I need your advice, serious pad wear only used once!(pics included)

[Ecrissman]

I bought a flex 3401 and used this green pad with Pinnacle Advanced Finishing polish, on a brand new car. The pad after 1 use has really deteriorated and wondered what I was doing wrong? The car was washed and clayed, the surface seemed very smooth. Per watching videos and searching forums, I sprayed with pad conditioner then applied product around the circumference of the pad. Then smeared the product over the panel I was going to work on. I set the polisher at six until the product started to break down then dropped down to 5. In between panels I sprayed with pad conditioner used the cleaning brush the used a microfiber wrapped around my finger with the machine running to remove used polish from the pad. After this I used the 4 dime size drops of polish for the next panel. Then would repeat the cleaning process. Unfortunately I haven't ordered the smaller adapter plate to use with my 5.5 ccs pad and had to use this one pad for the entire car. Overall the car came out pretty nice other the fragments of the pad fluffing off.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee258/Elcrissman/After%20Flex%203401/2012-03-04_08-57-31_824.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee258/Elcrissman/After%20Flex%203401/2012-03-04_08-54-52_467.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee258/Elcrissman/After%20Flex%203401/2012-03-04_08-55-06_665.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee258/Elcrissman/After%20Flex%203401/2012-03-04_08-56-04_695.jpg

[opie_7afe]

its the pad conditioning brush. in my opinion the ones sold on ag or any other site the bristles are way too stiff, there is no need for bristles that stiff. for me i use a cheap plastic wire brush (comes in a 3 pack plastic wire,brass wire, steel wire brushes). ive seen this happen to a bunch of people so far unless it was all user error from jamming the brush into the bad and not lightly holding it there but still. for foam its way too stiff and makes pad longevity go down(look who makes the brushes ;) they are in the business of selling pads so if the brush makes longevity go down means pads will wear out faster translating into more sales for the company. so imo the brushes are a ploy to clean them but at the same time make longevity go down. unless the pad companies reason for such a stiff brush is to remove a layer of the foam to give a nice fresh layer but thing once you loose that top surface the density goes down and same with amount of cut in my experience. but the pad is fine to use. your method for cleaning/polishing seems fine for the most part the only issue i really see is use of the pad cleaner/conditioner between panels i would not do that as that's not what its meant for the pad conditioner is just meant for a new,clean dry pad. furthermore, i find pad conditioners just an added expense with no boost in performance or ease of use so basically just a useless product for me. i just use a quick detail spray diluted at clay lube ratio and give a light mist on the pad before i prime it. i only do this to help the pad prime easier. i would just ditch the brush or return it (i'd go with the latter) and find a nice medium bristled brush something like the stiffness of a tooth brush works great for on the fly cleaning of pads. the brushes are just meant to remove spent product/paint particles from the pad between panels not to fully clean it. hope this helps

[alko]

Thanks Matt!!! That definitely helped me out. LOL! I'm sure the OP as well.

[Ecrissman]

Thank you, I wasnt sure if I was uaing to much pressure or speed. The brush makes perfect sense. Was bummed the pad went down so fast and you are right affected the cut quite a bit.

[mg6045]

its the pad conditioning brush. in my opinion the ones sold on ag or any other site the bristles are way too stiff, there is no need for bristles that stiff. for me i use a cheap plastic wire brush (comes in a 3 pack plastic wire,brass wire, steel wire brushes). ive seen this happen to a bunch of people so far unless it was all user error from jamming the brush into the bad and not lightly holding it there but still. for foam its way too stiff and makes pad longevity go down(look who makes the brushes ;) they are in the business of selling pads so if the brush makes longevity go down means pads will wear out faster translating into more sales for the company. so imo the brushes are a ploy to clean them but at the same time make longevity go down. unless the pad companies reason for such a stiff brush is to remove a layer of the foam to give a nice fresh layer but thing once you loose that top surface the density goes down and same with amount of cut in my experience. but the pad is fine to use. your method for cleaning/polishing seems fine for the most part the only issue i really see is use of the pad cleaner/conditioner between panels i would not do that as that's not what its meant for the pad conditioner is just meant for a new,clean dry pad. furthermore, i find pad conditioners just an added expense with no boost in performance or ease of use so basically just a useless product for me. i just use a quick detail spray diluted at clay lube ratio and give a light mist on the pad before i prime it. i only do this to help the pad prime easier. i would just ditch the brush or return it (i'd go with the latter) and find a nice medium bristled brush something like the stiffness of a tooth brush works great for on the fly cleaning of pads. the brushes are just meant to remove spent product/paint particles from the pad between panels not to fully clean it. hope this helps

I agree, you need to be careful with the pad brush. I just LIGHTLY run it over the pad. You cant scrub the pad with it or you will remove a layer of pad like you mentioned. When used correctly, the conditioning brush works great. compressed air is what works best through to be honest.

[tuscarora dave]

I use one of these denture brushes found at Wal-Mart for $3. it works well because it's not too soft, not too stiff, has a beefy handle and has the smaller brush on the back side that works well for brushing the spent product out of the dimples on the CCS pads.
http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd323/tuscaroradave/013-14.jpg

[alko]

Thanks Dave!! I'll be picking this up for my next detail job on my car.

[snowking724]

I had one of these CCS pads completely flatten out on me after one use. It was a bad batch of pads or something, easily and quickly remedied by AG by shipping new ones out. Are you sure it was bits of pad flying around or maybe just extra polish. From your pics it doesn't look like the pad has broken up but I could be wrong.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/ccs2flatpad.jpg

[Marc08EX]

It's definitely the pad cleaning brush in combination to the oscillating action of the 3401. The pad cleaning brush is only supposed to be used with the rotary when the machine is running. If you're going to use the brush to clean the pad, you need to do it while the machine is off. I've experienced the same issue and I created a thread on it before.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/wool-foam-buffing-pads/38090-normal-foam-pad-wear-advice-please.html

I hope this helps.

[snowking724]

It's definitely the pad cleaning brush in combination to the oscillating action of the 3401. The pad cleaning brush is only supposed to be used with the rotary when the machine is running. I've experienced the same issue and I created a thread on it before.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/wool-foam-buffing-pads/38090-normal-foam-pad-wear-advice-please.html

I hope this helps.
I had only used a PC and no brush, could've just been me though.

[snowking724]

OP, did you contact AG as about this?

[Ecrissman]

OP, did you contact AG as about this?

No I thought it was probably my technique using a new polisher. Maybe to little product or to much pressure. I did clean the pad with the flex on with the brush which may have contributed to the wear.

[Cosmin]

is nothing wrong with that pad , ship it to me if you don`t use it anymore ... ;)

:buffing: