flex 3401 for tight panels ?'s

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Toolhead

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can you use part of the pad on an angle for tight areas..ie like pillars...

or the side of the pad for even tighter areas.. just adding product to the sides and leaning / tilting the flex into tight areas..

??

im sure it take a bit of practice to do right.. thought i saw MP do that in one the the training class photos..

???

i have the 4 3/8 backing plate with 5.5" hydro tech thin profile pads..

backing plate/ pad question.. if i buy the 4" LC backing plate.how small of a pad can i use.. 4"? or 4.5"?
 
You can, thought it will want to walk on you, it's not the most efficient and it's going to chew up the pads a bit. Do you have another machine, you can outfit a griots 6" DA with a 3" backing plate and use that for smaller areas.
 
Yes you can with the proper technique once you get the hang of it. You can use the edge of the pads to work on the A pillars. Practice makes perfect. Once you conquer the walking and pulling from the Flex 3401...you can probably do most things with ease.
 
Tks guys..

Thats what i figured..practice lets you maneuver the tool as required..like a gas trimmer...

Pad question..i have the hydrotech low profile pads...
As i been researching pad sizes for the flex..im reading thicker is better .any issues with using the 5.5" hydrotech pads ...or...okay to use...just use these they will get the jib done?

(Use the hydrotech/thin pads for now and just buy the thicker LC pads when i need to replace pads?)
 
Btw..im new to the DAs ..just got my flex kit..so excuse the new to the DA flex basic questions...
 
Audios S6 said:
You can, thought it will want to walk on you, it's not the most efficient and it's going to chew up the pads a bit. Do you have another machine, you can outfit a griots 6" DA with a 3" backing plate and use that for smaller areas.
Click to expand...

Tks..no other polishers..just got my flex 3401 today...
Any suggestions on a 3" pad option da? Buy the griots with adapters?
 
I just bought and used a GG3 today for the first time. I had previously just converted my GG6 with a 3" pad. Even with the 3" pad there are places I couldnt get the GG6. Using the GG3 is a WHOLE NEW BALL GAME now. I moved up from the 6 to a FLEX 3401 and had no use for the 6 but it doesnt do the job a true 3" polisher does. Worth the $104 for sure.
 
Using a flex on a rear end of a corvette. I asked Mike regarding getting inside of those tail lights. Mike got down on floor and demonstrated how to get inside those tail lights manipulating
the flex up/down/sideways etc. He really worked that flex inside the "small area!" I was sooo impressed almost bought a Flex!!!

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3294/CR_2017_Feb_086.JPG
 
Tks guys...im busting her out today....starting the wash...iron and nanoskin scrub after some more coffee..hopefully bust out flex around 11am for wg uber with cyan HTech pad....
 
dcjredline said:
I just bought and used a GG3 today for the first time. I had previously just converted my GG6 with a 3" pad. Even with the 3" pad there are places I couldnt get the GG6. Using the GG3 is a WHOLE NEW BALL GAME now. I moved up from the 6 to a FLEX 3401 and had no use for the 6 but it doesnt do the job a true 3" polisher does. Worth the $104 for sure.
Click to expand...

I had the same problem with Griots GG6 with 3" pads in tight areas and corners it was hard to get to them. I bought a mini clone and I am able to get to the smaller areas on front of our MB.....My disclaimer I am a weekend detailer...I am sure the pro`s can get more out of a GG6 with 3" backing plate.
 
Toolhead said:
can you use part of the pad on an angle for tight areas..ie like pillars...

or the side of the pad for even tighter areas.. just adding product to the sides and leaning / tilting the flex into tight areas..

??

im sure it take a bit of practice to do right.. thought i saw MP do that in one the the training class photos..

???

i have the 4 3/8 backing plate with 5.5" hydro tech thin profile pads..

backing plate/ pad question.. if i buy the 4" LC backing plate.how small of a pad can i use.. 4"? or 4.5"?
Click to expand...
Most definitely. I do it all the the time.

I mostly run the 5" Lake Country Hybrid pads and I think being able to use the 3401 to do 'edge-'ing / -work' is one of it's strong points for the 3401 when whole Rupes/Flex debate comes up - the Rupes is a polishing system (big and small polishers for different sized panels) whereas the 3401 can pretty much do everything with one machine.

In my opinion, trying to replicate this with a non-gear driven machine where the movement of the pad in terms of both oscillation and rotation truly is random, there is more likelihood for violent direction changes which will be more likely to rip the foam off the velcro backing (and I suspect with the long throw machines this would be exacerbated but its only a guess so I may be completely wrong?) when the pad is off the panel.

The 3401's movement just seems to be a lot more controlled and you can therefore use a very small footprint of the pad on a panel knowing where the pad will be and how it will be spinning when it makes contact with the panel - you don't need crazy pressure and can really finesse things letting the pad rotation do the work - sure the 3401 is often referred to as a 'tank' - but it can be surprisingly 'delicate'.
 
Kamakaz1961 said:
Yes you can with the proper technique once you get the hang of it. You can use the edge of the pads to work on the A pillars. Practice makes perfect. Once you conquer the walking and pulling from the Flex 3401...you can probably do most things with ease.
Click to expand...

Tks to all whom replied...first time using DA and went flex...
I went at hood first for easiest surface area on day 2..

I then used partial pad om a pillars...other narrow panels...it worked well...i didnt feel that much walking..but its probably my technique where i wasnt applying as much pressure as i should...

When doing this..any concern if the edge of the brushes up against adjacent panel....if so..any solutions...suggestions?
 
lawrenceSA said:
Most definitely. I do it all the the time.

I mostly run the 5" Lake Country Hybrid pads and I think being able to use the 3401 to do 'edge-'ing / -work' is one of it's strong points for the 3401 when whole Rupes/Flex debate comes up - the Rupes is a polishing system (big and small polishers for different sized panels) whereas the 3401 can pretty much do everything with one machine.

In my opinion, trying to replicate this with a non-gear driven machine where the movement of the pad in terms of both oscillation and rotation truly is random, there is more likelihood for violent direction changes which will be more likely to rip the foam off the velcro backing (and I suspect with the long throw machines this would be exacerbated but its only a guess so I may be completely wrong?) when the pad is off the panel.

The 3401's movement just seems to be a lot more controlled and you can therefore use a very small footprint of the pad on a panel knowing where the pad will be and how it will be spinning when it makes contact with the panel - you don't need crazy pressure and can really finesse things letting the pad rotation do the work - sure the 3401 is often referred to as a 'tank' - but it can be surprisingly 'delicate'.
Click to expand...
.tks so lc BP with 4" pads....?
 
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