Harbor Freight DA Polisher - New

**InsaneDiego** · 08-26-2013, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by jbjwallace

If you buy one I suggest that you buy a good
5"backing plate to use with it. If you buy any pads from HF they
Will work fine with 5" BP. Their pads tear up on a 6" BP

I'm finding that their pads tear up on a 5" also. The reason is that MY 5" is exactly the same size of the HF pad backing and maybe just a smidgen, like 1/16" larger. You have to nail it perfectly to not have the backing plate velcro touching foam and even then it's so close that they are falling apart very quickly. I have some Hex-Logic 5.5" pads that are holding up pretty well although they seem to be suffering the same issue just not nearly as bad. The LCS 5.5" flat pads though seem to be the ones I'll go with from now on. I was concerned that the whole 5.5" was velcro on them giving them a solid edge which I thought might be dangerous. My concern on that I think was unfounded and since the foam never has a chance to touch the backing plate I'm getting good life out of them.

**Gsuarez** · 08-26-2013, 12:40 PM

Can any one send me the info for changing the head grease on the HB DA

**beamerstrumpet** · 08-26-2013, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by varga740

Which four screws? The four vertical ones when holding the DA upright? Or the four that have an extremely short clearance. Or an entirely different part altogether?

I just did this yesterday but I never managed to find a way to unscrew the ones with very short clearance so I just did my best to clean out the existing grease and pack in the new grease.

Yep its the short ones under the bell shroud. I have tried the directions in the info Im sending out. The one that says put on backing plate and use to pull out assy,,,, Im not real sure I like that, I started to do this and pulling just the bearing out didn't sit right with me. so I tapped it back in. and I can not seem to get a screw driver to those screws. all the poics in that other info have skipped showing exactly what they did at that point.its just a before and after.
What did you do different?

**c8n** · 08-26-2013, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by InsaneDiego

I'm finding that their pads tear up on a 5" also. The reason is that MY 5" is exactly the same size of the HF pad backing and maybe just a smidgen, like 1/16" larger. You have to nail it perfectly to not have the backing plate velcro touching foam and even then it's so close that they are falling apart very quickly. I have some Hex-Logic 5.5" pads that are holding up pretty well although they seem to be suffering the same issue just not nearly as bad. The LCS 5.5" flat pads though seem to be the ones I'll go with from now on. I was concerned that the whole 5.5" was velcro on them giving them a solid edge which I thought might be dangerous. My concern on that I think was unfounded and since the foam never has a chance to touch the backing plate I'm getting good life out of them.

The BP that comes with the HF DA is a 6" BP.
You should not be using a 5.5" pad on this.
Get a 5" BP for your 5.5" pads.

**beamerstrumpet** · 08-26-2013, 01:03 PM

here are the pics from other thread

I do not own any of these pictures I borrowed them from the main thread in the other forum. just thought I would post them.

**varga740** · 08-26-2013, 02:35 PM

Yea, I saw those pics too. I tried going to Home Depot to find an offset screwdriver and that still didn't fit. I just took out the other four screws that are accessible, cleaned out what I could and stuffed new grease through the hole that is exposed after removing those four screws I mentioned.

**propflux01** · 08-26-2013, 04:17 PM

Get a Vise-Grip long nose mini plier. Clamp the 4 screws to break the torque. Once torque is broken a regular screwdriver can be used to unscrew completely. took me all of 5 minutes.

**beamerstrumpet** · 08-26-2013, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by propflux01

Get a Vise-Grip long nose mini plier. Clamp the 4 screws to break the torque. Once torque is broken a regular screwdriver can be used to unscrew completely. took me all of 5 minutes.

OHHHHH! you used the pliers on the screw heads themselves!!!!

Ok I got to buy some good needle nose vicegrips then! totally undestand now. break loose and then use screw driver!!! Man I feel so lame LOLOLOL

**InsaneDiego** · 08-26-2013, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by c8n

The BP that comes with the HF DA is a 6" BP.
You should not be using a 5.5" pad on this.
Get a 5" BP for your 5.5" pads.

Apparently I wasn't clear. I did replace the 6" BP that comes with the unit with a 5" from CG. I bought a 2nd unit and a 2nd BP (not CG) but I haven't tried it out yet so I don't know if their 5" BP is the same exact size as CG's. The CG BP though as I said is about exactly the size of the velcro on the back of the 6" HF pads and there is little room for error. Maybe someone elses 5" BP is really 4 7/8" and gives you a little play.

**beamerstrumpet** · 08-26-2013, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by InsaneDiego

Apparently I wasn't clear. I did replace the 6" BP that comes with the unit with a 5" from CG. I bought a 2nd unit and a 2nd BP (not CG) but I haven't tried it out yet so I don't know if their 5" BP is the same exact size as CG's. The CG BP though as I said is about exactly the size of the velcro on the back of the 6" HF pads and there is little room for error. Maybe someone elses 5" BP is really 4 7/8" and gives you a little play.

Nope I dont think so. you normally would have about a 1/16 of an inch as a line around the backing plate. I noticed the diff also. I use Buff and shine pads and have had no issues. you just gotta get a technique down for centering them just right. I use Astro pneumattic 5" backing pads and they work great for less $$ than many you see on here!