Does the Griots use the same size wrench as the PC?

wn1998

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I am trying to swap backing pads and my wrench for my griots 6" seems too big. I slid it in on the opposite side of the counterweight and it seems about 2 sizes too large for the bolt in the middle. What am I doing wrong?"
 
The wrench supplied is roughly a 16mm. I can put it around the nut under the backing plate and it just spins freely. It is clearly too big. Is there something I am missing?
 
Yeperdoo...

Just used the Griot's wrench to remove a backing plate off all 3 tools...

Remember, don't over tighten your backing plates onto the free floating spindle, due to close tolerances the wrenches are thin and you can widen the jaws if you over tighten the backing plate like a caveman.


If you do ruin your wrench, you can find a replacement on the AG store here,


GriotsWrenchonPC.jpg



Porter Cable 7424 Flat Wrench


And it will work on all 3 style DA Polishers.


:)
 
Mike, my wrench is brand new! It is not tight on the bolt at all (my griots in brand new as well). I can put it on the bolt and the bolt just spins loosely while the wrench is on it. Can you measure one of those wrenches? Mine seems to be roughly the equivalent of a 16mm opening. ( I held it up to a 16mm wrench in my garage).
 
Are you turning the wrench or the plate? I put my wrench on the bolt, then turn the backing plate to loosen or tighten. Seems like a silly question, but, I was trying to turn the nut at first, not the backing plate.

Also, my PC wrench is too thick to fit between the backing plate and the machine on the Griots.
 
The wrench supplied is roughly a 16mm. I can put it around the nut under the backing plate and it just spins freely. It is clearly too big. Is there something I am missing?

In the picture above I pulled a wrench out of a Griot's 6" ROP and walked out into the Training Center and used it on all 3 polishers?


I can check again?


:)
 
Kind of to build off of what t.4 Shelby posted,

If the wrench fits on the hex sided Free Floating Spindle Assembly that is correct and it should spin freely as it is "free floating" or "free rotating", you only use the wrench to keep it from spinning while you attach th backing plate.

I'm sure this is obvious but just to make sure...

Not sure what else to tell you, I can place the above same wrench on the Griot's Free Floating Spindle Assembly and take a picture of that too?

:)
 
I left my camera at the office, I feel like I am going insane. I can clearly see the wrench on the nut under the backing plate. When the wrench is around the nut, I can turn the backing plate with my hand and the wrench is too big and doesn't stop the nut.

Does your griots wrench have a hole at the end of the handle? I really think I have the incorrect wrench.

Long story short, I didn't get my wrench with my original purchase and autogeek just shipped me out a wrench, allen key and extra brushes for my griots and this has to be the incorrect wrench. I just can't get it to work.
 
Are you turning the wrench or the plate? I put my wrench on the bolt, then turn the backing plate to loosen or tighten. Seems like a silly question, but, I was trying to turn the nut at first, not the backing plate.

Also, my PC wrench is too thick to fit between the backing plate and the machine on the Griots.

I try to hand turn the backing plate and the wrench is just too big to catch the nut. When I turn it by hand, the nut just keeps spinning while the wrench is clearly around it.
 
I just went an checked. My wrench does have a hole at the dumb end. I checked it against my open ended wrenches and it is a 9/16.

So you can clearly see the nut? Mine is hard to see. It is conical shaped, tapering as it nears the backing plate. If you are on that cone, I could see it slipping. Otherwise, mine locks in tight.

Yes mike, I do have a washer on my backing plate. It does not appear to be removable.
 
Does your griots wrench have a hole at the end of the handle? I really think I have the incorrect wrench.

Yes.

Long story short, I didn't get my wrench with my original purchase and autogeek just shipped me out a wrench, allen key and extra brushes for my griots and this has to be the incorrect wrench. I just can't get it to work.

Call Jason tomorrow, I'll be out of the office all day Friday and Saturday working at the Mother's Booth at Barrett-Jackson. (Actually need to get out of here and head home for the day).


I try to hand turn the backing plate and the wrench is just too big to catch the nut. When I turn it by hand, the nut just keeps spinning while the wrench is clearly around it.

I don't know if this will help but I took a whole lot pictures and this will probably become the "Definitive DA Style Polisher Wrench Thread"

Without further ado...


BRAND NEW WRENCH OUT OF THE BOX OF A BRAND NEW 6" GRIOT'S GARAGE ROP

As you can see, it fits the Free Floating Spindle Assembly perfectly and this wrench has a little hole in the end of the handle were you could hang it up on a peg on a peg board in your garage. (I should have taken a picture of the entire wrench).
Wrenches001.jpg




Same exact wrench on the Free Floating Spindle Assembly of a Meguiar's G110v2 - It fits snug and perfect.
Wrenches002.jpg



Drumroll..... The brand new factory wrench, just out of the box does NOT fit on the Free Floating Spindle Assembly on the Porter Cable 7424XP. It could if I muscled it on, but it definitely does not SLIP on to the hex head exterior of the FFSA.
Wrenches003.jpg




I have placed the brand new wrench out of the box onto the housing on the Griot's Garage ROP and now have a wrench that "someone" has abused a little, and the span of the opening on the wrench has been stretched by abuse and not only does it fit on the Free Floating Spindle Assembly of the PC 7424XP but it's a little loose.
Wrenches004.jpg



Same picture as above but a close-up view and you can see the free space between the wrench and the Free Floating Spindle Assembly.
Wrenches005.jpg




Just for fun, here's a 15mm wrench on the PC and it's loose. (Couldn't find a 16mm)
Wrenches006.jpg



Tested out a 9/16 and it fit onto all three Free Floating Spindle Assemblies... Didn't check a 14mm as I have one more project to do before I can leave for the day.
Wrenches007.jpg


Wrenches008.jpg


Wrenches009.jpg


Wrenches010.jpg




I realized a standard or metric wrench is too thick to attach a backing plate to a tool, the above pictures with the metric and U.S. wrenches was for perspective only.

I personally have a 9/16" inch flat wrench probably from the 1960's or older that I use to tighten down the bolt that holds down a Chevy Distributor because it's bent and ti also can be used for DA Polishers because it's very flat.



I don't know if any of this helps anyone but call our 1-800-869-3011 phone number tomorrow after 9:00pm Eastern Time and I'm confident that Jason can help you out.


:)
 
And for what it's worth, all pictures in the thread were taken on the large setting on a Canon Rebel T1i and then the fluff was cropped out using Photoshop Elements, the pictures were resized using Easy Thumbnails and then the pictures were uploaded into the Autogeek Gallery and then inserted for your viewing pleasure.

Not photos were simply attached as Thumbnails making others have to click on them to see them.

The techniques and software to do all this can be found by clicking the link below...

How-to work with pictures on discussion forums


Photoshop Elements does help for cropping out smaller pictures out of HUGE files, it came free with the camera and it's a real blessing but the link above does include ways to crop without owning Elements which is about $80.00


It's not that hard, did all this on the fly....



:D
 
Mike,
Thanks for all of the help! I put the wrench I was supplied up to a 9/16th craftsman that I had in my toolbox and mine is ALOT larger than 9/16. I will take pictures tomorrow!
 
Mike,
Thanks for all of the help! I put the wrench I was supplied up to a 9/16th craftsman that I had in my toolbox and mine is ALOT larger than 9/16. I will take pictures tomorrow!
Sounds like you somehow got the wrong wrench. As I said, mine is a 9/16 and so is Mike's. Better call Jason as Mike suggested and get the right one.

Bummer on not being able to enjoy your new toy yet. If you lived close to me I would be happy to loan you mine.
 
Here, use a flathead screwdriver and remove the rubberized plastic piece covering the head of the Griot's polisher. Under there is a spindle assembly lock button like what you see on rotary polishers. You can use that lock button to get your backing plates on and off until you get the right wrench. When I took that piece off of my last Griot's, that's how I found it. I was checking things out with it. Let's hope they haven't removed that part. I can check on my Griot's when I get to work this morning for ya. ;)
 
Adam,
Thanks for the info. I will have to try that today!

As for proof my wrench is the incorrect size, I have supplied pictures of my wrench alongside a 9/16 wrench. If you guys take a close look, you will see what I mean. The wrench just simply is too big for the nut. I am not going crazy!

29c9c2x.jpg


feq4ch.jpg


35lgeqa.jpg
 
Wonder if that is from an old style Griots or something. I am sure AG will fix it.
 
PM me your shipping info and I'll get you a PC wrench. Not sure where that one came from; I've never seen one like that before.
 
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