New Addition to Polisher Arsenal - Pray to save my old 3401!

[Tato]

Well, I've finally found an excuse to order this machine!

My actual Flex 3401 'Signed by Mike Phillips' died in the middle of a work from unrecognized cause this weekend.

In fact, it started presenting problems 6 months after purchase. At first, I've detected a problem in the wire and switched the cord, that solved the issue. After few weeks, it stopped working again.

That time I've switched the carbon Brushes, and it came back to life! A week later (2 days ago), it stopped again and now I'm thinking about a 'trigger related' issue. I don't know, need to repair. But now I will not (can't as well!) try to solve by my own, I need professional assistance.

Just sad it's a Flex Tool and didn't last 1 year without presenting incapacitant defects. Those problems occurring in the middle of a work is not what you expect from such.

However, I have an extensive detailing schedule to accomplish the following weeks / months. Being without the Flex 3401 would be 'suicide' to my business.

Knowing that looking for warranty and/or proper repair would take a lot of time, I've started moving sticks pretty fast here, and pulled the trigger on a spare 3401 unit!

It costed $1000 locally, but since this polisher is the basis of my work, it worth it's weight in gold.

The new Flex I've ordered is 230V, so it differs a bit from my 'old one' in the looks, it has red details. Beautiful!

Luckily my brother was able to rush and get the product in person - he sent this picture to me:

When it arrived, from left to right: the New 3401, the Signed 3401 and the Rupes 21. It looks like already part of the family!

My best will is to repair my Signed 3401 soon as possible and benefit of owning 2 of them already paired with different backing plate sizes to get the job done. You can never have too many!

I really miss the 'Roar' of my Signed 3401, I sincerely wish some prays to help me solving this issue as soon as possible.

Do you have any suggestion for repair?

Thank you very much in advance for support,

Kind Regards.

 

[Corey@OptimalDetailing]

No suggestions here, just wanted to let you know how jealous I am of all your machines!

 

[Tato]

LOL!, you can blame Mike Phillips,

Credits: Picture from this thread: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...ality-production-detailing-mike-phillips.html

Since I saw this picture it sticked to my head... Having 6.5" and 5" hybrids ready to rock must be gorgeous. Just need to find a way to put Signed Flex back to work...

Thanks for support,

Kind Regards.

 

[trekkeruss]

The new Flex I've ordered is 230V, so it differs a bit from my 'old one' in the looks, it has red details. Beautiful!

That hyper-red is HAWT! Congrats on the new addition!

 

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Just wanted to let you know how jealous I am of all your machines!

:iagree:

Congrats Rafael! Jealous here as well!

 

[Tato]

Thank you, I'll update if I manage to fix my Signed Flex!

Kind Regards.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Sorry to hear your Flex 3401 is down at the time. Bob Eichelberg is my VIP guest this weekend at my Detailing Boot Camp Class and I'll talk to him about this and even show him this thread and see what can be done.

I agree with you on the workhorse comment... I punish these tools all the time and knock on wood they just keep taking the beating I give them...


Last weekend I buffed out both a Nova and a Chrysler and for the major correction step I used the LC Orange Hybrid pads on the 6.0 speed setting for both cars to remove all the swirls and scratches and the tool worked flawlessly.

This weekend I have a 1965 Plymouth Belvedere II coming in that has paint just as bad if not worse than the recent Alfa Romeo project and I've dedicated this car as the training car for my class when we use the Flex 3401.

The car should arrive on Friday and I'll be sure to take good before and after pictures.

 

[EVOlved]

Rafael,

The signed one is a regular 110 volt?? We're you using a converter with it? Just wondering why so many failures in such a short period.

 

[Justin at Final Inspection]

Sorry to hear bud! Hope you can get her back to doing what she does best and that's removing swirls! At least you have a spare for the time being.

 

[Tato]

Sorry to hear your Flex 3401 is down at the time. Bob Eichelberg is my VIP guest this weekend at my Detailing Boot Camp Class and I'll talk to him about this and even show him this thread and see what can be done.

I agree with you on the workhorse comment... I punish these tools all the time and knock on wood they just keep taking the beating I give them...


Last weekend I buffed out both a Nova and a Chrysler and for the major correction step I used the LC Orange Hybrid pads on the 6.0 speed setting for both cars to remove all the swirls and scratches and the tool worked flawlessly.

This weekend I have a 1965 Plymouth Belvedere II coming in that has paint just as bad if not worse than the recent Alfa Romeo project and I've dedicated this car as the training car for my class when we use the Flex 3401.

The car should arrive on Friday and I'll be sure to take good before and after pictures.

Wow, knowing how much I love my Signed 3401 I was really touched by your comment. Thanks a lot for support. I'll be looking forward to watch your recent work release.

Although I had void warranty for ordering the tool from outside the USA, I was not worried at all because those tools are made to last. Small fixes like switching the wire or carbon brushes can be made locally, so that's not to be an issue.

Proof of my belief in Flex tools is up above in the pictures, I've rushed to get another one immediately after mine stopped. They are this good.

If I'm not able to repair my Signed Flex, be sure I'll switch the actual signed case to maintain the Signature on the new one!

Having already ordered a new one, I can ship my actual Signed Flex worldwide for specialized analysis and repair, if needed.

I just want to put it back in good shape, like the good 'old days!'.

Thanks you so much everyone helping me handle with this situation,

Kind Regards.

 

[Tato]

Rafael,

The signed one is a regular 110 volt?? We're you using a converter with it? Just wondering why so many failures in such a short period.

Thank you for opinion. My Signed 3401 is 110V however in my Garage (Brazil) we have both 110V and 220V normally in the line. I own many tools in 110V (like the Rupes 21), steamer, etc, and vacuum, air compressor in 220V.

Also, many other home appliances I have are 110V like computer, Marshall guitar Amplifier, etc... for more than 10 years.

I never used it on a transformer, just the pure and correct 110V outlet.

When it died for the last time, it almost worked, it did 'uóóo...' for 1 second, then stopped. I'm almost sure (by the feeling) it's a trigger problem, but I can't solve this by myself, and my area is not the easiest to find professional repair for this tool.

Sorry to hear bud! Hope you can get her back to doing what she does best and that's removing swirls! At least you have a spare for the time being.

Yes, having a spare put me back to work immediately, without any loss in quality and production.

I felt like 'naked' for the moments I was without 3401, it's very important for me to achieve the results I'm selling to my customers.

Thanks for support!

 

[Toxix]

I absolutely love my 3401.
Especially considering that I came from a PC 7424XP and then a GG6.

Threads like this have be a bit worried because I've noticed more of them creeping up about failures.
I understand that they are made in Germany and well built, etc etc but why are these units failing?

Another thing I've noticed is that last a year a competitor was selling the Flex 3401s with their own Lifetime warranty on the units. Looks like this is long gone and now not an option; Makes me wonder why this is no longer available: Did they have too many claims? Too many issues or failures?

Not trying to blow this out of proportion. Just a little bit of a worried customer as it is my bread and butter for the business that I run.

 

[Bunky]

Another thing I've noticed is that last a year a competitor was selling the Flex 3401s with their own Lifetime warranty on the units.

Any company that sells something like a power tool with a lifetime warranty needs to have deep pockets especially when you do not control the manufacturing of the product. It does not that many returns and covering post to add up on something you may sell for not that much profit.

 

[EVOlved]

I absolutely love my 3401.
Especially considering that I came from a PC 7424XP and then a GG6.

Threads like this have be a bit worried because I've noticed more of them creeping up about failures.
I understand that they are made in Germany and well built, etc etc but why are these units failing?

Another thing I've noticed is that last a year a competitor was selling the Flex 3401s with their own Lifetime warranty on the units. Looks like this is long gone and now not an option; Makes me wonder why this is no longer available: Did they have too many claims? Too many issues or failures?

Not trying to blow this out of proportion. Just a little bit of a worried customer as it is my bread and butter for the business that I run.

The company you speak of stopped selling them for a completely unrelated reason which was that flex the company was bought by a Chinese company and said distributor wants nothing to do with China. They want to be all American..

 

[Tato]

Thank you for opinions.

In fact, I see my case more as an isolated issue than a general consensus regarding the Flex Tools.

I've tried to search Flex 3401 Defect, Broke, trying to understand a bit more what happened but the only results you can find are defect removal on paint, the only thing it's braking are abrasives...

It's truly a workhorse.

It can also be MY fault, some misuse the way I press the trigger, why not?

In my defense I can say I've used a Meguiar's G220v2 for some time and sold it used (without any warranty) to a guy who's using it and loving the tool. No issue related to misuse. You can have a lifetime warranty but if tool needs repair and/or replacement frequently, no, thank you. I'm so sure it's not the case with Flex Tools because I've ordered another immediately after mine stopped. It's very unlikely this will happen twice with me.

I take good care of my tools and put efforts to handle it properly, lay it with care when finishing a panel, etc. They are expensive and very important to get the job done, any problem your tool may present during an extensive work sounds like a nightmare (at least for me), no?!

With that in mind, I try to use them the best way to keep distance from problems.

Whenever I manage to fix my Signed unit I'm expecting not only to work better and faster with both, but much more confident I'l be even more distant from trouble having a spare unit.

Again, thank you all for sharing this moment with me.

Kind Regards.

 

[Toxix]

Any company that sells something like a power tool with a lifetime warranty needs to have deep pockets especially when you do not control the manufacturing of the product. It does not that many returns and covering post to add up on something you may sell for not that much profit.

Deep pockets is definitely right. Also, this was the case for all of their polishers too - The Flex, The PC7424XP, Cylco, etc. But appears to have been pulled.

The company you speak of stopped selling them for a completely unrelated reason which was that flex the company was bought by a Chinese company and said distributor wants nothing to do with China. They want to be all American..

This is good information and peace of mind. I had no idea, thank you for clarifying.

Thank you for opinions.

In fact, I see my case more as an isolated issue than a general consensus regarding the Flex Tools.

I've tried to search Flex 3401 Defect, Broke, trying to understand a bit more what happened but the only results you can find are defect removal on paint, the only thing it's braking are abrasives...

It's truly a workhorse.

It can also be MY fault, some misuse the way I press the trigger, why not?

In my defense I can say I've used a Meguiar's G220v2 for some time and sold it used (without any warranty) to a guy who's using it and loving the tool. No issue related to misuse. You can have a lifetime warranty but if tool needs repair and/or replacement frequently, no, thank you. I'm so sure it's not the case with Flex Tools because I've ordered another immediately after mine stopped. It's very unlikely this will happen twice with me.

I take good care of my tools and put efforts to handle it properly, lay it with care when finishing a panel, etc. They are expensive and very important to get the job done, any problem your tool may present during an extensive work sounds like a nightmare (at least for me), no?!

With that in mind, I try to use them the best way to keep distance from problems.

Whenever I manage to fix my Signed unit I'm expecting not only to work better and faster with both, but much more confident I'l be even more distant from trouble having a spare unit.

Again, thank you all for sharing this moment with me.

Kind Regards.

Thanks for your detailed posts!
I'm really looking to add another Flex to my group, I want to see what they have under wraps first!