Flex 3401 vs 4inch backing plate system carnage

[Mike Phillips]

Hey Mike! Look a little closer at that picture.

It actually melted then separated you can see the a bit of the backing plate that is left sandwiched between the bolt/washer and the adaptor.

I took multiple pictures if you want to review kinda hard to see from that picture alone.

This picture shows you installing the bolt into the backing plate? Or am I not seeing the right thing?

Have to help me out here... why is the bolt shown on the adapter?

[Zubair]

Mike it looks like it was bolted into the backing plate but when the plate sheered or broke off the bolt was still tightened and intact leaving it in the adapter

[Angus]

Looks like the adapter broke free from the BP to me. Whats left around the bolt/ BP is the whats left of the adapter:

[Mike Phillips]

Mike it looks like it was bolted into the backing plate but when the plate sheered or broke off the bolt was still tightened and intact leaving it in the adapter

Now I get it.

Plus the other pictures tell the complete story.


Still.... I'd say this is the exception to the rule and not the norm. We have never seen this happen out of all the hundreds of cars we've buffed out here at Autogeek.

Never.

When I get back to the office next Monday I'll contact Lake Country about this to see what there take and experience is with this issue.

Until then, Craig aka kosmetikwerks, if you purchased this backing plate system from Autogeek then contact Customer Care and cite this thread and they will completely take care of you.

[kosmetikwerks]

Now I get it.

Plus the other pictures tell the complete story.


Still.... I'd say this is the exception to the rule and not the norm. We have never seen this happen out of all the hundreds of cars we've buffed out here at Autogeek.

Never.

When I get back to the office next Monday I'll contact Lake Country about this to see what there take and experience is with this issue.

Until then, Craig aka kosmetikwerks, if you purchased this backing plate system from Autogeek then contact Customer Care and cite this thread and they will completely take care of you.

Thank you Mike! However it was purchased from a local distributer up here and he took care of me thus far it was his first experience with this also.

I want to make it clear to I don't discourage anyone from this kit or any LC products in general. Personally I'm pretty much LC exclusive for all my machines as far as pads go. Ive also replaced this faulty kit with a brand new one so I can start rocking my abundance of 5inch hybrids once again!

[wytstang]

Are you sure the 2 reviews you read for for the 4" backing plates and not the 6" backing plates?

Lake Country has discontinued offering the 6" backing plates. To be honest there was never a "need" for a 6" backing plate so it's no big deal the backing plate is no longer around.

What a guy needs is the factory baking plate that comes with the tool when you purchase it and the 4" backing plate in order to use the 5" Hybrid pads.

Those reviews are under the 4 Inch Changeable Backing Plate System so yeah pretty sure

My first 4" Lake Country backing plate broke down at the end of the first use (approx 3 hrs), so the Lake Country people kindly replaced it with the new one. This one lasted a bit longer, about 4hrs, but that was it. The original Flex 5.5" plate works fantastic, after hundreds of hours of detailing.
Pros:

Can be used with various polishing pads
Cons:

Made of low quality plastic that doesn't last long. I suggest that manufacturer either improve the quality of the materials used (to match the quality of the machine), or discontinue this product immediately.

May 2015

I used it for about 5 hours combined before it broke. The gear plate combined with the 6 inch backing plate both shattered at the screw & washer I contacted Autogeek about this, but I didn't get an offer to have another kit sent. ;/

2013
There are only 5 reviews and only 1 out of the 5 is positive.

[Mike Phillips]

Those reviews are under the 4 Inch Changeable Backing Plate System so yeah pretty sure

Thanks for the follow-up, I appreciate your time to do so...

I still say the 4" backing plate on the Flex 3401 is a time saving combination with 5" Hybrid pads as well as helping you to avoid buffing on edges and raised body lines.

I use them myself when buffing out cars and show these at all my classes. That is I have half of the Flex 3401 polishers in my classes set up to use 6.5" pads and the other have set-up to run 5" pads.







BEFORE




AFTER

[Danny9447537]

I also want to chime in and tell you that using the two thin washers isn't needed when using the 4" Backing plate. I think someone suggested that to you in an earlier post and I believe the correct way is to use the washer and bolt provided with the changeable backing plate system

I've used it on 3 corrections. 2 on my vehicle and 1 on my wife's car. I would often check to see how hot the bolt gets and the temp sure seems to get up there. That's when I would take a short break to remove the backing plate and re-lube the felt ring. Sometimes I would dip the bolt and washer in a cup of water and ice (LOL) and continue on with my polishing.

So far no issues!

[Zubair]

I have always had the two shims inplace with the 4" and no issues with heat, however I seldom use speed 6 and when I need to its for a short while only and not a whole panel let alone an entire car.

[dschia]

I had the exact same issue with not 1 but 2 pieces of the 4 inch plate- broke in the center. By the way, there was no instruction at all in the package so we install the plate to our best ability which is similar to what Angus posted.

Maybe user error, maybe heat, maybe bad batch but whatever it is, I think it needs to be more durable than that.