NEW FLEX XCE 3401 Corded and Cordless Polishers!

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Mike Phillips

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NEW FLEX XCE 3401 Corded and Cordless Polishers!



With permission from FLEX North America, I am excited to announce that our Autogeek Roadshow Detailing Class in Auburn, Indiana this weekend, hosted by Mike Liebing of PRAXIS Detailing at the Kruse Museum, this will be the FIRST detailing class that will get to use the NEW Production Design of the FLEX XCE 3401 Corded and Cordless Polishers!


That's right! There's a handful of these tools out in different parts of the world for testing but this will be the FIRST detailing class where these tools are introduced to the public!


Thank You FLEX!


I've also been given permission to share pictures of my personal production units that until now, I have kept under wraps per FLEX Germany and FLEX North America.


I was so excited when they arrived I took a picture of the two boxes in my office.

NewFLEXXC_003.JPG





Here's the NEW chassis design for the Corded and Cordless FLEX XCE 3401s

Note the ALUMINUM Head has been removed.

NewFLEXXC_004.JPG





Production Design - Cordless FLEX XCE 3401

NewFLEXXC_005.JPG




This is #11 for the production design FLEX XCE 8 18.0 - Numbering starts at 01000

NewFLEXXC_006.JPG


NewFLEXXC_007.JPG




Note also the RED 5" backing plate. This is will be the factory installed backing plate for both polishers. A 6" backing plate will also be available.

NewFLEXXC_008.JPG





Here's the other new FLEX tool everyone has been waiting for! The FLEX XCE 10-8 125

This tool chassis is the same as the battery operated version. Note the aluminum shroud has been removed. This makes the tool lighter and reduces heat.

NewFLEXXC_009.JPG




This is #09 for the production design FLEX XCE 10-8 125 - Numbering starts at 01000

NewFLEXXC_010.JPG





Like the cordless FLEX XCE 8-18, the new design for the FLEX 10-8 125 will also come from the factory with the RED 5" backing plate. A 6" backing plate will also be available.

NewFLEXXC_011.JPG


NewFLEXXC_012.JPG





So the big question is????

When we they be available?


FLEX told me yesterday, the production units are expected to be in the U.S. in the next 4-5 weeks. There will be a limited number of polishers and they will be sold on a first-come, first serve basis.


Autogeek.com will be taking pre-orders.


:)
 
:updated:


Here's the store page for the CORDLESS FLEX 3401 on Autogeek.com


FLEX XCE 3401 Cordless Polisher



There's not a way on the above page to place a pre-order so check back often in you want one because there's a limited number of tools coming over in the first shipment and they will be sold on a first-to-order, first to get basis.



Autogeek Customer Care


1-800-869-3011


p.s.


I don't see a page for the NEW CORDED FLEX 3401, (see my pictures above). Could be it's not being introduced yet. I'll update with anything I find out.




:)
 
 
That's cool
My question is why do they both have lower RPM specs vs the 480 RPM of the 3401?
Is it still 10 orbits per?

And what did they do to improve this red BP?
 
We all faithful 3401VRG owners should be able to use the 5 inch backing plate from the new machine, since one never existed before now.....or did I miss something in my sleep.
Alas backwards compatibility probably doesn't drive sales
 
I love my 3401 for sure, if the new corded SUPER BEAST has the same specs as the 3401, it is a must have!

10 years later and still curse at myself for occasionally setting the 3401’s Metal shroud on my leg or arm or skin somewhere.

This appears to have copied the Finisher’s ergonomics, which I feel are superior and well engineered!!
 
Right, so will the backing plates between the old 3401 be compatible with the new ones?
 
Awesome Mike, congratulations on the new additions. :props:

I haven’t seen nor touched one of these beauties yet (obviously) but I can feel them in my hands . . . :buffing:
I cannot think of any good reasons why I shouldn’t add these to my arsenal.

I look forward to hearing/reading your thoughts on these after some time behind them Mike.


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:
 
dcjredline said:
Right, so will the backing plates between the old 3401 be compatible with the new ones?
Click to expand...


Dr Oldz said:
No
Click to expand...



spazzz said:
Another go figure moment
Click to expand...


spazzz,

It's not an engineering mistake, it's simply a new engineered design.


It had to be changed. It's not like a group of people sat in a room an found a way to make the design DIFFERENT just to screw people out of being able to use an OLD backing plate on a NEW tool.

Besides the fact that this is normal anytime you improve and upgrade things in the world, (anyone have an old iPhone or iPad that they CANNOT update the software?), backing plates wear out. Specifically the velcro HOOKS on the backing plate wear out. anyone that uses any tool that uses a velcro interface on the backing plate, (about 99.9% of all orbital polishers), has had to, or will need to, at some point throw away the original backing plate and purchase a REPLACEMENT - because everything wears out, even you and I.


Everyone LOVES the new design but it means things have changed. (for the better).


So "no" the original backing plate design for the original design of the FLEX 3401 (with the ALUMINUM SHROUD), will not fit the NEW DESIGN of the new FLEX 3401 with the lightweight, PLASTIC SHROUD.


I'll take pictures to show the differences and I think most people that are FLEX users will agree, the new design is how they say,


New and improved!


:)
 
spazzz said:
We all faithful 3401VRG owners should be able to use the 5 inch backing plate from the new machine, since one never existed before now.....or did I miss something in my sleep.

Alas backwards compatibility probably doesn't drive sales
Click to expand...


The factory installed backing plate for the new cordless CBEAST will be 5 inches. This allows for a smaller pad and improves the efficiency of the tool for both correction and polishing work and also allows longer battery life of the tool.

There will be a 6" backing plate available for those that want to use a larger pad. I guess you could say, for those that want to work less efficient and have shorter battery life.


Here's the deal, I've used the cordless version of the CBEAST with both the 6" and 5" backing plates and thus I've used it with both 6.5" pads, (Lake Country 6.5" Force Hybrid pads), and 6" pads, (the Buff & Shine Uro-Tech pads), and the smaller pads work much better in my opinion and experience.

Everyone can do as they will and figure out what works best for them but I'm on board with FLEX and their decision to sell the tool with the 5" backing plate installed versus the 6" backing plate.



:)
 
Mike@ShineStruck said:
That's cool

My question is why do they both have lower RPM specs vs the 480 RPM of the 3401?
Click to expand...

One of the main goals was to remove the aluminum shroud to eliminate heat, (plus weight), so with the re-design there are

Every tool is designed differently including the gears, bearings, motors, air baffles, chassis, etc. The engineers have to take into consideration all aspects of running tool performance and then design the characteristics of the tool for maximum performance. The lower RPM speed for the cordless tools is to maximize tool and battery efficiency. If the engineers knew the tool would perform to specs and expectations of the users at the higher RPM they would have created it this way, but they didn't.


FLEX History
When the first XC 3401 was introduced, there were 3 evolutions of the backing plate. It's called a rolling change to improve the efficiency and performance of the tool. It's a good thing.





Mike@ShineStruck said:
Is it still 10 orbits per?
Click to expand...

According to my original article on this topic, at least for the original FLEX 3401 I counted 11 orbits.

How many orbits are there in one rotation for the Flex 3401?




Mike@ShineStruck said:
And what did they do to improve this red BP?
Click to expand...


This is where a picture tells a thousand words. Hang tight, my 1,500 pound pallet of tools and products that we used at the Auburn, Indiana Roadshow Class is supposed to be here today. I probably won't unpack it until Monday. My #9 and #11 tools are packed in a tote on that pallet at the very bottom.


When I get them un-packed I'll take them apart and take pictures to show the Tab & Slot design and when you see this - you'll see why it's better and also why it will take all the lateral force off of the bolts that hold the backing plate to the drive interface for the backing plate.


:)
 
So, will flex continue producing the current 3401, or should I buy a 3rd one before I can’t get them anymore?
 
Thanks Mike for taking your time to answer everyones questions!!! That is greatly appreciated by many I am sure.

I wasnt so much thinking about an old backing plate fitting on a new machine, I was considering a new backing plate for my old machine. Something the engineers for SURE didnt want to consider lol. They want everyone to keep buying the new stuff not keep the old. I realize that.
 
Mike Phillips said:
Hang tight, my 1,500 pound pallet of tools and products that we used at the Auburn, Indiana Roadshow Class is supposed to be here today.

I probably won't unpack it until Monday.
Click to expand...


Great news!

Our pallet has landed....


Thank you Lucas!


Here's Lucas bringing the pallet to the garage....

auburnpalletback_01.JPG


auburnpalletback_02.JPG




Always nice, always ready to help - thank you Lucas!

auburnpalletback_03.JPG




Anyone want to help me unpack 1,500 pounds of tools and products?

auburnpalletback_04.JPG




Still won't get to unpacking it until next week.


:dunno:
 
Thanks Mike for answering my sarcastic comments.
I got caught up in the moment and you handled it very professionlly

I still wish they had a legit 5 inch backing plate for the VRG.
 
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