Flex 3401 stopped working

david b

david b

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The Beast stopped working for me while detailing an F250 this week. Not sure what the issue is? Plug it in and nothing. Does that mean the trigger is bad? Bought it from AG two years ago. It should last longer than that I would think.

David
 
I dropped mine several times to the point the trigger went bad. You might want to check the extension cord you are using too. It could be brushes that went bad but very doubtful on that one. The Flex is very easy to repair. I would see about ordering the parts and fixing it yourself. HOWEVER, it could be many factors I DO NOT KNOW. But in my case, the trigger just died on me while I was doing a detail. Luckily, I had my back up PC7424XP. It took a while longer to do the job but finished.

I know if you search the forum there is a place that supplies Flex parts. It will be around $80 - $90 ish. Please let us know what you did to fix it so us Flex Dudes can learn in the future. My experience was the trigger. FWIW I have noticed the majority of the time it's 2 things that kill the Flex, the extension cord connection or the trigger. BOTH are easy to fix!
 
Kamakaz1961 said:
I dropped mine several times to the point the trigger went bad. You might want to check the extension cord you are using too. It could be brushes that went bad but very doubtful on that one. The Flex is very easy to repair. I would see about ordering the parts and fixing it yourself. HOWEVER, it could be many factors I DO NOT KNOW. But in my case, the trigger just died on me while I was doing a detail. Luckily, I had my back up PC7424XP. It took a while longer to do the job but finished.

I know if you search the forum there is a place that supplies Flex parts. It will be around $80 - $90 ish. Please let us know what you did to fix it so us Flex Dudes can learn in the future. My experience was the trigger. FWIW I have noticed the majority of the time it's 2 things that kill the Flex, the extension cord connection or the trigger. BOTH are easy to fix!
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Thanks for that information. I took it to an authorized Dewalt and Milwaukee tools service center and they're going to diagnose the issue. Hate to drop another $400+ on a new one. By the way, I also needed my 7424xp to finish the detail. Thankfully, I only had two panels left.

David
 
It should not cost $400 My guess $130 - $150 MAX. The part I believe will be around $90 ish
 
Does Flex have an authorized repair center like Rupes? Just for general information.
 
rlmccarty2000 said:
Does Flex have an authorized repair center like Rupes? Just for general information.
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powerhouse distributing in omaha, NE. they have been there from the very start when the 3401 was released over 10+ years ago...

" We are the Master Parts Distributor for Flex North America and provide warranty service on all Flex power tools" ...
 
Have you checked the brushes? My Griot's G15 had to have its brushes replaced after about six months of use in 2016. The Flex part number is 331880 and you can find it, as well as a how-to guide, on a couple different websites.
 
Update - got my Flex 3401 back from a local hardware store - an authorized Dewalt/Milwaukee Tools service center. They were unaware of the Flex brand of tools but were willing to fix it for me. The trigger went bad on it after two years of use. I've buffed out more than 100 vehicles/RVs/horse trailers/motorcycles/boats during that time.

They ordered the part and did the repair. Total bill - wait for it - $60 bucks is all. I thought that was outstanding. So glad to have "The Beast" back with me. May kick the wife to the couch tonight so I can sleep with my "true love" :)

David
Dave's Detailing
 
Glad you got it back. I would say $60 is very reasonable.
 
david b said:
Update - got my Flex 3401 back from a local hardware store - an authorized Dewalt/Milwaukee Tools service center. They were unaware of the Flex brand of tools but were willing to fix it for me. The trigger went bad on it after two years of use. I've buffed out more than 100 vehicles/RVs/horse trailers/motorcycles/boats during that time.

They ordered the part and did the repair. Total bill - wait for it - $60 bucks is all. I thought that was outstanding. So glad to have "The Beast" back with me. May kick the wife to the couch tonight so I can sleep with my "true love" :)

David
Dave's Detailing
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Way cool! Glad you fixed it! I had the trigger problem too! But I am still Homer Simpson and STILL DROP my Flex 3401. I have taken apart my Flex and will be able to repair it myself in case I keep on pulling Homer Simpson's. From what I hear (from the last time I repaired my Flex a couple years back) is that the Flex 3401 trigger is the usual one to go. We use that almost all the time.
 
david b said:
Update - got my Flex 3401 back from a local hardware store - an authorized Dewalt/Milwaukee Tools service center. They were unaware of the Flex brand of tools but were willing to fix it for me. The trigger went bad on it after two years of use. I've buffed out more than 100 vehicles/RVs/horse trailers/motorcycles/boats during that time.

They ordered the part and did the repair. Total bill - wait for it - $60 bucks is all. I thought that was outstanding. So glad to have "The Beast" back with me. May kick the wife to the couch tonight so I can sleep with my "true love" :)

David
Dave's Detailing
Click to expand...

Way cool! Glad you fixed it! I had the trigger problem too! But I am still Homer Simpson and STILL DROP my Flex 3401. I have taken apart my Flex and will be able to repair it myself in case I keep on pulling Homer Simpson's. From what I hear (from the last time I repaired my Flex a couple years back) is that the Flex 3401 trigger is the usual one to go. We use that almost all the time.
 
david b said:
Update - got my Flex 3401 back from a local hardware store - an authorized Dewalt/Milwaukee Tools service center. They were unaware of the Flex brand of tools but were willing to fix it for me. The trigger went bad on it after two years of use. I've buffed out more than 100 vehicles/RVs/horse trailers/motorcycles/boats during that time.

They ordered the part and did the repair. Total bill - wait for it - $60 bucks is all. I thought that was outstanding. So glad to have "The Beast" back with me. May kick the wife to the couch tonight so I can sleep with my "true love" :)

David
Dave's Detailing
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:laughing::laughing::laughing:

That may not bode well for you in the future, Dave............

Glad they fixed her up for you, man. :xyxthumbs:
 
I had my 3401 die on me yesterday and I thought it was a heat issue. I was working in 90+ degree heat for a few hours. I had to finish the job with a combo of rotary and PC. I'll be troubleshooting today.

It was extremely disappointing and has lowered my impression of Flex a bit. I have loved the machine so far but this is troubling.
 
Paul A. said:
I had my 3401 die on me yesterday and I thought it was a heat issue. I was working in 90+ degree heat for a few hours. I had to finish the job with a combo of rotary and PC. I'll be troubleshooting today.

It was extremely disappointing and has lowered my impression of Flex a bit. I have loved the machine so far but this is troubling.
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Doh!!!

That’s not ideal Paul.

My eldest Flex 3401 is almost eight years old now, & a couple of times I thought it had given up on me. This thing does some serious hours & I figured it was well within its rights to retire anytime it liked . . . Geeze, for at least the last three & a half years, if not longer.

It stopped on me a week or so back again, & this time I thought “thats it” but nope - a new set of brushes & it lives to polish again. That makes it three brush changes in eight years & one new cord simply from wearing it out really.

I hope the issue with yours isn’t anything too much Paul, do keep us informed though yeah?


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:
 
Aaryn NZ said:
Doh!!!

That’s not ideal Paul.

My eldest Flex 3401 is almost eight years old now, & a couple of times I thought it had given up on me. This thing does some serious hours & I figured it was well within its rights to retire anytime it liked . . . Geeze, for at least the last three & a half years, if not longer.

It stopped on me a week or so back again, & this time I thought “thats it” but nope - a new set of brushes & it lives to polish again. That makes it three brush changes in eight years & one new cord simply from wearing it out really.

I hope the issue with yours isn’t anything too much Paul, do keep us informed though yeah?


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:
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Nice post, Aaryn.

I have always viewed changing brushes in an electrical motor like "oil changes" in 4-stroke gasoline engines.

Would you go 50,000 miles without changing your oil? I mean.....The vehicle seems to be running perfectly, right?

Until "That Day", yes it was.

Our little electric motors like some periodic maintenance as well. :)
 
Well, sure enough...simply brushes. Changed out and back to rockin' and rollin'. Great point PaulMys and thanks to Aaryn for sharing his experience as well.

My feelings of disappointment in the Flex product is gone. This was purely a case of excessive wear on an excessively used machine that is completely understandable.

Now, in line with that other thread going here, I'm gonna clean the living s**t out of that beloved workhorse!
 
Excellent news Paul A. :props:

I admit, I had gone to disappointment & frustration too when my Flex stopped, just human nature I think. It’s easy to forget how hard these tools work for us.

A pretty sweet feeling when you replace the brushes & it fires up again . . . :buffing:


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:
 
Paul A. said:
Well, sure enough...simply brushes. Changed out and back to rockin' and rollin'. Great point PaulMys and thanks to Aaryn for sharing his experience as well.

My feelings of disappointment in the Flex product is gone. This was purely a case of excessive wear on an excessively used machine that is completely understandable.

Now, in line with that other thread going here, I'm gonna clean the living s**t out of that beloved workhorse!
Click to expand...

unfortunately, the brushes don't last forever and need to be replaced and may also need to be re-aligned (pertains to any polisher) if the polisher isn't firing up. glad to see you got it back in business!
 
Hi guys.
Let me tell you I've learned a few new things by reading this thread.
I have a 3401 that started to give me problems last week.
While working the machine would just die on me.
Figuring it could be the brushes, I went ahead and placed an order for two and they arrived this Thursday, just now I opened up the machine, replace the brushes that were in need of replacement after more than 5 years of use, but the problem didn't get fixed.
I pulled the trigger and it wouldn't do anything, until it fired it up after the third try.
This is my problem and it's a weird one, if I'm working on a flat panel, it works fine, if I work on a vertical panel it works intermittent and dies, and starts losing power as if fatigued.
This happens while hot or cold.
By reading this thread I would thing it could be the trigger?
What you guys think?
The problem is that it doesn't sustain the power, it doesn't stay on very long.
 
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