Did I get the right pads?

[OCD Detailing]

I bought the LC Hybrid 5" pads during the Christmas sale. It's my first time ordering these pads. We have a Rupes 21 and Duetto both with 5" backing plates. Are these pads correct for this backing plate? The pad size itself looks big enough but the hook and loop area on the pad is a lot small than on the BP.

Thank you

[Setec Astronomy]

How do you have the same size backing plate on both the 21 and the Duetto?

[OCD Detailing]

How do you have the same size backing plate on both the 21 and the Duetto?

I changed the BP to a 5" on the 21.

[Setec Astronomy]

Oh, sorry, for some reason I thought the Duetto had a smaller backing plate than the 15. The product pages say this:

The Rupes LHR 15ES utilizes a 5 inch hook and loop backing plate designed to accommodate 5.5 inch and 6 inch pads

The Rupes LHR 12E Duetto includes a 5 inch backing plate designed to be used with 5.5 and 6 inch pads.

The 5" hybrid pads say this:

The backing material on each pad is 4 inch, which makes it self-centering on the Flex XC3401 VRG Orbital Polisher equipped with the Changeable Backing Plate System. With all other applications, a 3.5 to 3 3/4 inch backing plate is suitable.

I think the pads you meant to buy are the HD Orbital pads:

Lake Country 6 Inch HD Orbital Foam Pads were designed for the Rupes LHR 15ES Big Foot Random Orbital Polisher.

Lake Country HD Orbital 6 Inch Foam Pads (http://www.autogeek.net/6-inch-lake-country-hd-rupes-pads.html)

[hilld]

I had asked this question to Nick when buying the pads and he told me I needed a 4" BP for the 5" Hybrid pads.

[OCD Detailing]

Oh, sorry, for some reason I thought the Duetto had a smaller backing plate than the 15. The product pages say this:

The Rupes LHR 15ES utilizes a 5 inch hook and loop backing plate designed to accommodate 5.5 inch and 6 inch pads

The Rupes LHR 12E Duetto includes a 5 inch backing plate designed to be used with 5.5 and 6 inch pads.

The 5" hybrid pads say this:

The backing material on each pad is 4 inch, which makes it self-centering on the Flex XC3401 VRG Orbital Polisher equipped with the Changeable Backing Plate System. With all other applications, a 3.5 to 3 3/4 inch backing plate is suitable.

I think the pads you meant to buy are the HD Orbital pads:

Lake Country 6 Inch HD Orbital Foam Pads were designed for the Rupes LHR 15ES Big Foot Random Orbital Polisher.

Lake Country HD Orbital 6 Inch Foam Pads (http://www.autogeek.net/6-inch-lake-country-hd-rupes-pads.html)

Ok, darn. I guess I should have researched a little more. Pad sizing is still confusing me. LOL With the Megs MF we get 5" for the 5" BP. So I never know if the size they are stating is the actual size of the pad or the BP it's used for. Hopefully I can exchange them.

I also ordered the new megs thin pads in 5". They get here Monday. Hopefully they are like the MF and 5" means 5". LOL

Thanks for the info.

[Setec Astronomy]

Don't feel bad, it's these pads with the beveled edges that confuse things (like the HD Orbital, the Hybrid, and the Rupes pads, and now the new Griot's ones like that), with the Velcro being so much smaller than the pad diameter.

[allenk4]

AGO really should add the Velcro backing measurement for all of the pads to their respective product pages

Suggest it to Nick, when you coordinate your return


The CarPro Denim Pads are actually 5.3" and are labeled on the back as such, but AGO has them listed for sale as 5 1/2".

CarPro Denim Orange Peel Removal Pad, orange peel removal paint (http://www.autogeek.net/orange-peel-removal-pads.html)

Not a huge deal, unless you had a BP cut down specifically for them. Fortunately for me, I knew the actual dimension

[OCD Detailing]

Don't feel bad, it's these pads with the beveled edges that confuse things (like the HD Orbital, the Hybrid, and the Rupes pads, and now the new Griot's ones like that), with the Velcro being so much smaller than the pad diameter.

We are planning on getting the Flex pe8 and the flex 3401 right after xmas. Do you think they are worth keeping and use on the 3401 when we get it or is it still a size that doesn't get much use?

I'm sure I am going to have to pay to ship them back and I only paid around 5$ a pad. Got 2 of every one. I figure I have to get the Flex backing plates that LC makes as well.

Thanks again

[EVOlved]

We are planning on getting the Flex pe8 and the flex 3401 right after xmas. Do you think they are worth keeping and use on the 3401 when we get it or is it still a size that doesn't get much use?

I'm sure I am going to have to pay to ship them back and I only paid around 5$ a pad. Got 2 of every one. I figure I have to get the Flex backing plates that LC makes as well.

Thanks again

The 5" hybrids are the forum favorite for the Flex 3401, that said you need to purchase the LC Interchangeable plate system for the flex for them to fit it.

[OCD Detailing]

The 5" hybrids are the forum favorite for the Flex 3401, that said you need to purchase the LC Interchangeable plate system for the flex for them to fit it.

Ok I trust you because you own an Evo and Evo owners know what they are talking about. LOL

http://s26.postimg.org/vl3isc4hl/2012_Evo.jpg

[Setec Astronomy]

We are planning on getting the Flex pe8 and the flex 3401 right after xmas. Do you think they are worth keeping and use on the 3401 when we get it or is it still a size that doesn't get much use?

I'm sure I am going to have to pay to ship them back and I only paid around 5$ a pad. Got 2 of every one. I figure I have to get the Flex backing plates that LC makes as well.

You're asking the wrong guy--I'm still trying to use up pads I bought in 2004--did you know that Meg's Soft Buff 7" pads actually work really well on the Flex 3401?

Not that this helps you, but all those thick 7" pads which were standard for the original PC 10 years ago and later people figured out that they too big and too thick to work---work fine with forced rotation.

I'd say that since you have 2 Rupes machines that you intend to put 5" Meg's pads on...that maybe you don't need to have the Flex equipped for 5" pads. Do you intend to have a DA with 3 or 4" pads for tight areas or spot corrections?

[allenk4]

The 5" hybrids are the forum favorite for the Flex 3401, that said you need to purchase the LC Interchangeable plate system for the flex for them to fit it.

Another option is having your factory issued FLEX 3401 BP machined to "exact fit" a la Kevin Brown

The material of the FLEX BP does not lend itself to cutting with a blade, but sanding it goes very quickly

I took mine to a machine shop down the street and they sanded it down perfectly in five minutes and charged me $5. I was so pleased; I gave him $10


I had mine reduced to 5.3" to make it a perfect fit for the CarPro Denim and Rayon pads

At 5.3" it also works very well with 5 1/2" Lake Country CCS pads

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/WP_20131109_012.jpg