How to lubricate the shroud on long stroke polishers

[Mike Phillips]

How to lubricate the shroud on long stroke polishers


This how-to article will show you how to lubricate the top of the backing plate that rubs against the rubber shroud on some long stroke orbital polishers. There is a design purpose for the rubber shroud to rub against the backing plate but his article is not about discussing the purpose of this design or the benefits or drawbacks of the design. It's merely to show you want to do.

That said, Todd Helme shared the original design purpose in post 14 of the below thread,


Post #14 Comply with European safety regulations

RUPES engineered the entire large-diameter, single head random orbital polisher.

The engineers placed the shroud interface in there as a safety feature necessitated by European regulation and to limit the free-spin rotation.

Thank you Todd for providing accurate information on this topic to clear-up any confusion.




Why lubricate the back of the backing plate?

A small amount of silicone grease, or dielectric grease or any light duty grease for that matter, applied to the back of the backing plate on tools with rubber shrouds that make physical contact with the backing plate will do 2 things,


1: Reduce friction between the rubber shroud and the backing plate

This will enable the backing plate and thus the buffing pad to both rotate and oscillate freely. This will tend to enable the backing plate and buffing pad to rotate and oscillate at max performance for the speed setting selected on the tool.


2: Reduce wear to the rubber shroud

The original design, to my knowledge, is for the rubber shroud to apply friction to the backing plate to prevent over revving of the buffing pad when the tool is pulled away from a car body panel but not turned off for safety reasons, (see above). It is also meant to help equalize the ratio of rotation and oscillation, that is it helps the pad to equally rotate and oscillate. Because this shroud makes physical contact with the hard surface of the backing plate there is a certain amount of abrasion, which causes the rubber to wear or break down. This is normal and expected wear and this part is replaceable. By lubrication the back of the backing plate the lubricant will dramatically reduce wear of the rubber shroud.


How to lubricate the rubber shroud on long-stroke orbital polishers

The Griot's BOSS 15 and BOSS 21 come with a tube of silicone grease that you can apply to the back of the baking plate.






It only takes a little to do the job.





RUPES BigFoot 15 and 21 do not come with a lubricant so choose a light grease if you want to lubricate the back of the backing plate.







For the record

I use the silicone grease on all of the long stroke polishers we use here at Autogeek. I do find it helps the tools to better maintain maximum and efficient pad rotation and pad oscillation.


Hope this helps....

[Mike Phillips]

Also just to note....

The FLEX 3401 also can benefit from lubrication behind the backing plate - just want to point this out....


Lubricating the Felt Ring on the Flex 3401

[Coatingsarecrack]

This how-to article will show you how to lubricate the top of the backing plate that rubs against the rubber shroud on some long stroke orbital polishers.

Wondering what tiny lube tube was for with my Griot's BOSS polisher.

Thanks mike and will do.

[Billy Baldone]

I saw the title and thought for sure I would get fired for clicking with the work computer...…...

[PaulMys]

I saw the title and thought for sure I would get fired for clicking with the work computer...…...

Lmao

[java]

Is this is all that is needed? A small dab a grease.

Will the grease prevent any friction or rubbing that I read about on the forum?

[Mike Phillips]

Is this is all that is needed? A small dab a grease.

Will the grease prevent any friction or rubbing that I read about on the forum?

For the most part "yes".


You could do the Kevin Brown Washer Mod to 100% absolutely guarantee the rubber shroud never makes contact with the back of the backing plate.

I cover this in my RUPES how-to book or Google it.