flex 3401 for tight panels ?'s

[Toolhead]

Tks guys...im busting her out today....starting the wash...iron and nanoskin scrub after some more coffee..hopefully bust out flex around 11am for wg uber with cyan HTech pad....

[KBsToy]

I just bought and used a GG3 today for the first time. I had previously just converted my GG6 with a 3" pad. Even with the 3" pad there are places I couldnt get the GG6. Using the GG3 is a WHOLE NEW BALL GAME now. I moved up from the 6 to a FLEX 3401 and had no use for the 6 but it doesnt do the job a true 3" polisher does. Worth the $104 for sure.

I had the same problem with Griots GG6 with 3" pads in tight areas and corners it was hard to get to them. I bought a mini clone and I am able to get to the smaller areas on front of our MB.....My disclaimer I am a weekend detailer...I am sure the pro`s can get more out of a GG6 with 3" backing plate.

[lawrenceSA]

can you use part of the pad on an angle for tight areas..ie like pillars...

or the side of the pad for even tighter areas.. just adding product to the sides and leaning / tilting the flex into tight areas..

??

im sure it take a bit of practice to do right.. thought i saw MP do that in one the the training class photos..

???

i have the 4 3/8 backing plate with 5.5" hydro tech thin profile pads..

backing plate/ pad question.. if i buy the 4" LC backing plate.how small of a pad can i use.. 4"? or 4.5"?

Most definitely. I do it all the the time.

I mostly run the 5" Lake Country Hybrid pads and I think being able to use the 3401 to do 'edge-'ing / -work' is one of it's strong points for the 3401 when whole Rupes/Flex debate comes up - the Rupes is a polishing system (big and small polishers for different sized panels) whereas the 3401 can pretty much do everything with one machine.

In my opinion, trying to replicate this with a non-gear driven machine where the movement of the pad in terms of both oscillation and rotation truly is random, there is more likelihood for violent direction changes which will be more likely to rip the foam off the velcro backing (and I suspect with the long throw machines this would be exacerbated but its only a guess so I may be completely wrong?) when the pad is off the panel.

The 3401's movement just seems to be a lot more controlled and you can therefore use a very small footprint of the pad on a panel knowing where the pad will be and how it will be spinning when it makes contact with the panel - you don't need crazy pressure and can really finesse things letting the pad rotation do the work - sure the 3401 is often referred to as a 'tank' - but it can be surprisingly 'delicate'.

[Toolhead]

Yes you can with the proper technique once you get the hang of it. You can use the edge of the pads to work on the A pillars. Practice makes perfect. Once you conquer the walking and pulling from the Flex 3401...you can probably do most things with ease.

Tks to all whom replied...first time using DA and went flex...
I went at hood first for easiest surface area on day 2..

I then used partial pad om a pillars...other narrow panels...it worked well...i didnt feel that much walking..but its probably my technique where i wasnt applying as much pressure as i should...

When doing this..any concern if the edge of the brushes up against adjacent panel....if so..any solutions...suggestions?

[Toolhead]

Most definitely. I do it all the the time.

I mostly run the 5" Lake Country Hybrid pads and I think being able to use the 3401 to do 'edge-'ing / -work' is one of it's strong points for the 3401 when whole Rupes/Flex debate comes up - the Rupes is a polishing system (big and small polishers for different sized panels) whereas the 3401 can pretty much do everything with one machine.

In my opinion, trying to replicate this with a non-gear driven machine where the movement of the pad in terms of both oscillation and rotation truly is random, there is more likelihood for violent direction changes which will be more likely to rip the foam off the velcro backing (and I suspect with the long throw machines this would be exacerbated but its only a guess so I may be completely wrong?) when the pad is off the panel.

The 3401's movement just seems to be a lot more controlled and you can therefore use a very small footprint of the pad on a panel knowing where the pad will be and how it will be spinning when it makes contact with the panel - you don't need crazy pressure and can really finesse things letting the pad rotation do the work - sure the 3401 is often referred to as a 'tank' - but it can be surprisingly 'delicate'.

.tks so lc BP with 4" pads....?