Harbor Freight DA Polisher - New

[CDot]

See post #452: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...tml#post940047

[beamerstrumpet]

See post #452: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...tml#post940047

and here is the cord mod.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-cord-mod.html

[spitpolish]

Hmmm. Not a great result today.

First real try at using the machine (did the grease change before a true test run...)

Head gets hot as hell with any kind of use, and my grease started to leak out every time it hit a certain temp (grease was a semi-syn supposedly good for high-temp applications). Contaminated the back of the backing pad (luckily not my actual polishing pad...) Maybe I used the wrong grease. Seems I have to open it up and redo it at least... not at all excited about that.

Also the side-handle immediately stripped its threads, and I did NOT torque it heavily... I know many guys don't use the handle anyway but I kind of like the option for certain angles (like doing the roof as I was doing today...) so that was a disappointment.

On the plus side the machine seems powerful and solid when its running but I am concerned w/ how hot it gets and the fact that its melting my grease so it can seep out.

Unrelated is the crappy fact that the rotary/DA adapter I had on the backing pad spun loose at one point, so the backing pad popped off without warning, and I gouged the roof very nicely with the raw adapter stud... Luckily in that case I was practicing on the winter beater car (GOOOOD GD thing I didn't do the nice convertible that I was planning on working on today...) so I am not super heartbroken, but still... paint damage is paint damage and always sux... Guess I need more loctite on that adapter. *$%&&##@ as they say in the cartoonz.

[goodinblack]

With all the "mods" needed to make this thing work right...... why not just get a gg6?

[jbjwallace]

The only real mod needed (may not be needed) is to add grease to the gear box. Most of us did it make it run quiter and maybe smoother. The longer cord is for our convenance . The GG6 with the longer cord is about $150.00 another reason is for a second backup

[onthespotbg]

Hmmm. Not a great result today.

First real try at using the machine (did the grease change before a true test run...)

Head gets hot as hell with any kind of use, and my grease started to leak out every time it hit a certain temp (grease was a semi-syn supposedly good for high-temp applications). Contaminated the back of the backing pad (luckily not my actual polishing pad...) Maybe I used the wrong grease. Seems I have to open it up and redo it at least... not at all excited about that.

Also the side-handle immediately stripped its threads, and I did NOT torque it heavily... I know many guys don't use the handle anyway but I kind of like the option for certain angles (like doing the roof as I was doing today...) so that was a disappointment.

On the plus side the machine seems powerful and solid when its running but I am concerned w/ how hot it gets and the fact that its melting my grease so it can seep out.

Unrelated is the crappy fact that the rotary/DA adapter I had on the backing pad spun loose at one point, so the backing pad popped off without warning, and I gouged the roof very nicely with the raw adapter stud... Luckily in that case I was practicing on the winter beater car (GOOOOD GD thing I didn't do the nice convertible that I was planning on working on today...) so I am not super heartbroken, but still... paint damage is paint damage and always sux... Guess I need more loctite on that adapter. *$%&&##@ as they say in the cartoonz.

Yeah you should have just chucked the side handle. Those are probably the most useless thing in the box. If you are having to use that thing your using way to much pressure one the paint anyway and that's what causes it to heat up. You push me to hard and I heat up to lol. As far as it coming out of the hole that's what it is supposed to do. It's called a bleeder hole. More often than not as with most things especially with this machine, it's more of an operator error that the machine itself.

[swanicyouth]

Unrelated is the crappy fact that the rotary/DA adapter I had on the backing pad spun loose at one point, so the backing pad popped off without warning, and I gouged the roof very nicely with the raw adapter stud... Luckily in that case I was practicing on the winter beater car (GOOOOD GD thing I didn't do the nice convertible that I was planning on working on today...) so I am not super heartbroken, but still... paint damage is paint damage and always sux... Guess I need more loctite on that adapter. *$%&&##@ as they say in the cartoonz.

I'm not sure if the rotary backing plate with the DA adapter is some "mod" I don't know about, but just get a DA backing plate. That sounds downright scary.

[varga740]

Hmm, I know it's a bleeder hole and that's what it's there for but I don't think it's normal for the grease to leak out that frequently. I've never had mine leak through that hole either before or after changing out the grease. Try the Sta-Lube Sta-Plex grease from O'Reilly's that most people here are using. Also, just get a normal DA backing plate with appropriate pads.

[spitpolish]

Yeah you should have just chucked the side handle. Those are probably the most useless thing in the box. If you are having to use that thing your using way to much pressure one the paint anyway and that's what causes it to heat up.

well as I said - I have no interest in the handle except for awkward angles where another way to hold/guide it is helpful, aka reaching across a roof for instance. has nothing really to do w/ pushing too hard or pushing at all really...

As far as it coming out of the hole that's what it is supposed to do. It's called a bleeder hole. More often than not as with most things especially with this machine, it's more of an operator error that the machine itself.

Sorry, again, don't get me wrong there was plenny of operator error, but in this case it also had nothing to do w/ the bleeder hole. In my case the grease was oozing out of below the head (not the bleed/vent) because the heat made it pass its "drop point" and turned it back into oil.

The operator error however WAS copious , but all because I stupidly believed "high temp" grease would be OK.

Warning to anybody else trying this - DEFINITELY use "EP" rated extreme pressure grease.

Today I redid the whole job w/ red EP grease and duh, no isht ershlock, it worked great just as others have posted - tool ran cool and quieter and no vibration and happy as a clam. Now I'm perfectly happy w/ it (aside from the handle thing... but maybe I can fabricate something better of my own anyway... )

I'm not sure if the rotary backing plate with the DA adapter is some "mod" I don't know about, but just get a DA backing plate. That sounds downright scary.

Yeah. More dummass on my part. The idea is you can use the same backing plates on either style of tool. But idiotic risk to take now that I've seen what can happen. Suffice it to say that adapter is red-loctited in there within an inch of its life now but if it ever comes loose again its going straight in the trash.

Hmm, I know it's a bleeder hole and that's what it's there for but I don't think it's normal for the grease to leak out that frequently. I've never had mine leak through that hole either before or after changing out the grease. Try the Sta-Lube Sta-Plex grease from O'Reilly's that most people here are using. Also, just get a normal DA backing plate with appropriate pads.

Yep exactly. As above it wasn't even the bleeder hole - it was the seams in the casing because the "high temp" grease I tried to use turned to liquid and the housing was never meant to be liquid tight. And I didn't get Sta-Lube but another exact same red EP grease, you are exactly right that works great.

Thanks for replies guys. Hopefully I've used up my allotment of stupid for the next day or two at least...

[VISITOR]

i've used the rotary backing plate with the DA adapter and it would come loose mid way through polishing and it's not worth the risk to have it fly off or accidently gouge the paint, not to mention having to keep checking it to see if it's tight...