Need 3" backing plate and pads and an AIO

[JMak97008]

This would be a bit of the kettle calling the pot black^... FYI, the Griots polishers are made in China.



As far as the pads, If it was me, I’d go 2 White Correcting, 2 Orange Correcting, 2 Yellow Perfecting.

I have no use for a 3” finishing pad. But keep in mind that I apply lsp by hand. Either ways you’ll have 5” finishing pads. IMO the 3” ones are next to useless.

Also, I have no clue about the Torx polisher. It outta be the standard fare, but if for some reason it isn’t and doesn’t come with the standard 5/16ths spindle to attach to you’ll be screwed. If it was me I’d get the HF Polisher. You might be surprised at how good it is. IMO it’s even better than the GG6. Not to mention it’s a steal.

Why do you think so lowly of 3" pads? Whenever I use the 5" pads on mirrors or bumpers, much of the pad is not in not contact with something and I'm worried about slinging product.

 

[JMak97008]

Test the GG6 backing plate on the torq or the other way around. Then you now if the GG 3" backing plate will fit. The pads seems to be a good mix to test out which pads of them you like. It's depends much on how much you are going to use the torq 3" and the hardness of the clearcoat and what kind of swirls you are going to correct. I have stocked up with the same kind of color on the pads on my mini 3" polisher as I have on the 21mm longthrow polisher I have.

If I remember right your car was dark? Many like the HD Speed which has montan wax in it that makes dark color paints looks awesome. For the longevity a coat of the HD Poxy on top of Speed.

Yep, brilliant black pearl paint.

I've been debating between the D166 and HD Speed. I like the reviews of D166, but HD Speed seems like an all-around winner. I've got Megs UC, UP, and UW for when I want to go all in on a weekend detail. But I have so few of those weekends, so I'd like to be able to use an AIO in between to handle the light marring or scratches that occurs from frequent washing and drying, but also to refresh the wax/sealant.

 

[Eldorado2k]

Why do you think so lowly of 3" pads? Whenever I use the 5" pads on mirrors or bumpers, much of the pad is not in not contact with something and I'm worried about slinging product.

I don’t think lowly of 3” pads, that was a misunderstanding... I think lowly of 3” Finishing pads because I pretty much never use them, due to applying lsp by hand. As a matter of fact I don’t own any 3” finishing pads. The thought of needing them has never crossed my mind.

I don’t have any of these Griots 3” pads. I have the LC Thinpros. I like the Gray ones [which I assume are equivalent to the whites] for spots where I need heavy correcting in tight areas, but mostly their main time to shine is on headlight restoration. They do a superb job. The other 2 [orange & white] are cool, but they’re not the MVP like the little gray pads are.

 

[JMak97008]

I don’t think lowly of 3” pads, that was a misunderstanding... I think lowly of 3” Finishing pads because I pretty much never use them, due to applying lsp by hand. As a matter of fact I don’t own any 3” finishing pads. The thought of needing them has never crossed my mind.

I don’t have any of these Griots 3” pads. I have the LC Thinpros. I like the Gray ones [which I assume are equivalent to the whites] for spots where I need heavy correcting in tight areas, but mostly their main time to shine is on headlight restoration. They do a superb job. The other 2 [orange & white] are cool, but they’re not the MVP like the little gray pads are.

Ok, I've changed my mind and think that I am going with this:

Griots Garage 3 inch HD Backing Plate
Griots Garage 3 inch BOSS Foam and Microfiber Pads - 6 Pack

Pad 1 : Microfiber
Pad 2 : White Correcting
Pad 3 : White Correcting
Pad 4 : Orange Correcting
Pad 5 : Orange Correcting
Pad 6 : Yellow Perfecting

 

[Eldorado2k]

Need 3" backing plate and pads and an AIO

Ok, I've changed my mind and think that I am going with this:

Griots Garage 3 inch HD Backing Plate
Griots Garage 3 inch BOSS Foam and Microfiber Pads - 6 Pack

Pad 1 : Microfiber
Pad 2 : White Correcting
Pad 3 : White Correcting
Pad 4 : Orange Correcting
Pad 5 : Orange Correcting
Pad 6 : Yellow Perfecting

I think that’s a solid selection that should get you through nearly any situation that comes your way.

P.s. Now that you’re armed with a 3” package, you might want to look into messing around trying to test your skills at restoring some headlights. It’s fun and also rewarding + there’s never a shortage of people you know driving around with jacked up hazy headlights. Whether you do someone you know [just a friend, family member, or even potential gf] a favor and quikly restore their headlights the response you’ll get is usually very pleased.

It’s 1 of the easiest ways to boost your profits on a detail. Especially when you add the words “you know you can get a ticket for having your headlights all hazy like that” lol.

McKee’s AIO Headlight Restoring Polish is nice to have in your back pocket because when it works it works Fast!

Next step up is the 3” sanding discs which can be found in something like the 3M Headlight Restoration Kit, or even the Meguiars Heavy Duty Restoring Kit. It’s alot simpler than you’d think and the results are legit night/day. Good luck and have fun.

 

[JMak97008]

Re: Need 3" backing plate and pads and an AIO

I think that’s a solid selection that should get you through nearly any situation that comes your way.

P.s. Now that you’re armed with a 3” package, you might want to look into messing around trying to test your skills at restoring some headlights. It’s fun and also rewarding + there’s never a shortage of people you know driving around with jacked up hazy headlights. Whether you do someone you know [just a friend, family member, or even potential gf] a favor and quikly restore their headlights the response you’ll get is usually very pleased.��

It’s 1 of the easiest ways to boost your profits on a detail. Especially when you add the words “you know you can get a ticket for having your headlights all hazy like that” lol.

McKee’s AIO Headlight Restoring Polish is nice to have in your back pocket because when it works it works Fast!

Next step up is the 3” sanding discs which can be found in something like the 3M Headlight Restoring Kit, or even the Meguiars Heavy Duty Restoring Kit. It’s alot simpler than you’d think and the results are legit night/day. Good luck and have fun.

Thanks...I've always had a question about headlights...when I use a compound or even something like the McKee's AIO, do I have to re-clear coat or re-do the aio at some point in the future? I know with the 3M kit I would because I am removing the clear coat...

 

[Eldorado2k]

Need 3" backing plate and pads and an AIO

Thanks...I've always had a question about headlights...when I use a compound or even something like the McKee's AIO, do I have to re-clear coat or re-do the aio at some point in the future? I know with the 3M kit I would because I am removing the clear coat...

Yes. And I can tell you that a simple AIO ain’t gonna cut it. [if you think an AIO’s protection is weak on paint, it’s even weaker when it comes to protecting headlights] IMO the subject of post headlight restoration protection is a whole little genre of its own.. I’m by no means an expert, but I’m also not a guy who walks away after polishing some headlights back to perfection only to leave them with a little layer of the weakest protection that’ll have them hazed back up in a matter of weeks.

This is the bare minimum I feel alright leaving my work behind. [for lack of a better word. You know what I’m trying to say, right? Lol]

I wouldn’t be able to walk away and get payed even if I don’t charge full high retail price for headlights knowing I left them with anything less than that level of protection. I’ve been meaning to give D-Lux some consideration.

..And it’s not that a sealant can’t do the job of protecting them post restoration, it’s that you won’t be around to constantly re apply it in order to maintain protection, which will result in them back to where they started, looking like crap, along with your rep.

 

[MarkD51]

Yep, brilliant black pearl paint.

I've been debating between the D166 and HD Speed. I like the reviews of D166, but HD Speed seems like an all-around winner. I've got Megs UC, UP, and UW for when I want to go all in on a weekend detail. But I have so few of those weekends, so I'd like to be able to use an AIO in between to handle the light marring or scratches that occurs from frequent washing and drying, but also to refresh the wax/sealant.

Not trying to totally veer off topic, but if time is often tight for you, but desire lasting protection where you can rejuvenate the look of your car with not much work. And also considerably lessen the frequency that polishing would be needed to deal with the light marring and swirls that occur during washing, maybe you might want to consider a more durable ceramic coating rather than Sealants?

Add also that the vehicle is black, it would be a protection product I myself would be seriously considering.

 

[MarkD51]

Re: Need 3" backing plate and pads and an AIO

Thanks...I've always had a question about headlights...when I use a compound or even something like the McKee's AIO, do I have to re-clear coat or re-do the aio at some point in the future? I know with the 3M kit I would because I am removing the clear coat...

It will largely depend upon the initial condition of your headlights? If they are in decent shape, there may not be a need to go hog wild on them and then compromise the UV Coating that exists on them. Just a very light polish with very mild products will bring them back very nicely without a need of coatings after. Although a durable coating, such as something like Carpro CQuartz DLX surely wouldn't hurt them.

 

[dlc95]

I don’t think lowly of 3” pads, that was a misunderstanding... I think lowly of 3” Finishing pads because I pretty much never use them, due to applying lsp by hand. As a matter of fact I don’t own any 3” finishing pads. The thought of needing them has never crossed my mind.

Same here.

My 3" pad selection:

Megs 3" plate
Or
Lake Country 3" plate

4 LC Microfiber
4 LC Cyan Hydrotech
4 LC Tangerine Hydrotech

I also have a couple crimson from before I realized I wouldn't need them.

I'm not well acquainted with the Griot's line, but it gets some rave reviews all over the industry.

 

[dlc95]

Get this. It’s all you need.

Meguiar?s D166 Ultra Polishing Wax

The detailer I hire to help me on big jobs uses this a lot at his day job (Mercedes dealership) and has been doing some excellent work with it.

He likes that he can use it with just about any pad in his arsenal to get the desired results.

I'll have to try it again. I'll just need a nose clip.

 

[Finick]

I also have a couple crimson from before I realized I wouldn't need them.

I’ve always wanted 1 or 2 3-4” finishing pads so I could use them with a tool dedicated to smaller pads, and fit them into a paste wax tin so I could machine apply that as well.

although lately I’ve wondered if it would just be easier to take a foam applicator and load it up and transfer it to the finishing pad. The smaller pad just seems like it would be less wasteful.

I really hate applying stuff by hand lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Eldorado2k]

Need 3" backing plate and pads and an AIO

I’ve always wanted 1 or 2 3-4” finishing pads so I could use them with a tool dedicated to smaller pads, and fit them into a paste wax tin so I could machine apply that as well.


I really hate applying stuff by hand lol

I’ll share a funny story..

During the filming of the Competition Ready episode, there were a couple of moments that I was a part of that I knew were a guaranteed slam dunk to make the final cut. 1 of those moments was when I [for who knows what reason] wound up with one of the two 3”Griots polishers when it came time to lay down the finishing coat of wax on AJ’s Pontiac Firebird.

So there I was, no big deal I thought, until I realized that AJ had grabbed the other polisher and suddenly we’re on opposite sides of the roof machine applying the wax on her car and the cameras were focused in on us making sure to catch every second of it.

That’s when I said to myself “holy crap how’d I get myself in this situation”? Lol. Never in my life had I applied a finishing sealant or wax via machine, and all I could think about was what a complete noob I could wind up looking like here! Lol. I was nervous as heck!

At the same time I was trying to fight off a bit of emotion because I couldn’t help but think about how a normL guy like me was actually going to be on TV next to all these big timers. Just a normL guy who’s always had a passion for detailing and I wound up lucky enough to take part in that.. It felt like I had reached the pinnacle of detailing during that moment [that may sound corny to some, but I don’t care]

Here I am opposite AJ, doing my best to look the part. Lol. I had never applied wax with a polisher before this moment in this picture.lol. [AIO’s don’t count]

That might very well be the 1st and last time I ever apply wax with a polisher... I hated it!lol. [I liked being part of that moment, but I hated having to apply the wax with a machine. I dunno, it just doesn’t feel right to me]

 

[Finick]

Re: Need 3" backing plate and pads and an AIO

snip

That's a pretty neat story, and a pretty cool milestone to reach. I think in any hobby it's great to feel like you've "made it" and that can certainly take it's own shape or meaning to anyone. Whether it be meeting a certain detailer, having them give you a nod of respect, or working alongside them.

One of my primary passions will always be training.. and while I'll probably never feel like I "made it" at any point, whether it be training milestones (i'm looking at you, 500lb squat, stop bein RUDE) or competition milestones, I'd still love to meet the people that have helped me along the way. Starting Strength coaches (credit to Jordan and Austin, even tho they're not longer SS coaches), older powerlifters who have plenty of wisdom to share, and just about anyone who keeps up to date with the current wealth of knowledge that's contained in the various studies both disproving current nonsense and proving that the tried and true methods work. Just sitting across from any of these people would probably be very surreal!

About applying LSP by machine: The only one I really have that's conducive to this is megs ULW. I seem to get the smearing effect after using it, no matter how thin of an application I put on, which irritates me a great deal. This leads me to really not wax with it as often as I should, even though it takes minimal time to apply by machine. What's funny is that from what I've read just waiting it out will allow for the "streaks" to go away on their own, but I've never been able to let it go lol.

So more often than not it's simply an ONR wash + spray wax application, because I just haven't found a wax I'm really happy with. A better applicator would probably also go a long way for me enjoying to do it by hand. Those little yellow ones are just so painful to use, lol.

 

[Eldorado2k]

Re: Need 3" backing plate and pads and an AIO

A better applicator would probably also go a long way for me enjoying to do it by hand. Those little yellow ones are just so painful to use, lol.

I’ve got 4 Meguiars yellow applicators coming my way right now, among a couple of other things from AG. Have you tried the Megs applicators? [I’m guessing you have since you have a bottle of ULW. But if you haven’t you might want to give them a try, they’re clearly a notch above any others I’ve tried.

 

[JMak97008]

Thanks, guys...I'm gonna take advantage of the current sale AG is running to get some pads, backing plate, and D166 or HD Speed, haven't quite figured that one out, yet. I'm a Megs liquid guy, but someone else said the HD Speed has some ingredient for black paint, so...

 

[JMak97008]

Same here.

My 3" pad selection:

Megs 3" plate
Or
Lake Country 3" plate

4 LC Microfiber
4 LC Cyan Hydrotech
4 LC Tangerine Hydrotech

I also have a couple crimson from before I realized I wouldn't need them.

I'm not well acquainted with the Griot's line, but it gets some rave reviews all over the industry.

Are the hydrotechs durable? I thought I read that they tended to wear out quickly...

 

[JMak97008]

I am wondering if the Griot's 3" backing plate will fit on the Chemical Guys TORQX polisher...Chemical Guys website says that their chemical guys 3" backing plate will fit on DA machine that accepts 5/16’’ - 24 spindle thread accessories, including the TORQ10FX, TORQX. So...

 

[Eldorado2k]

So...

So call them and ask.

 

[JMak97008]

So call them and ask.

Call? In 2018?? Lol...