Piece of Junk

Setec Astronomy said:
Before this gets out of hand, I went and looked at another forum I used to spend time on, to refresh my memory about the "gear" problem. Turns out I wasn't remembering it quite right, it was a shaft breakage issue from late 2008. I'll cut and paste because I don't want to link to the other forum:

"I just finished this repair to my Flex yesterday! What has happened is at the bottom of the well that the shaft goes in, is a small needle bearing cage that is not lubed from the factory. That fails and over heats the shaft weakening the inner snap ring, once that loses its spring tension the shaft will come out or seizes up. any flex user, if your metal housing is get HOT while using, you have the same problem!!! ( it will get warm ) the parts cost about $60 with shipping and it takes about 30 min to do the repair. Be sure and lube the needle bearings before reassembling with a synthetic grease ( green grease works great ) If I have this problem again I'm going to replace the needle bearing with a bronze bushing like every other buffer or polisher I've ever worked on."

And another poster:

"I heard back from them [the distributor] today, he said just what [the first poster] said. The needle bearing was replaced and lubed and they are sending it back out. My warranty was up 2 months ago but they are doing it under warranty anyway."

So it seems this was an early build issue that was corrected.
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You are AG's encyclopedia..appreciate the info.
 
BobbyG said:
Hey Johny,

Pad Sizes

The Porter Cable 7424 style dual action polisher should come standard with 5 1/2 inch pads and corresponding backing plate. All of the Porter Cable’s I’ve seen even indicates this on the counterweight, note Use 5 inch Pad Only...…

Porter_Cable_7424_spec.jpg
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Hi'
I agree100% with you BobbyG but when you are a newbie and before ordering you see a Porter Cable kit having 6.5" pads you cannot guess that they recommend using 5" pads nor that it is marked on the counterweight.I think AG should add a note when offering this kit.:iagree:
Johny
 
The counter weights only apply to sanding disks. They do not apply to foam pads. You can use 4" pads without changing the 5" counter weight as you can use 6" pads. Most will agree that a 5" backing plate with a 5.5" pad works better with a Porter Cable.
Johny B said:
Hi'
I agree100% with you BobbyG but when you are a newbie and before ordering you see a Porter Cable kit having 6.5" pads you cannot guess that they recommend using 5" pads nor that it is marked on the counterweight.I think AG should add a note when offering this kit.:iagree:
Johny
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Setec Astronomy said:
Before this gets out of hand, I went and looked at another forum I used to spend time on, to refresh my memory about the "gear" problem. Turns out I wasn't remembering it quite right, it was a shaft breakage issue from late 2008. I'll cut and paste because I don't want to link to the other forum:

"I just finished this repair to my Flex yesterday! What has happened is at the bottom of the well that the shaft goes in, is a small needle bearing cage that is not lubed from the factory. That fails and over heats the shaft weakening the inner snap ring, once that loses its spring tension the shaft will come out or seizes up. any flex user, if your metal housing is get HOT while using, you have the same problem!!! ( it will get warm ) the parts cost about $60 with shipping and it takes about 30 min to do the repair. Be sure and lube the needle bearings before reassembling with a synthetic grease ( green grease works great ) If I have this problem again I'm going to replace the needle bearing with a bronze bushing like every other buffer or polisher I've ever worked on."

And another poster:

"I heard back from them [the distributor] today, he said just what [the first poster] said. The needle bearing was replaced and lubed and they are sending it back out. My warranty was up 2 months ago but they are doing it under warranty anyway."

So it seems this was an early build issue that was corrected.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the clarification, seems my memory has failed me again. It is not my intention to spread misinformation. My humble apologies. :o
 
I think the PC is a quality product, I am pleased with my new one.
 
BobbyG said:
A look inside......

Broken_Shaft.jpg
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Short of totally opening up my PC, I'll be dipped if I can figure out (for sure) how and what the "Mating Part" (your words in the upper left corner 'yellow') does connect to.

I looked as best as I could, and it appears to just be a press fit with the edges squished over.

To bad PC's diagrams are leaving a bit to ones imagination.

I think I see a massive Google search coming on...

Bill
 
BillE said:
Short of totally opening up my PC, I'll be dipped if I can figure out (for sure) how and what the "Mating Part" (your words in the upper left corner 'yellow') does connect to.

I looked as best as I could, and it appears to just be a press fit with the edges squished over.

To bad PC's diagrams are leaving a bit to ones imagination.

I think I see a massive Google search coming on...

Bill
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I would love for someone to donate their broken 7424XP in the name of science in order to dissect and determine the root cause if the failure and hopefully a corrective action....:props:

I even checked EBay for a broken or junked one but nada....
 
BobbyG said:
I would love for someone to donate their broken 7424XP in the name of science in order to dissect and determine the root cause if the failure and hopefully a corrective action.
Click to expand...

This is one difference between an engineered product and just a product. With an engineering product, the maker will follow the history of the product and make improvements based upon issues seen. I have to believe adding $5 of parts to some of the polishers would dramatically improve reliability.
 
Bunky said:
This is one difference between an engineered product and just a product. With an engineering product, the maker will follow the history of the product and make improvements based upon issues seen. I have to believe adding $5 of parts to some of the polishers would dramatically improve reliability.
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Amen to that Al!! :props:
 
BillE said:
I found some info (picture wise). I'm rather hesitant to try and post any pics (copyright etc.)

Anyway, the site is, Repair Parts for All Major Brands - DIY Repair | eReplacementParts.com . As on the PC, there is only one perspective view, but may help the mind get around it.

Looks to actually just be a press fit (and a prayer?).

Bill
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Hi Bill,

I saw this too. The piece does look like it's pressed into the two ball bearings. In some cases it's very common to use Loctite 271 shaft lock to secure it.

My question is what this piece connects to? What piece or mechanism transfers the energy and motion to the threaded shaft giving it motion?
 
BobbyG said:
Hi Bill,

I saw this too. The piece does look like it's pressed into the two ball bearings. In some cases it's very common to use Loctite 271 shaft lock to secure it.

My question is what this piece connects to? What piece or mechanism transfers the energy and motion to the threaded shaft giving it motion?
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Gotcha!

I'll do some more lookin' and see what I can see. Isn't that something like the 'bear went over the mountain'?

Bill
 
BobbyG said:
Hi Bill,

I saw this too. The piece does look like it's pressed into the two ball bearings. In some cases it's very common to use Loctite 271 shaft lock to secure it.

My question is what this piece connects to? What piece or mechanism transfers the energy and motion to the threaded shaft giving it motion?
Click to expand...
Do you mean what actually makes the pad spin...is that the threaded shaft your talking about??? Sorry...coming into this a little late and don't want to read the entire thread.
 
DaveT435 said:
Do you mean what actually makes the pad spin...is that the threaded shaft your talking about??? Sorry...coming into this a little late and don't want to read the entire thread.
Click to expand...

Yup. Go back a page, there is a picture Bobby posted.

Bill
 
I think I have it figured out!

Starting at the ‘pad end’, under the counter weight there is a rubber worm. This (the worm) holds the threaded part (along with the bearing) that holds the pad into/onto the eccentric thingie. Then this whole assembly is held in place with a washer and screw on to shaft. So I guess in a nutshell it is the rubber worm that holds ‘that’ part.

This kinda makes me think that the pictures we have seen over the past year or so of the ‘threaded part’ where is looks to have sheared off. Could it be that the ‘rubber worm’ has departed in some way? I could see if one was to remove the counter weight (for whatever reason), this ‘worm’ could be the culprit.

Bill
 
Here is another schematic that is a little different. You can put your cursor over parts and magnify them...not sure if it will help. Seems to me that there are gears that aren't shown in the schematics...it's called a gear shaft and I don't see any gears... it looks to me like the part that broke on his machine was #14 which says it's a spacer bearing. Not #11 which is the gear shaft. The gear shaft seems to be hollow. If this doesn't make any sense sorry...bad pain day so lots of meds lol
Porter Cable 7424XP Parts | Porter Cable 7424XP Electric Sander & Polisher Repair Parts | Porter Cable 7424XP Parts Diagram

oops...the gear shaft seems to be solid...
 
Has anyone considered that a hollow core might have something to do with dispersion of heat?

Just a thought, but a solid core might retain too much heat.
 
PeTrol42 said:
OK, you guys convinced me with the Lifetime Warranty.

I'm getting a Griot's Garage.

Psshh, and Porter Cable is supposed to be a quality brand. What a joke. After looking at how thin that spindle is, I'm never buying Porter Cable anything. $130 bucks down the drain.
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Porter Cable is a quality brand. It designs and manufactures it's own tools. They have to hire workers to build it. Griot's just buys Chinese-made polishers in bulk and adds their own sticker. The reason they offer a lifetime warranty is because they don't have to pay costs for designing, building, and manufacturing the tool. So when it breaks, they just give you a new one.

Check out some Chinese export sites, they have the DAS-6 and DAS-6 Pro polishers for sale in bulk. If I wanted, I could buy 1000 units tomorrow, have them add my name to them and start selling myself if I wanted.

Look, I bought a Griots. It's the most powerful polisher. That doesn't mean it's a quality piece of equipment. Remember, Porter Cable is what started this DA craze. The old Meguiars G100 units were direct knock-offs. The only mistake Porter Cable does is, they don't pay attention to detailing forums. And I'm friends with many detailers, I've found more Griots fail in their hands than any other DA polisher. So while the lifetime warranty is great, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a quality product.

Please mods, this is not a competing site. But an export/import global trade site that a lot of corporations and companies use to buy products for sale. Now I'm only providing these links not to make you "buy" from there, but to show you that companies like Shurhold, Griots, DAS-6. Concours don't manufacture their own tools at all. Look familiar don't they?

Electric Dual Action Car Polisher - Ce Csa Approvals - Buy Dual Action Car Polisher,Dual Action Polisher,Random Orbit Polisher Product on Alibaba.com

Da Polisher - Buy Dual Action Polisher,Dual Action Polisher,Auto Polisher Product on Alibaba.com

I'd buy Porter Cable over the rest in a heartbeat, but I wish that the unit was slightly more powerful.
 
I think most know the many polishers are made in China just like many other products but the polisher should be judged on its actual merits (good or bad) and not just by where it is made.

The same has been tried with microfiber from China.
 
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