Why oh why?

[ww2717]

When lake country introduced the Hybrid pads for the Flex XC3401VRG that just made it even more of an effective defect removal tool to have in your detailing arsenal.

 

[Detailing by M]

THE FLEX SPINS THE WRONG WAY!
That's a big deal, learning how to use it opposite of what we're used to.
Also it's heavy.
But if you can get past all that then it's a great mechanic.
I liked mine but threw it in the trash once I use a Bigfoot.
The Bigfoot rocks! it's light it works and is a great tool with no problems.

 

[Marc Hufnagel]

THE FLEX SPINS THE WRONG WAY!
That's a big deal, learning how to use it opposite of what we're used to.
Also it's heavy.
But if you can get past all that then it's a great mechanic.
I liked mine but threw it in the trash once I use a Bigfoot.
The Bigfoot rocks! it's light it works and is a great tool with no problems.

did not.

 

[HateSwirls]

Oh no, get it out of the trash and sell it to me.
I'll figure it out:dblthumb2::dblthumb2:

THE FLEX SPINS THE WRONG WAY!
That's a big deal, learning how to use it opposite of what we're used to.
Also it's heavy.
But if you can get past all that then it's a great mechanic.
I liked mine but threw it in the trash once I use a Bigfoot.
The Bigfoot rocks! it's light it works and is a great tool with no problems.

 

[ww2717]

I can't get the rupes to work well in curved body panels. It will stop spinning intermittently on me. I can't have that when I am trying to get a job done. The flex doesn't stop on curved body panels. The flex 3401 just keeps on going with out stopping on me.


Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

 

[twitch77]

Thank you for this thread. I often wondered the same. I was absent from detailing for a while but do know that there are usually favorite "flavors of the week". The Rupes is one that I noticed immediately but from the looks of it the machine is legit.

I have a Flex 3401 and besides the "walking" I like it so I can't justify buying another machine. This is especially true since this thread informed me how to fix that. :xyxthumbs:

HateSwirls, Whenever you're ready to give the Flex another go let me know. You can pack the family up for a weekend to visit the in-laws and come by my house to try it out again.

 

[kjn]

Hey Mike, what are the 2 extra shims for that came with the backing plate system?

Because the Flex 3401 is a forced rotation and forced oscillation tool, (it's GEAR driven), the forced oscillation shows up to to the person using the tool as having a walking-effect IF you don't hold the pad flat to the surface.

For most car body panels you should be holding the pad flat to the surface and as such, if "you" feel the walking effect that means you're not holding the pad flat and the tool is talking to you and giving you this feedback.

The effect is more noticeable with large diameter pads.

The first time I used the LC 4" backing plate and the 5" Hybrid pads I was so impressed with these to options that I wrote an article for it and highly recommend it to anyone that owns the Flex 3401.

Besides optimizing the tool for maximum comfort it also in my opinion optimizes the tool for buffing out most modern car body panels as 5" pads fit new cars better than larger pads. That is the ability to buff out a body panel without at the same time buffing directly on top of either a raised body line or the edge of a body panel.


New 5" pads for 4" Backing Plate on Flex 3401



5" Hybrid Pads for the 4" backing plate on the Flex 3401!

These new pads are not in stock yet but you can get a glimpse of them in action below....

Live Broadcast Video - 1965 Plymouth Valiant - Extreme Makeover


***Live Broadcast Video - Extreme Makeover - 1965 Plymouth Valiant***

Live Broadcast Video -..." target="_blank">Live Broadcast Video -...​

Here's some still pictures I took from the Valiant Extreme Makeover with Justin using them...

My friend and forum member Tom Risk tried them out, he said,


"They make using the Flex 3401 easier than any other pad"



Forum Member Tom Risk aka ShineTimeDetail visits Autogeek.net

Here's Tom using a 4.5" Hybrid Pad on the Flex 3401

On Autogeek.net

Lake Country Hybrid Power Finish 5 Inch Foam Pads

You'll need the 4" backing plate to use these pads...

FLEX XC3401 Changeable Backing Plate System



:xyxthumbs:

 

[top banana]

Hey Mike, what are the 2 extra shims for that came with the backing plate system?

The 2 shims are to be used with the 6" backing plate that comes with the LC kit. You don't use them with the 4" backing plate.

 

[aim4squirrels]

For those of you that have the earliest onsets of carpal tunnel, as a sufferer myself, I sympathize with you. May I suggest using a pair of fingerless bicycle gloves? They are designed with padding in the palms to take the vibration out of riding on the road and may work for you as they have for me.

They offer enough dexterity to wipe the car and change pads, but take some of the hit from the machine's vibration.

I have noticed that my PC does tend to vibrate much more than my Flex as well. The vibrations don't seem as violent on the PC, but using that machine fatigues me much faster than my Flex.

One of these days I'm going to have to have the surgery, I just keep putting it off.

 

[ski2]

Read a post somewhere, can't find it for the life of me, by a pro detailer who suffered from carpal tunnel who switched to a Rupes and found significant relief.