Best 5 inch Backing plate for the Harbor Freight DA

[biggROC85]

Hey guys,

Love the forum I have learned a ton from reading up, I have been cleaning my 07 Tahoe by long handle car brush and now I can see tons of swirl marks, dont know if it's from that or not, but needless to say I grabbed a Harbor Freight DA read some good reviews and for the price I figured why not. Now I know I'm supposed to get a 5 inch backing pad and don't know which one is the best, planning on using Buff and Shine pads as they seem to be the best and easiest to use for a noob like me. I plan on using the Meguiars Ultimate compound, Ultimate Polish, and the Ultimate Liquid wax, after a wash and clay. Any help would be awesome in pointing me in the right direction, thanks in advance

[parttimer]

Just grab yourself a lake county bp.

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[mrdetails1]

I have the astro pneumatic seems to work well have not had any problems.

[spiralout462]

http://autogeek.commerce-search.net/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autogeek.net%2Flc431 25.html

[Kengo123]

If you're gonna use buff and shine pads, get a buff and shine bp. Simple!

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

If you're gonna use buff and shine pads, get a buff and shine bp. Simple!

Agreed.

I always match the same plate with the same pad manufacturer. Too simple.

[Desertnate]

Along the same lines as the original question, but how hard is the original backing plate to get off?

I'm looking to go the Lake Country route. I'm tired of the HF pads crumbling away while being used.

[CDot]

Hey guys,

Now I know I'm supposed to get a 5 inch backing pad and don't know which one is the best, planning on using Buff and Shine pads as they seem to be the best and easiest to use for a noob like me.

I got the HF DA as well, I ordered the CG backing plate because I ordered the CG HexLogic pads. I hear the Astro works great, but I matched the backing plate to the pad seller.


Along the same lines as the original question, but how hard is the original backing plate to get off?

I'm looking to go the Lake Country route. I'm tired of the HF pads crumbling away while being used.

It was hard for me to get it off the first time, but that was just me. Plus I was holding the backing plate the wrong way and when I got it loose, by hand/fingers rotated with the bp and got caught in between it and the metal housing...split half my fingernail and my skin underneath as well.

Just don't be dumb like I was :o

[biggROC85]

Ok thanks guys, I think I'm going to run with the buff and shine backing 5" and pads 5.5. They have a sale on buying 6 pads, should I get 2 orange, 2 white and 2 black. Or just forget the black and just get three of each and just wax by hand?

[af90]

Ok thanks guys, I think I'm going to run with the buff and shine backing 5" and pads 5.5. They have a sale on buying 6 pads, should I get 2 orange, 2 white and 2 black. Or just forget the black and just get three of each and just wax by hand?
I would get at least 1 black. Waxing by machine uses much less product, you get better coverage, it's faster, although I usually prefer 3" pads for it. They fit better in most containers and you don't have to switch pads for tighter areas.

[beamerstrumpet]

I bought 2 Astro BP for the price of one from anywhere else, but I pay for the PRIME membership and got them for 8 bucks each. If you order as much stuff as we do, then Prime does pay for itsself.

[biggROC85]

well I will only be using the da for my personal daily driver, and if I have it figured out right. I should wash, clay, meguiars ultimate compound, ultimate polish and then ultimate wax. the first time, then just wash, looking, and wax every free months right? if that's true maybe double up on polishing and finishing pads?

[The Guz]

Look into picking up some ultimate quik wax and ultimate quik detailer. Use those in between washes as your maintenace products. I typically use ultimate quik detailer after every wash or to remove light dust and ultimate quik wax once a month. It will help with the longevity of ultimate wax. I have gotten around 5-6 months with ultimate wax with maintenance. But that all depends on the evironment you are in.

[biggROC85]

Would I need to ever do a complete clay, compound, polish, wax again, or just maybe polish, and wax every few months? Just thinking which pads I will need most, if I'm only going to need to cut once why get a bunch of cutting pads, when I can just get extra polishing and finishing haha

[The Guz]

It depends. If you maintain the car well you may just need to clay, polish and seal about 2-3 times a year.

I would probably get 2 cutting pads, 3 polishing pads and 1 finishing pad.

I recommend you get a pad cleaning brush. You want to have a clean pad for every panel you work on. When you are completely done clean them up and they should last you awhile.