Pick my pads, PLEASE - White BMW - Sonax PF

[mvolps22]

I've officially put my mind in a blender looking at all the pad choices. I've put about a dozen different pads in my cart only to change my mind on which ones I need.

I have an alpine white BMW, Sonax PF, and a Harbor Freight DA. What pads should I use? I know the answer is "test spot" but I don't want to buy $200 worth of pads to find out what works and I also don't want to decon the car and get it ready to polish only to find out I have the wrong pads. The paint is in good shape and I'm only looking to do a 1 step polish that will achieve decent correction. It's my daily driver and I'd like to preserve the clear coat (is that something I even need to worry about with only 1-step polishing?). My goal is to get decent correction this time around and do light maintenance/cleaner polishes every year or so. I only maintain my own cars so I don't need/want a bunch of paint correction supplies. I think I'm leaning toward B&S flat white pads but maybe I should get orange? or green? or uro-tec yellow, or hydrotech tangerine, or...

Please help me stop overthinking this!

[vobro]

There’s absolutely no need to get $200 in pads but why not just get 3 each of white and orange? Alpine white tends to be on the hard side and there’s nothing worse than going thru all that work and not being satisfied. All the pads you listed are quality pads

[PaulMys]

Grab some white & orange LC flat pads and call it a day.

Take the savings and get yourself a GG9 machine. I know that you said "I only maintain my own cars" and "don't want a bunch of paint correction supplies".

But, you are driving a BMW so it would only make sense that you like to have higher-end things, and keep them in top shape. JMO

[The Guz]

A great video Read Mike’s article on the number of pads needed.


YouTube (https://youtu.be/D4MbOfxAs1U)

[mvolps22]

Will an orange pad finish down nice enough?

Is there a difference in LC and B&S orange and white?

[PaulMys]

Will an orange pad finish down nice enough?

Is there a difference in LC and B&S orange and white?

I use orange LC flat pads on my truck and wife's Jeep.

These pads are mainly used with Griot's Correcting Cream, and HD (now 3D) Speed.

This combo finishes down just fine, and LSP ready for me.

In your original post, you said "I know, the answer is test spot", but...... It really IS the answer to your question about what pads work for your own needs.

[custmsprty]

I agree with everything above.

You need a minimum of 6 white pads and 6 orange pads to have on hand.

Get a 6 pack each of the LC white and orange flat pads, wait for a sale and you are in business.

Test spots are a must.

The more you abuse a pad the less life you get out of it. Heat is a pads enemy as is product buildup. By having more pads you will actually extend the life of your pads.

And most importantly, junk builds up in your pad as you polish so you are actually grinding that junk back into your paint by not changing out pads frequently. That's counter productive.

Bottom line, you can never have too many pads.

[mvolps22]

A great video Read Mike’s article on the number of pads needed.


YouTube (https://youtu.be/D4MbOfxAs1U)


Esoteric detailing and this youtube video are both pretty high on the Rupes yellow pads while everyone that has chimed in here is saying LC orange and white. Sounds like I either need a dozen LC pads or 5 or 6 rupes yellow pads.

[custmsprty]

You need to have different pads as they are different in aggressiveness.

Like on a test spot, you use "a" polish white white pad, don't get results you want, go to orange pad with same polish, you get results you want and vice versa.

I've done as many as 5-6 test spots on a vehicle before getting the combination I want.

[mvolps22]

You need to have different pads as they are different in aggressiveness.

Like on a test spot, you use "a" polish white white pad, don't get results you want, go to range pad with same polish, you get results you want and vice versa.

I've done as many as 5-6 test spots on a vehicle before getting the combination I want.

I don't want all that crap in my garage though, that's way too many options. Trying to keep it simple and not going for perfect correction, it's my daily driver and I just want it to look clean and glossy. Just by polishing it once and washing it a few times a month it it's going to look better than 95% of the cars on the road.

[PaulMys]

I don't want all that crap in my garage though, that's way too many options. Trying to keep it simple and not going for perfect correction, it's my daily driver and I just want it to look clean and glossy. Just by polishing and washing it a few times a month it it's going to look better than 95% of the cars on the road.

Then you need LC pads.

6 of each to save you from pad saturation and buying more.

I applaud your take on the matter. DD, not a show car.

[Dr Oldz]

I’ll make this as simple as possible for you after reading all of this thread. Get some LC Hydro Tech Tangerine pads. They will cut and finish great for you.

Single 5 1/2 x 7/8 Inch Hydro-Tech Tangerine Ultra Polishing Foam Pad (https://www.autogeek.net/h2o-2255-130mm.html)

They have a 3 pack available also.

The HT pads work amazing on an 8mm throw free spinning DA as yours. The only downfall is they do not have the super durability of other pads but being you are only using this a limited amount of times, I feel they will be about your best answer with your current requirements for buffing pads.

[Mike Phillips]

I've officially put my mind in a blender looking at all the pad choices. I've put about a dozen different pads in my cart only to change my mind on which ones I need.

I have an alpine white BMW, Sonax PF, and a Harbor Freight DA.

What pads should I use?



I get wanting to keep it simple, I type this a lot on this forum and say it all the time.

KISS = Keep it Simple Simon

Don't turn something that should be easy into Rocket Science.


I believe the HF polisher comes with a 6" backing plate? If so, just be sure to get 6" or 6"5 pads. These tend to be fairly large pads for the HF polisher to maintain pad rotation, so be sure to mark the sides of your pads to make it EASY for your EYES to monitor pad rotation. If the pad ain't rotating you ain't doing anything but wasting time.


This how-to article has more information in it that a year's worth of reading on any other social media platform.

How to use the Harbor Freight Polisher to remove swirls and scratches (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/redirect-to/?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2Fybgcwodj)


Has links to 5" backing plates. I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money but one thing I tell everyone that buys any free spinning random orbital polisher, (an brand), and that's what the HF polisher is - is to START OUT by swaping to a 5" backing plate so you then INVEST your pad dollars in SMALLER pads instead of building up a supply of huge pads.

That said, I'll make a pad recommendation for 6" backing plates below.







I don't want all that crap in my garage though, that's way too many options. Trying to keep it simple and not going for perfect correction, it's my daily driver and I just want it to look clean and glossy. Just by polishing it once and washing it a few times a month it it's going to look better than 95% of the cars on the road.



You have thought this through and came to a wise decision and process. You could make it even simpler by using a great one-step product instead of using a 2-step approach.







I’ll make this as simple as possible for you after reading all of this thread. Get some LC Hydro Tech Tangerine pads. They will cut and finish great for you.

Single 5 1/2 x 7/8 Inch Hydro-Tech Tangerine Ultra Polishing Foam Pad (https://www.autogeek.net/h2o-2255-130mm.html)




I agree with everything you wrote Jim but my experience is closed-cell phone pads have less tensile strength and thus tear easier and thus don't last as long. This is why I never use them anymore. I remember when they first came out and I like them because they were thin and cool looking. But in my experience, they simply don't last as long as an open cell pad.


Here's an article I wrote when Lake Country first introduced their Hydro-Tech pads. Hydro meaning WATER and the implication has been, or is that because they are closed cell they will not load up with liquids as fast as an open cell style of phone and while this may be true - it's irrelevant because they will still fill up with liquid. Just use the same pad on an entire hood and then feel it and you'll feel or see that the liquid in the compound, polish or cleaner/wax you're using will have penetrated INTO the foam regardless of the tiny little membranes sealing the cell wall structure of the foam.

BUT NOW - because they are closed-cell, it will me a lot more difficult to get the liquid junk out of them. A double edged sword.

I actually cover this in my how-to book,k, The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/redirect-to/?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autogeek.net%2Fdetailin g-books.html) on page 72 and 73






Elasticity - Tensile Strength

Elasticity is another way of referring to the tensile strength of foam.

Tensile strength is a measurement of how far foam will stretch before it will tear.

Open cell foam pads tend to have higher tensile straights than closed cell foam.

Example: Hydro-Tech pads (closed cell foam), have lower tensile strength and will tear and wear more easily than Lake Country CCS pads and/or Lake Country flat face foam pads, both of which are open cell foam.




Do they work great! You bet.

Do they last as long as an open cell pad in the same circumstances? No, at least not in my experience.

Remember, whenever we're all using orbital polishers of any type, at HIGH SPEED the action from the tool to the pad is a VIOLENT action - it will wear pads and even backing plates out over time.




:)

[Mike Phillips]

Pad recommendation?

For the SONAX Perfect Finish, a really nice medium cut polish, actually formulated specifically for use with rotary polishers but I've always had great luck using with orbital polishers, I'd recommend any flat faced foam POLISHING pad.

Not cutting, not finishing, but right in that sweet spot in-between a foam polishing pad and there's zillions to choose from.

The RUPES yellow pads are foam "polishing" pads and are great general use pad for just about any compound, polish or cleaner/wax on just about any tool. I like them on the CBEAST and even the G9


But first - make sure of the backing plate size on your HF polisher before you buy pads. If it is in fact a 6" backing plate, if you want to use RUPES yellow pads, you'll have to buy the RUPES 7" pads as the 6" pads have too small of a Velcro backing on the back of the pad to enable them to fit properly on a 6" backing plate.

Been there done all this in my life. I don't make recommendations on whims.



If you don't want to change backing plates, then look at these THIN 6.5" pads

This first pad is called a foam cutting pad but in my experience, once it gets a little wet with any product it becomes less aggressive and is more like a foam "polishing" pad.

Griots Garage BOSS 6.5 inch Orange Correcting Pad (https://www.autogeek.net/griots-boss-6-inch-orange.html)


Great all purpose pad

Meguiars 6 Inch DA Foam Polishing Disc (https://www.autogeek.net/dfp6-foam-polishing-disc.html)

Great all purpose pad

6.5 Inch ThinPro White Polishing Pad (Single) (https://www.autogeek.net/65inthwhpopa.html)


The above are all the new style of THIN foam pads which makes them rotate well on weak polishers.


Hope that helps....


:)

[mvolps22]

Thanks for chiming in Mike. I bought a 3" and 5" backing plate, I'll go ahead and buy the RUPES yellow pads in 6" and 4".