Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 6
How to lubricate the shroud on long stroke polishers
This how-to article will show you how to lubricate the top of the backing plate that rubs against the rubber shroud on some long stroke orbital polishers. There is a design purpose for the rubber shroud to rub against the backing plate but his article is not about discussing the purpose of this design or the benefits or drawbacks of the design. It's merely to show you want to do.
That said, Todd Helme shared the original design purpose in post 14 of the below thread,
Post #14 Comply with European safety regulations
Thank you Todd for providing accurate information on this topic to clear-up any confusion.
Why lubricate the back of the backing plate?
A small amount of silicone grease, or dielectric grease or any light duty grease for that matter, applied to the back of the backing plate on tools with rubber shrouds that make physical contact with the backing plate will do 2 things,
1: Reduce friction between the rubber shroud and the backing plate
This will enable the backing plate and thus the buffing pad to both rotate and oscillate freely. This will tend to enable the backing plate and buffing pad to rotate and oscillate at max performance for the speed setting selected on the tool.
2: Reduce wear to the rubber shroud
The original design, to my knowledge, is for the rubber shroud to apply friction to the backing plate to prevent over revving of the buffing pad when the tool is pulled away from a car body panel but not turned off for safety reasons, (see above). It is also meant to help equalize the ratio of rotation and oscillation, that is it helps the pad to equally rotate and oscillate. Because this shroud makes physical contact with the hard surface of the backing plate there is a certain amount of abrasion, which causes the rubber to wear or break down. This is normal and expected wear and this part is replaceable. By lubrication the back of the backing plate the lubricant will dramatically reduce wear of the rubber shroud.
How to lubricate the rubber shroud on long-stroke orbital polishers
The Griot's BOSS 15 and BOSS 21 come with a tube of silicone grease that you can apply to the back of the baking plate.
It only takes a little to do the job.
RUPES BigFoot 15 and 21 do not come with a lubricant so choose a light grease if you want to lubricate the back of the backing plate.
For the record
I use the silicone grease on all of the long stroke polishers we use here at Autogeek. I do find it helps the tools to better maintain maximum and efficient pad rotation and pad oscillation.
Hope this helps....
This how-to article will show you how to lubricate the top of the backing plate that rubs against the rubber shroud on some long stroke orbital polishers. There is a design purpose for the rubber shroud to rub against the backing plate but his article is not about discussing the purpose of this design or the benefits or drawbacks of the design. It's merely to show you want to do.
That said, Todd Helme shared the original design purpose in post 14 of the below thread,
Post #14 Comply with European safety regulations
Todd Helme said:
Thank you Todd for providing accurate information on this topic to clear-up any confusion.
Why lubricate the back of the backing plate?
A small amount of silicone grease, or dielectric grease or any light duty grease for that matter, applied to the back of the backing plate on tools with rubber shrouds that make physical contact with the backing plate will do 2 things,
1: Reduce friction between the rubber shroud and the backing plate
This will enable the backing plate and thus the buffing pad to both rotate and oscillate freely. This will tend to enable the backing plate and buffing pad to rotate and oscillate at max performance for the speed setting selected on the tool.
2: Reduce wear to the rubber shroud
The original design, to my knowledge, is for the rubber shroud to apply friction to the backing plate to prevent over revving of the buffing pad when the tool is pulled away from a car body panel but not turned off for safety reasons, (see above). It is also meant to help equalize the ratio of rotation and oscillation, that is it helps the pad to equally rotate and oscillate. Because this shroud makes physical contact with the hard surface of the backing plate there is a certain amount of abrasion, which causes the rubber to wear or break down. This is normal and expected wear and this part is replaceable. By lubrication the back of the backing plate the lubricant will dramatically reduce wear of the rubber shroud.
How to lubricate the rubber shroud on long-stroke orbital polishers
The Griot's BOSS 15 and BOSS 21 come with a tube of silicone grease that you can apply to the back of the baking plate.
It only takes a little to do the job.
RUPES BigFoot 15 and 21 do not come with a lubricant so choose a light grease if you want to lubricate the back of the backing plate.
For the record
I use the silicone grease on all of the long stroke polishers we use here at Autogeek. I do find it helps the tools to better maintain maximum and efficient pad rotation and pad oscillation.
Hope this helps....
