Chemical Guys Polishing Pads

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2011 Kona Blue

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My wife and I have a part time detailing business which we started this year. We have been off the hook busy with customers and going through pads like crazy. Currently been using Lake County foam pads, yellow, orange, green, etc and they have been holding up decent.

I recently decided to give Chemical Guys a try on their cutting pads, orange. I have tried several different kinds of foam pads and I have to tell you, THEY $uck! The backing of the velcro pulls apart after a few rounds with it. I can't even make it through half a car without the pads getting jacked up.

It seems to mostly occur when I'm on speed setting 6 with my Porter Cable 7424 using the orange pads. The CG pads heat up and pull apart. I even bought that new quad pad with the hole in it to reduce heat. That didn't do $hit, it still pulled apart. They suck.

I have had Lake County pads sometimes do that but for the most part they hold up. I need something very durable for pads and will last. Any recommendations on pads or should I stick with Lake County foam pads. I need good cutting pads and all in one pads for cleaner waxes.

Any guidance would be great. Stay away from CG pads
 
This was one GC Pad after one three minute pass. The very first pass I made on the car.

This is the crap that happens like half way through a job.
 
Well that leaves with the Megs pads that are very durable available in 3 cuts and the Buff & Shine pads. However, I'm pretty sure the CG pads are made by B&S. The HEX ones are only made for CG.



Sounds like you may be putting too much downward force on the polisher. Is the backing plate spinning while you're correcting?. Sounds like you are making the polisher act like a grinder with just the random oscillations doing the work and no polishing action from the spinning pad.
 
DBAILEY said:
Well that leaves with the Megs pads that are very durable available in 3 cuts and the Buff & Shine pads. However, I'm pretty sure the CG pads are made by B&S. The HEX ones are only made for CG.



Sounds like you may be putting too much downward force on the polisher. Is the backing plate spinning while you're correcting?. Sounds like you are making the polisher act like a grinder with just the random oscillations doing the work and no polishing action from the spinning pad.
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I didn't think I was putting much pressure on it. At least I don't think I am. I was really careful not to and yes it was spinning. Do

Do the micro fiber pads cut better than foam pads? Are the buff and shine pads good. I think I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on the flex 3401
 
I had a rupes 21 mkii (I say had because it was stolen) and I normally use either rupes pads, or lake country pads. I have yet to experience any separation with the rupes or lake country pads. I use the thin-pro pads and hydro-tech. I've had some issue with the blue rupes pad but all the other pads have been great to me. Once I have enough $$ to replace my rupes I'm gonna invest in the new buff and shine uro-tec. They seem like they're similar in design to the rupes and if that's the case and offer great durability I might just make switch to that to my arsenal.

As far as microfiber pads go, I love the Meguiars microfiber pads that go along with the D300. You can achieve a great amount of correction and that combo finishes so well.

I've used hexalogic pads in the past and experienced the same issue, but not so prematurely. I'm glad I had only purchased just a couple of pads. How many pads do you use for each step? Could be your using the same pad extensively.
 
usmcpab said:
I had a rupes 21 mkii (I say had because it was stolen) and I normally use either rupes pads, or lake country pads. I have yet to experience any separation with the rupes or lake country pads. I use the thin-pro pads and hydro-tech. I've had some issue with the blue rupes pad but all the other pads have been great to me. Once I have enough $$ to replace my rupes I'm gonna invest in the new buff and shine uro-tec. They seem like they're similar in design to the rupes and if that's the case and offer great durability I might just make switch to that to my arsenal.

As far as microfiber pads go, I love the Meguiars microfiber pads that go along with the D300. You can achieve a great amount of correction and that combo finishes so well.

I've used hexalogic pads in the past and experienced the same issue, but not so prematurely. I'm glad I had only purchased just a couple of pads. How many pads do you use for each step? Could be your using the same pad extensively.
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I had ordered a handful of CG pads and each one fell apart after one use. They $uck. I have had much better luck with Lake County foam pads. They have held up way way way better.

I do feel I'm not getting the correction results and perhaps I need a more aggressive pad. I'm going to step up to the micro fiber cutting pads. I have read some great reviews and its said they correct paint much better than foam pads.

Just now I pulled the trigger on the Flex 3401 from Auto Geek. Got the HD model with the 25 foot heavy duty cord. I just did a full detail and paint correction job yesterday for a customer that had a black Infiniti G35. The paint was rough I tell ya. Lots of surface scratches, swirls and heavy oxidation on tbr roof.

It took me 6.5 hours using my PC 7424 XP to due the paint correction. At the end I still wasn't happy with my results. The customer was happy but I wasn't. I should of been able to get the correction done in 3 to 4 hours. I had to go over areas with compound 3 or 4 times.

I need something to cut much faster! I'm hoping the Flex 3401 along with the new micro fiber cutting pads will be a world of difference with results.
 
You need Blue Foamed Wool with the 3401 not MF. MF works well on free air machines like Rupes/Griots etc.
 
This is good to know, was gonna order some. What size backing plate do you use? And what size pads?


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uhohitsstevo said:
This is good to know, was gonna order some. What size backing plate do you use? And what size pads?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I use the std 5.5" BP with the LC 6" Blue Foamed Wool.
Also,the BnS Low Pro's work better on the 3401 than the LC Foam Hybrids pads but you will need the 4 3/8 bp.

Dereksdtail said:
Lake country,buff and shine and carpro��
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Yep those are the best pad brands available.
 
2011 Kona Blue said:
This was one GC Pad after one three minute pass. The very first pass I made on the car.

This is the crap that happens like half way through a job.
Click to expand...

Never had a problem with their hex logic pads and I use the heck out of them.
 
2011 Kona Blue said:
This was one GC Pad after one three minute pass. The very first pass I made on the car.

This is the crap that happens like half way through a job.
Click to expand...

What product and how much are you using? If that second pic is from a single 3 minutes pass IMO it looks like a ton of product was used and the surface still badly contaminated.

I always IronX / TRIX and then clay a vehicle first thus elimniating Heavy build up of crap on pads. Products need to be used sparingly. AGain, that second pic looked like a pad I would use with Say Meg's Ulitmate Compound on a crappy surface after 2 panels.
 
pdqgp said:
What product and how much are you using? If that second pic is from a single 3 minutes pass IMO it looks like a ton of product was used and the surface still badly contaminated.

I always IronX / TRIX and then clay a vehicle first thus elimniating Heavy build up of crap on pads. Products need to be used sparingly. AGain, that second pic looked like a pad I would use with Say Meg's Ulitmate Compound on a crappy surface after 2 panels.
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I washed and clay bar the car prior to any paint correction. I had used around 5 pea sized drops of CG scratch and swirl removal on the pad. I had also lubercated the pad with the Pinnicle spray. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong but every CG pad i have ordered they seem to fall apart half way of shirt after the second car I use them on.
 
Buff and Shine makes their original hex pads. Not sure about their "quantam" line.

I did once get a shipment of some bogus green pads. These were clearly not made by B&S. Their backings failed after two uses. This tells me that they're sourcing their pads elsewhere too, which is unfortunate and results in inconsistencies in qualiy. Long story short, they told me to stick it after I finally got through to them about six months later.

Talk about leaving a bad taste in my mouth....

I still have containers full of green and blue hex pads, but I'm no longer purchasing anything CG.
 
dlc95 said:
Buff and Shine makes their original hex pads. Not sure about their "quantam" line.

I did once get a shipment of some bogus green pads. These were clearly not made by B&S. Their backings failed after two uses. This tells me that they're sourcing their pads elsewhere too, which is unfortunate and results in inconsistencies in qualiy. Long story short, they told me to stick it after I finally got through to them about six months later.

Talk about leaving a bad taste in my mouth....

I still have containers full of green and blue hex pads, but I'm no longer purchasing anything CG.
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I had the green pads from Chemical Guys as well, they fell apart after one use
 
Never had a problem with their Chemical Guys hex logic pads and I use them and love them.
 
They are not my go to pads but I also have never experienced any issues. And their white hex logic quantum pads finish very well on a Rupes.
 
Ive used Lake Country almost exclusively. Ive tried just about every pad they make and of dozens Ive used, I think I had one pad that separated from the backing material, and that happened when I was spinning it on my polisher at high speed to dry it off after washing it (whoops, those things can fly!). Otherwise they have not let me down.

Not a fan of Chemical Guys products in general. Seems to be more people give them negative reviews than positive. Lots of marketing hype. Although the stripper scent is gold!
 
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