Need more agressive pads for my Flex

[Billy Baldone]

Could someone recommend some more agressive pads to use with my Flex. I have been using Lake Country orange and yellow. They just don't seem to work as well as I think they should on a little bit harder clear coat. I am using Meg's 105with these. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Billy

[stilltipping3]

Hybrid pads. Blue wool will cut and orange pad is good as well as a white pad

[tuscarora dave]

Lake Country Purple Foamed Wool pads work great on the 3401 as a more aggressive alternative to foam pads. 3M also has some really nice Finesse it natural wool pads that work really well with the 3401.

Here's the 3M (not sold here) that I use and they are exceptional pads for both cut and finish.

On-line Product Catalog:3M? Finesse-it? Knit Buffing Pad 85079, 5-1/4 in, 10 per inner 50 per case (http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Marine/Home/Products/Catalog/?PC_Z7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LECIE20S4K7000000_nid=GSDGVB KG2Sgs9NQK7NZ8TZglT6631BB66Fbl)

Here's the LC PFW sold here.

5 1/2 Inch Thin Foamed Wool Pad (2-Pack) (http://www.autogeek.net/lc-58-1255b.html)

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Hi Billy, I have written an article to help users get more from their Flex 3401. When combined with the Hybrid pads and Menzerna polishes, you have a match made in heaven. If you decide to order some Hybrids, make sure to grab some FG400.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-university/77155-my-technique-concerning-3401-menzerna-products-hybrid-pads.html

The Orange Hybrid is actually the most aggressive foam pad offered by LC. It is more aggressive than the yellow CCS pad. Note response #2 from Todd Helme.
Lake Country Hybrid Aggressiveness Pad Chart - Autopia Forums - Auto Detailing & Car Care Discussion Forum (http://www.autopiaforums.com/forums/detail-institute-presented-autopia-carcare-com/39383-lake-country-hybrid-aggressiveness-pad-chart.html)

[Billy Baldone]

Is the orange more agressive than the blue wool hybrid?

[Tato]

Dear Billy,

it's not something I use daily but I have the LC Hybrid Wool pad and that'll cut cut cut like there's no tomorrow.

It fits great on standard backing plate.

I like to pair it with Menzerna FG400, honestly I never tried this wool pad with meg's 105 or 100 that I have here, either for lack of time for extensive testing and because it worked so nice and finished well using FG400 (the first I was able to test with).. Generally I tend to stick with what works for me.

For general use, when still need cutting but not that crazy of wool, I'm using Hybrid Orange pad paired with the same FG400, and this setup finish up LSP ready many times.

Although it may work on hard paints, I've faced once a hard, hard, hard paint that orange + Fg400 struggled to correct, I mean, needed much more passes and slower arm speed, more pressure than conventional hard paints, so I was dealing on the danger side increasing too much heat.

If it's just a bit hard, maybe orange will do the trick, but harder harder you'll benefit from wool if heavy and fast cutting is needed.

Sincerely, I just use those ultra cutting combinations in extreme cases, spot correction or to remove sanding marks.

I'm more liberal with orange, but like I'm mostly refinishing, white hybrid is about what I most use.

I also like MF pads for cutting harder, but I was not able to use properly with my 3401 yet.

That's because I have 5.5" MF from my 'old' Meguiar's DA, but only 4", 5.5" and 6" plates for the Flex... I have tons of MF discs, cutting and finishing!, that's why I've not ordered more MF in 6" for the flex. I've decided to order smaller plate.

Because I like them too much, I've tried on 4" plate (not optimal, but could test), and on 5.5" plate, very dangerous to use this way with MF risking to scratch the backing plate on the paint (although I may use foam pads matching plate size sometimes, they have more 'complacency').

So I've ordered 4 3/8 flex plate at AG, it's in my order to come next week. Can't wait to receive (many goodies! lol), but also the plate to resurrect my MF and keep using them often as I would like.

On the other side, I'm able to use my 4" MF discs (from LC, DA version) / 4" LC flex plate for spots with great cutting capability.

Let me know if you need some more info,

Kind Regards.

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Is the orange more agressive than the blue wool hybrid?

The blue wool Hybrid is more aggressive than the Orange Hybrid. But the Orange Hybrid pad is the most aggressive foam pad offered from Lake country.