Supa BEAST and CBEAST Backing Plate Swap by Mike Phillips

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Supa BEAST and CBEAST Backing Plate Swap by Mike Phillips


BEAST_Pad_Options_05.JPG



The Supa Beast and the CBEAST will ship with a 4 7/8" backing plate. Let's just call it a 5" backing plate. There is an optional 5 3/4" backing plate, let's just call it a 6" backing plate.

Because of the power this tool provides, for my time I'm upgrading to the larger backing plate so I can turn and churn larger pads. Larger pads mean a bigger footprint and that's what I want when tackling any car and especially large vehicles. It's all about speed, the amount of time needed to go from start to finish WHILE maintaining pro-quality results.

I just swapped backing plates, here's some pictures to tell the story.


Here I've removed the factory backing plate.

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Here's the part number for the 6" backing plate.

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Allow me to point out the new features that lock the backing plate into the rotating shroud for a positive lock-up.

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The new design has these tabs formed into the backing plate.

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These tabs LOCK into matching slots on the rotating shroud. What this does is it takes ALL the pressure off the 3 bolts that hold the backing plate to the rotating shroud. No stress on the bolts. You get a solid, locked-up attachment of backing plate to rotating shroud.

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Tighten down bolts.

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Ready to PLOW PAINT!

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The Supa BEAST!

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Lots of plowing to do....

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ON AUTOGEEK.COM


FLEX XFE 7-15 6 inch Backing Plate



This backing plate fits the following FLEX tools

The SUPA BEAST

The CBEAST

The Cordless FINISHER

The Corded FINISHER




Mike Phillips recommended foam pads for the FLEX Family of BEAST 8mm Gear-Driven Orbital Polishers


Mike Phillips recommended foam pads for the FLEX Family of BEAST 8mm Gear-Driven Orbital Polishers

:)
 
Re: Supa BEAST backing plate swap

Mike, maybe I haven't been paying close enough attention, but is this the new 3401?
-Chris

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 
Re: Supa BEAST backing plate swap

Looks like a 3401 with a facelift. Looks like a more ergonomic body. Might make taming the beast a bit more comfortable. I would much rather have that new forward pad/handle on my 3401.
 
Re: Supa BEAST backing plate swap

WaxMaster1 said:
Mike, maybe I haven't been paying close enough attention, but is this the new 3401?

-Chris
Click to expand...


Yes.

Jim aka Dr. Olds coined the nickname Super BEAST to delineate between the normal BEAST or the FLEX XC 3401 VRG and the new BEAST which the part number is the FLEX XCE 10-8 125 - and here's the deal, NO ONE is going to call these tools by their part numbers. Not only do people, and by people I mean primarily guys, but "yes" there are more and more girls getting into the car detailing industry, but even they are not going to call tools by their part numbers. It's ridiculous.

Biggest mistake Makita made was to not give their gear-driven orbital polisher a cool nickname. Instead, it's known by it's part number and I'm probably the only guy that references it by it's complete part number either verbally or via the written word.


Somewhere no this forum Jim referred to the new 3401 as the Super Beast. I liked it but thought the slang version of the word Super was cooler. So instead of Super Beast it's the Supa BEAST! You all can call it whatever you want to but I think the term Supa BEAST has already stuck. Just like CBEAST has already stuck for the Cordless 3401 and just like the new PXE 80 is now being called the Pixie or the PiXiE.



FLEX_BEAST_Family_001.JPG


FLEX_BEAST_Family_002.JPG


FLEX_BEAST_Family_003.JPG


FLEX_BEAST_Family_004.JPG








From my write-up here,


NEW FLEX XCE 3401 Corded and Cordless Polishers!



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






The aluminum shroud is gone and now it's lightweight, cooler running plastic.

NewFLEXXC_007.JPG





:)
 
Re: Supa BEAST backing plate swap

Just to add....


This is also from my write up here,

NEW FLEX XCE 3401 Corded and Cordless Polishers!



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






This morning, I installed the 6" backing plate.


My write-ups are usually very thorough and detailed. I rarely leave anything out.




:)
 
Re: Supa BEAST backing plate swap

I might go for the cordless one!

I just bought for the first time some Rupes and Uro tech big 7" pads to use with my flex 3401 on my fathers truck. I was thinking the same as you. Trying to plow through it in 1 day start to finish. I figure with the 7" pads and Meguiars 1 step I should be able to get it done.

I know the beast can churn those big pads no problem. If anyone was wondering the new rupes show car polish for forced rotation machines works great.
 
Re: Supa BEAST backing plate swap

I’m glad to see this option available. I myself prefer to run the 6.5 inch pads. This allows the user to choose to their liking.

Can wait to get my hands on the Supa Beast. My Original Beast has been just that.... A BEAST!!!
 
Re: Supa BEAST backing plate swap

fightnews said:
I might go for the cordless one!
Click to expand...


I love the cordless CBEAT but I want to comment on it versus the corded version and I've been very consistent with my comment when talking in person and typing on social media.

I love the gear-drive cordless CBEAST. Not having to mess with a cord for a tool that has ZERO pad stalling issues is great.

If however I'm in a HURRY to get the paint correction step done as fast as humanly possible - then I great the SUPA BEAST.

No cordless polisher will ever has as much power as a corded tool.


This is why sometimes you see me sharing a detail job with the CBEAST, (I wasn't in a hurry), and sometimes the SUPA BEAST, (I was in a hurry)


fightnews said:
I just bought for the first time some Rupes and Uro tech big 7" pads to use with my flex 3401 on my fathers truck. I was thinking the same as you. Trying to plow through it in 1 day start to finish. I figure with the 7" pads and Meguiars 1 step I should be able to get it done.

I know the beast can churn those big pads no problem. If anyone was wondering the new rupes show car polish for forced rotation machines works great.
Click to expand...


Big pads on the BEAST - the only way to plow through a car detail.


:)
 
Re: Supa BEAST backing plate swap

Mike or anyone who can verify for sure,

1 Do the backing plates come with the Allen style bolts? The old plate on my finisher has torx. I’d prefer the Allen style.(the CBeast comes with the updated BP and Allen bolts) I want to update my corded finisher.

2 Are both size backing plates in stock at AG the newer updated versions with the locking tabs?


Thank you

Jim
 
Re: Supa BEAST backing plate swap

Dr Oldz said:
Mike or anyone who can verify for sure,

1 Do the backing plates come with the Allen style bolts? The old plate on my finisher has torx. I’d prefer the Allen style.(the CBeast comes with the updated BP and Allen bolts) I want to update my corded finisher.

2 Are both size backing plates in stock at AG the newer updated versions with the locking tabs?


Thank you

Jim
Click to expand...


I'll be into the office after lunch to shoot the Live Broadcast video with Yancy and can check.


:)
 
Re: Supa BEAST backing plate swap

:bump:

From time to time I see someone ask,

1: Does the felt ring on the Supa BEAST need to be lubricated?

2: Will the BEAST backing plate fit on the Supa BEAST or the CBEAST?

The answer is no to both questions. The Supa BEAST and the CBEAST use a totally different design that enables the tool to run,

Cooler
Smoother
Quieter
And weigh less


See my article from 2011 on this topic as you can see by the pictures, the innards in the BEAST look nothing like the innards of the Supa BEAST or the CBEAST.


Lubricating the Felt Ring on the Flex 3401

Oiling3401Flex06.jpg






:)
 
Re: Supa BEAST backing plate swap

I wish I had gotten one of these instead of my G9, way outta my price range though (literally 3x the price of a G9 up here ) :(
 
Out of these pads, do you prefer one or the other cutting, polishing, or finishing pad over the other?
 
Me Time said:
Out of these pads, do you prefer one or the other cutting, polishing, or finishing pad over the other?
Click to expand...


Yes. Whenever I can use foam and it makes sense, I prefer foam. Sometimes fiber makes more sense for speed and efficiency because fibers are a form of abrasive.

Fiber pads are like a coin. A coin has two sides.


1: One side of the Fiber Coin is it cuts faster because fibers are a form of abrasive.

2: The other side of the Fiber Coin is because fibers are a form of abrasive - they can leave a CUT in the paint when you've finished buffing. When using any brand or type of orbital polisher this is called micro-marring. When using a rotary polisher this is called holograms.


Here's something I wrote years ago,


Generally speaking, a foam pad will finish out nicer more consistently over a wide spectrum of paint systems -Mike Phillips


So if I can cut with a foam pad and get the defect removal results I'm looking for on any given project I'll choose foam. Sometimes I can finish with this same foam pad and sometimes I have to re-polish, depends on the paint. But if I end up having to do a 2-step process, by starting with foam the polishing will be faster and easier as it won't have the depth of cut that a fiber pad will leave if a fiber pad is used first.

The above is generalities as paint hardness and/or paint softness is the huge unknown variable.

Or as Jason Rose likes to say,

Topcoat hardness is the unknown variable.


Hope that helps...


:)
 
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