Free Floating Spindle question

**WiredAVS** · 01-12-2014, 07:04 PM

Hello AGO members! My Name is Eric and this my first post.

After reading this forum for weeks I have decided to purchase the PC 7424xp to detail my new ride. I went with the PC as my cars are really well taken care of and I usually do not have issues with swirls being introduced by washing. My new car has some dealer induced marring that I tried to remove by hand but it did not work.

I received the unit yesterday and geared everything up for today. All seems fine for the first 10-20 minutes but I noticed what I think might be a problem.

While I was starting on a flat panel after about the forth section using 6 section passes, I noticed my pads started flinging product like crazy.

After a couple of attempts at cleaning the pads and reapplying light product I believe the Free Floating Spindle is not spinning correctly.

When I try to move the Spindle with the wrench its fairly tight and rough to spin. It will spin with force but it is very notchy. I figure it should be smooth as it rides inside a bearing. Also there is black grease seeping from the bearing.

Also if I apply light pressure to the DA on the paint the pad will flatten out the pad as if the pad was free spinning in the air. I can not seem to stop the pad in my hand as it would within the 1st 10 minutes of use. I think the bearing went to crap.

Can anyone with the 7424xp please run out and turn the spindle not the weight plate assembly by hand or with the wrench and tell me if there is excess force needed to spin the spindle, and if it feels smooth or notchy.

Again thank you AGO for helping me select my products as well my new equipment.

Eric

**Relentless58** · 10-17-2014, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by WiredAVS

Hello AGO members! My Name is Eric and this my first post.

After reading this forum for weeks I have decided to purchase the PC 7424xp to detail my new ride. I went with the PC as my cars are really well taken care of and I usually do not have issues with swirls being introduced by washing. My new car has some dealer induced marring that I tried to remove by hand but it did not work.

I received the unit yesterday and geared everything up for today. All seems fine for the first 10-20 minutes but I noticed what I think might be a problem.

While I was starting on a flat panel after about the forth section using 6 section passes, I noticed my pads started flinging product like crazy.

After a couple of attempts at cleaning the pads and reapplying light product I believe the Free Floating Spindle is not spinning correctly.

When I try to move the Spindle with the wrench its fairly tight and rough to spin. It will spin with force but it is very notchy. I figure it should be smooth as it rides inside a bearing. Also there is black grease seeping from the bearing.

Also if I apply light pressure to the DA on the paint the pad will flatten out the pad as if the pad was free spinning in the air. I can not seem to stop the pad in my hand as it would within the 1st 10 minutes of use. I think the bearing went to crap.

Can anyone with the 7424xp please run out and turn the spindle not the weight plate assembly by hand or with the wrench and tell me if there is excess force needed to spin the spindle, and if it feels smooth or notchy.

Again thank you AGO for helping me select my products as well my new equipment.

Eric

did you ever find your answer? Mine does the same thing, but I'm thinking it shouldn't. For me it does really appear to spin all that well even when only under its own weight.

**BillE** · 10-18-2014, 07:11 AM

Do you have the 'compression washer' on the backing plate?

Bill

Mike Phillips · 10-18-2014, 08:50 AM

Sounds like you're not using the Compression Washer and what you're feeling is the brads or rivets on the backing plate rubbing against the counterweight.

Don't use your polisher without it!

That is... the Compression Washer

If you don't use a compression washer, the rivets on the backing plate attachment base will come into contact with the counterweight assembly on your DA Polisher.

Damage caused by not using the Compression Washer

Damaged and Gouged Metal
The rivets have gouged the metal because the compression washer was left off. Not only does it gouge the metal it will usually make a horrible noise and that should be your first clue to turn the polisher off and inspect for issues.

Treat the compression washer like GOLD. Don't lose it.

Keep the little rubber nut to lock it into place when not using that backing plate. It's probably more likely you'll own more backing plates into the future than less likely.

The Rubber Nut - Keeps the Compression Washer from getting lost and protects the threads when the backing plate is not in use.

I have scads of backing plates in drawer in the studio and it's nice reaching for a backing plate and having the spacer washer intact with the backing plate.

The Purpose of the Compression Washer

The compression washer performs multiple functions,

Crushable Interface
The compression washer provides a crushable or malleable interface between two pieces of metal that are going to see a lot of pressure from being tightened together with a wrench and my guess is a lot of punishment from the operator. I punish all my tools... so it's not a reach to think others are going to punish their's too. Add to the above mix, the violent oscillating action of the tool on the highest speed setting and add to that t-i-m-e...

By time, I mean putting your polisher to work buffing out a car section-by-section, panel-after-panel. As Pros know and anyone that wants to get the job in a decent amount of time, when you start buffing out a car you have to keep the tool running and buffing on paint. There's no breaks. That's time of endured punishment.

Point being is you want and need the crushable interface between two pieces of metal on an electric tool capable of running at high OPM's.

Spacer
They also act as an actual spacer between the arbor or stud seat where there are the raised heads of a type of rivet or brad that anchors the arbor base to the the backing plate and the threaded portion of the Free Rotating Spindle Bearing Assembly.

Free Rotating Spindle Bearing Assembly

Here you can see a compression washer seated at the base or seat of the 5/16" arbor or stud where it's attached into the backing plate surrounded by the raised heads of the rivets or attachment anchors.

So keep track of both the compression washer and the rubber nut and don't use your DA Polisher, be it a Porter Cable, Meguiar's or Griot's without it.

Compression washers do wear out with use, that is if you remove and replace backing plates often you're going to wear your compression washer out.

Autogeek carries replacements...

Lake Country Compression Washers 5-Pack