applied. I have found that it just comes from heat build up from hours of polishing even without much pressure. When using my PC7424 I use the HD backing plate with 5.5" pads and never had a problem. I now use my rotary more than the PC so I can't vouch for long term durability.

Your break was much cleaner than mine though. I noticed my pad stopped doing what it should have. Turned the polisher off and it fell apart.
 
ARE CERTAIN BACKING PLATES BETTER THEN OTHERS? i AM ABOUT TO ORDER A 5" BACKING PLATE WHICH DO YOU GUYS RECOMMEND?

sorry about the caps.
 
Oh, it was a backing plate. I thought you meant the velcro backing on the pad.
 
Emm said:
ARE CERTAIN BACKING PLATES BETTER THEN OTHERS? i AM ABOUT TO ORDER A 5" BACKING PLATE WHICH DO YOU GUYS RECOMMEND?

sorry about the caps.
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That's what I want to know. Great question. Are there better backing plates than Lake Country?
 
What does AG say about the LC Buffing Pad "disconnect" ?

I think I've seen other threads about this problem, haven't we ?
 
zinc02gt said:
I've NEVER had a pad fly off and I've dried MANY pads with speed 6 in the open air.
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Just to note, I mis-typed previously, I do run the DA Polishers with the pad in the air but when they are inside the Grit Guard Pad Washer to sling out some of the excess water.

At higher speeds it does become out of balance and it will vibrate as you're doing this, there's not too many other good options to get the cleaning solution out except to blot it out with a dry towel or use a rotary buffer for the cleaning process when using a pad washer.

I cleaned about 50 pads yesterday using the Flex 3403 and the Grit Guard Pad Washer. I have a video segment coming up with Bryan Fuller of Two Guys Garage and we show bringing the PC up to speed in that segment to sling out water.

By the way, when Bryan saw the pad washer he was impressed as he does some buffing so after the video shoot we gave him one. :xyxthumbs:


sperrinejr said:
I took a picture of the backing pad (now in two pieces) showing where it broke.
Click to expand...

That is definitely broke. See Lasthope05's comment below, he is correct, Lake Country has introduced a new, heavier duty backing plate.

Lasthope05 said:
Yes Lake Country has since upgraded their backing plates.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...cking-plate-comparisons-new-er-da-design.html
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Just to note, I think everyone that manufactures backing plates in this industry has had to re-design their product to make it stronger because "we" that is all of us using DA Polishers are now pushing them to do more and more correction work. It's always the weak link that breaks first and then gets attention.

The new LC are good, the Meguiar's is good and so is the Edge DA backing plate.


I don't know if I read how old your backing plate is or even if you bought it from us but if you did then call Customer Service at 1-800-869-3011 tomorrow.

:)
 
I replied to the other thread as well, but mine was bought on 9/7/2009 and is still in the original plastic wrap.

I have one of these, too.

LCplate1.jpg


Would I get a new one... I guess I have to phone Penny, right ?
 
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