Flex 3401 or rupes bigfoot.

[Tato]

Hey at least you're honest!!


The 3401 is the only polisher I've ever used but I have a hard time understanding people that claim the Rupes corrects better. I mean the Flex is forced rotation. You can stand on the damn thing. IDK…. most people mention the MF pads which I have no experience with either. Why are they better? And why can't you just use them with a Flex?

MF pads sound like they don't last and sound like a pain to clean between sections.

Hi,

Gotta agree to disagree with you! By the way, I have some use on MF pads and at least the Meguiar's discs (both) and the Lake Country DA MF pads are great.

I do use them a bit differently (that may be subject to another topic), mainly brushing the pad frequently and adding more product to the pad with the brush, like re-priming the pad.

I only add product to 'semi-dry' sections of the pad, but brushes it entirely.

The trick part of MF pads is to maintain them neither wet or dry, every extreme will make it behave less than optimum and hard to clean between sections. That's why brushing with product helps a lot.

AREA for correction should be small (generally).

Polisher SPEED is also important, as MF pads 'likes' lower speeds, it means speed 4 on Meg's DA and maybe 3 on the Flex.

Lower speeds doesn't means barely rotating. As MF discs are THIN, DA polishers have plenty of power to spin them considerably fast, specially the 5" version. I would go with 6" for the Flex, but also will try the 5".

Pressure is not high, it's FIRM.

Arm speed is really SLOW.

Passes are no more than 6.

Fact is, I'm pretty sure I'll keep using MF pads on the Flex, they have their space and cut smooth through hard paint. It's just like treating them a bit differently than foam pads.

Mainly you haven't felt the need for it yet because comparing Foam with a random orbital vs Foam with forced rotation, you can already do really well with Foam pads and the Flex. Free spindle DAs are relying on MF to achieve higher degree of correction.

MF cuts great and can use virtually any existing compound and proper technique. If any haze, 3-4 passes with a WHITE polishing pad and a finer polish may refine the finish even more.

They last, and are easy to clean if you soak them and brush with proper soap till clean, letting them air dry or spinning them dry.

The MF resists much better to the pad brush and this makes it resistant and easy to clean.

Nowadays they are my 2-go for cutting, but I haven't received the LC Orange Hybrid pad + FG400 yet... !

There's a video of Mike Phillips with Meguiar's 'guys' showing MF DA system. Observing the technique applied by them was crucial for me to start enjoying MF the much I do.

Some time in the video, 'Mike P.' says: 'you've done what, 4 passes?!'. Great instructional video indeed.

Hope I've helped,

Kind Regards.

[Christopher.Brown]

Rupes Big foot - 21mm throw is unrivaled...

this cannot be stressed enough....

can i get an AMEN! from the congregation??

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Rupes Big foot - 21mm throw is unrivaled...

this cannot be stressed enough....

can i get an AMEN! from the congregation??

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


















However, I still prefer the 3401 OVERALL.

[Tato]

I love those topics, we always learn a lot on them and discussion is flexible. Looks there aren't any 'Maniac' on board, and everyone at least Respect both products.

However, it ends like any 'blonde or brunette' discussion... it's great to have both (polishers for my wife's knowledge!).

Kind Regards.

[Tato]

I love those topics, we always learn a lot on them and discussion is flexible. Looks there aren't any 'Maniac' on board, and everyone at least Respect both products.

However, it ends like any 'blonde or brunette' discussion... it's great to have both (polishers, for my wife's knowledge!).

Kind Regards.

[bimmer325!]

My 2 cents.. They are both great machines but if it was me I'd choose the Flex. 2 reasons:
Track record of the Flex
While the larger "stroke" makes flat surfaces faster... Most vehicles (especially the newer ones) are contoured...so in my opinion..the Rupes is less suited for smaller detailed areas.

[swanicyouth]

I have a hard time understanding people that claim the Rupes corrects better. I mean the Flex is forced rotation. You can stand on the damn thing

You can't stop the Griots 6" from spinning (hardly) and it's not really a debate which of those two correct better. Brute power isn't necessarily going to give the best results IMO. The whole thing with the Rupes' machines is that they do more "work" due to a the longer orbit. Less passes are required. Little downward force is needed.

The pad will also stay cleaner longer. The effect of the larger diameter orbit is quite significant. The thing that really sold me on the Rupes is the easy of use and how much work the machine is actually doing (read Kevin Browns stuff) due to the larger throw.

So, some people seem to have an issue with keeping the machine spinning on concave panels. I have experienced this, but it only a minor annoyance for me. The benefit far outweighs this rare instance for me.

When it comes to detailing (hobby), I want to use the easiest and most enjoyable stuff out there. Maybe if I was doing it for a living I would feel differently. I don't think many would argue the Rupes isn't the smoothest machine out there with their pads. Their machines basically only need to be guided over the paint. A lot of pros are using Rupes' stuff almost exclusively now as well.

[VP Mark]

The rupes with the washer mod is a whole different machine than without. On a 5 inch pad you have to be really aggressive to stop the pad from spinning.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online

[swanicyouth]

The rupes with the washer mod is a whole different machine than without. On a 5 inch pad you have to be really aggressive to stop the pad from spinning.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online

Interesting. I WM'ed my Rupes but am waiting for the big thaw out to use it with the WM. Without the WM it worked fine as well.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Interesting. I WM'ed my Rupes but am waiting for the big thaw out to use it with the WM. Without the WM it worked fine as well.

IMO, the WM doesn't make THAT big of a difference on non-flat panels. It helps. It doesn't turn it into forced rotation, not even close. However, you will get better correction.