5" and 6" Backing Plates on 6.5" pads (Pictures to show safety margin)

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

5" and 6" Backing Plates on 6.5" pads (Pictures to show safety margin)



Below are the new Lake Country Hydro-Tech 6.5 Inch Foam Pads with backing plates affixed to show the fitting comparison.


The backing plate on the Cyan Cutting Pad is the The Edge DA-500 Backing Plate, which measures 4 7/8" in diameter.

The backing plate on the Tangerine Polishing Pad is the 3M Hook-It 6" DA Backing Plate and it measures 5 7/8" in diameter.

This is to give you an idea as to how much safety margin of foam there is surrounding the 5" and 6" backing plates.

Also just to note, from a quick measuring of all the DA backing plates we care,

5" backing plate = 4 7/8" Diameter
6" backing plate - 5 7/8" Diameter

Exception
Meguiar's W68DA = 5 7/8" Diameter for the Velcro but there is a lip or rubber surrounding the Velcro portion that measures approximately 1/2" so the total Diameter of the backing plate is 6"

You can see the rubber lip surrounding the Velcro in the below picture,

This extra material is a matching design feature for their Softbuff 2.0 Pad System as the entire backing plate nestles inside a perimeter of foam.

I compiled the above because of a question that arose about which backing plate a person should get if they only wanted to get one backing plate but be able to use it for multiple pads. While it's always best to match the best backing plate size-wise to the pad being used, if you're only getting one backing plate whether with an initial purchase or as a replacement, here are two middle prices options,


The Edge DA-500 Backing Plate
Note the Edge DA-500 no longer looks like the image in the store.

Meguiar's W67DA

***Update***

Here's 5" backing plates on 5.5" pads to show how they fit. Shown are the Meguiar's W67DA and the Edge DA 500 on 5.5" Hydro-Tech pads and 5.5" CCS pads

5.5" Hydro-Tech pads

5.5" CCS pads

 

[tenorplayer23]

So Mike,

The safety margin pictures speak volumes for keeping the edge of the backing plate away from the car. I'm glad you published them........such a simple thing, but "illuminating".

Can you add a comment about whether the diameter of the backing plate makes a difference in the way the pad performs? Say, 5" and 6" dia. backing plates with typical Lake CCS 6.5" pads. Does the pad perform it's polishing task the same with either diameter?

Thanks for the pictures.

See ya.

 

[Charlie Walker]

Mike: As the originator of the backing plate question, I have to tell you that this is superb response. I don't know how you do it busy as you have to be. But I can tell you that it will result in me ordering from AG.
Good question from tenorplayer23. Thanks a million!

Charlie Walker

 

[Chris27182]

Kinda wish The Edge DA blacking plate still had that design it looks like it would be easy to tell how if the pad is spinning on a DA with the white and orange color mix.

 

[D_Nyholm]

When i use a 6.5" pad with a 5" backing plate on a PC, I can't go above speed 4 or so or the edge of the pad not attached to the backing plate starts to lift and flop all over the place. I am using the LC 6.5" regular thickness pads and it is completely unuseable and unstable with the 5" backing plate.

 

[ICEMAN]

So Mike,

The safety margin pictures speak volumes for keeping the edge of the backing plate away from the car. I'm glad you published them........such a simple thing, but "illuminating".

Can you add a comment about whether the diameter of the backing plate makes a difference in the way the pad performs? Say, 5" and 6" dia. backing plates with typical Lake CCS 6.5" pads. Does the pad perform it's polishing task the same with either diameter?

Thanks for the pictures.

See ya.

same here. i have the Heavy Duty 5" backing plate and 6.5" pads. i HAD the 6" backing plate. but now have the 5" HD.

 

[MisterShark]

OK, so lemme dumb things down a bit with a question about my personal upcoming DA purchase, and hopefully my situation will apply to a bunch of us that are in the same position and could benefit from the guidance.



Here are the relevant details:

• I plan to purchase a PC 7424XP to do some light swirl/oxidation removal as well as polishing and LSP (of course) for my 2 cars.
• I'm not a pro and speed of completion is not priority-1
• I'm pretty attentive and am able to follow directions well, paying attention to technique as prescribed.
• 2 cars include 2005 silver Sable & 2009 black RAV4

So will I be better off using the 5" or 6" backing plate?

• If I am advised to use the 5" backing plate, do I go with 5.5" pads or 6.5" pads?
• If the 6" pad is advised, then I'm assuming that the 6.5" pads will be the move.

I'd rather avoid this situation if possible:

When i use a 6.5" pad with a 5" backing plate on a PC, I can't go above speed 4 or so or the edge of the pad not attached to the backing plate starts to lift and flop all over the place. I am using the LC 6.5" regular thickness pads and it is completely unuseable and unstable with the 5" backing plate.

 

[loudog2]

I would go 6" BP for a 6.5" pad, and 5" BP for a 5.5" pad.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

When i use a 6.5" pad with a 5" backing plate on a PC, I can't go above speed 4 or so or the edge of the pad not attached to the backing plate starts to lift and flop all over the place. I am using the LC 6.5" regular thickness pads and it is completely unusable and unstable with the 5" backing plate.

And just to note, showing the 5" backing plate on the 6.5" pads wasn't a recommendation, it was to give people an idea of what it looked like and that it's undersized for that application.

Sorry if there was any confusion on my part, basically I had the two new LC pads in my office and so that's that I used for the picture.

 

[MisterShark]

And just to note, showing the 5" backing plate on the 6.5" pads wasn't a recommendation, it was to give people an idea of what it looked like and that it's undersized for that application.

Sorry if there was any confusion on my part, basically I had the two new LC pads in my office and so that's that I used for the picture.

Mike,
It's not so much that I was wondering about this because of your demo above but specifically because all of the AG 7424XP kits come with the 6.5" pads to accompany the 5" backing plate.

I'm planning to build my 7424 arsenal ala-carte rather than by purchasing a kit, so I can go with either size. I just don't wanna make the wrong choice and find out after the fact that the PC doesn't have the muscle to effectively turn the 6.5" pads except at the lower speeds.

 

[loudog2]

And just to note, showing the 5" backing plate on the 6.5" pads wasn't a recommendation, it was to give people an idea of what it looked like and that it's undersized for that application.

Sorry if there was any confusion on my part, basically I had the two new LC pads in my office and so that's that I used for the picture.

Then you should change Autogeek's page description on the 6.5 CCS pads. It says to use a 5" backing plate. That's where the confusion is coming from.:xyxthumbs:

 

[D_Nyholm]

Then you should change Autogeek's page description on the 6.5 CCS pads. It says to use a 5" backing plate. That's where the confusion is coming from.:xyxthumbs:

Yeah, and honestly, they don't work unless I am doing something wrong.

 

[ICEMAN]

i originally had 6.5" pads and got a 5" HD backer. is that ok?

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Then you should change Autogeek's page description on the 6.5 CCS pads. It says to use a 5" backing plate. That's where the confusion is coming from.:xyxthumbs:

Yeah, and honestly, they don't work unless I am doing something wrong.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention, I'll check it out this morning.

 

[Mister B]

When i use a 6.5" pad with a 5" backing plate on a PC, I can't go above speed 4 or so or the edge of the pad not attached to the backing plate starts to lift and flop all over the place. I am using the LC 6.5" regular thickness pads and it is completely unuseable and unstable with the 5" backing plate.

Are the Lake Country 6.5" pads that much different than the Meguiars 6.5" pads? I have used the Meguiars 6.5" pads with a 5" backing plate for several years on my G100 and I have never had any problems with the pads and I have used them up to speed 6. Is this just a problem with the Lake Country pads or am I not understanding something?

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Getting ready to go into a meeting but this afternoon will do some testing and take some videos. If you want to see something related to this topic let me know.

I did just test the 5" and the 6" backing plates on new 6.5" CCS Super Soft Gold Jeweling Foam Pad using the Griot's Polisher at all speed ranges and had no problems with either backing plate.

With the smaller 5" backing plate the foam did lift up around the backing plate and flutter at the higher speeds but I wouldn't call this a problem. IF anything it's a safety margin in case you get the back of the backing plate too close to something like a rear view mirror.

I will say that the 6" backing plate does engage the face of a 6.5" buffing pad better against the surface of paint and that is a benefit especially if you have a new generation polisher able to effectively rotate the pad under pressure.

Off to a meeting...

 

[TheGLL]

Mike,
It's not so much that I was wondering about this because of your demo above but specifically because all of the AG 7424XP kits come with the 6.5" pads to accompany the 5" backing plate.

I'm planning to build my 7424 arsenal ala-carte rather than by purchasing a kit, so I can go with either size. I just don't wanna make the wrong choice and find out after the fact that the PC doesn't have the muscle to effectively turn the 6.5" pads except at the lower speeds.

I'm also curious about what you said because I bought a kit with a 7424 XP, 6.5" pads and 5" backing plate...so it's not a recommanded "setup" ?

 

[Meghan]

With the smaller 5" backing plate the foam did lift up around the backing plate and flutter at the higher speeds but I wouldn't call this a problem. IF anything it's a safety margin in case you get the back of the backing plate too close to something like a rear view mirror.

I always recommend the 5" backing plate with the 6.5" pads due to safety reasons. Even with all my experience I still use a 5" backing plate when working with 6.5" pads. I like knowing I have a little room for error when working in tight spots or around mirrors. I have not found any difference in my work between using the 6" and 5" but I do feel safer with the 5". Just my $.02 :buffing:

 

[TheGLL]

^^ So it's a "idiot proof" setup. :laughing:
Perfect for all the beginners, like me.

 

[Dwayne]

^^ So it's a "idiot proof" setup. :laughing:
Perfect for all the beginners, like me.

Exactly! If you take a look at the stock pad that comes n the box with the PC-7424XP, the 5 inch plate, 6.5 inch pad combo most closely resembles the stock setup for maximum safety and that is why most of the Porter Cable kits that we have on Autogeek.net are put together this way.

Once you are comfortable with the machine and confident in your ability, feel free to try other plate/pad combos.