2 days left on KILLER DEAL --> FLEX 3401 HD - Heavy Duty Extra Long Cord at Autogeek

[Mike Phillips]

2 days left on KILLER DEAL --> FLEX 3401 HD - Heavy Duty Extra Long Cord at Autogeek


Last week Nick asked me to share my thoughts on the FLEX 3401 HD since there's a killer deal on that ends on April 8th. About the time we talked I was wrapping up some hot projects and leaving for Southern California to attend the Benedict Castle Concours.

Since I didn't get to it before I left I'm going to share my thoughts right now while there's still 2 days left to get in on this killer deal.



The FLEX HD - Autogeek Exclusive

1. There's here's rarely sales on tools in our industry. So when there is a sale or promotion jump on it or after it ends you'll be kicking yourself.


2. If you detail cars for a business, part time or full time, or if you own a detailing business and have employees. Get in on this sale while you still can. Why? See what I wrote in post #9 and post #10 in this thread,

How much time does a "real" polisher save over a PC?


3. If reason #2 applies to you then buy at least 2 FLEX 3401 HD polishers. If you detail by yourself switch on of the FLEX 3401 HD's over to the 4" LC Backing Plate. Leave the other FLEX 3401 HD with the stock backing plate. Now you're set up to buff out cars really fast since you have two polishers, one you can set up with small pads for tight areas or smaller thinner panels and one set up with large pads for the large flat sections. The time savings and fumbling around to swap backing plates each time you want to sue a different size pad will pay for the cost of the extra polisher in a short amount of time.


4. If you detail boats for business, part time or full time, or if you own a detailing business and have employees, get in on this sale while you still can. Why? Because in my opinion, when doing production boat detailing, which is what most of the boat detailing market is - then the fastest way to do a one-step to an oxidized gel-coat boat is by using a wool pad on a FLEX 3401 HD with a one step cleaner/wax.

5. The HD cord, or Heavy Duty extra long 24' cord - already professionally wired in will save you time, steps and hassles since you won't have to depend on extension cords.

6. The HD cord, or Heavy Duty extra long 24' cord will prevent damage to the tool since it's the correct gauge wire for the power draw and needs of the tool under heavy use. If the gauge of the extension cord you use is too light you can and will cause damage to the electronic components in the tool and it won't be the tool's fault it will be your fault.

7. If you have employees - when you have Autogeek's FLEX 3401 HD versions, (exclusive to Autogeek), you just Bubba-Proofed your employees so there's a LOT less risk for them to damage your tools by using too light of duty extension cord.

8. With a 25' cord you'll save time by not having to mess with extension cords and all the hassles that go with them like keeping them plugged in during use or tying knots or taping ends together to prevent plug-ends from coming apart accidentally.


9. The HD or heavy duty 25' cords that come with the FLEX 3401 HD polishers is a true rubber cased cord not a cheap vinyl cased cord. Rubber cords don't have a memory so when you coil the cord up and then un-coil the cord the cord will lay out flat. Not so with cheapie vinyl cords. They hold the wind and make un-coiling them a hassle to do and a hassle to use the tool. Rubber cords are also less likely to mar paint compared to vinyl cords.


And last but least...

10. When I detailed full time I always used a heavy duty, extra long cord with my polishers. The biggest reason was to avoid the entire hassle of dealing with extension cords.



Current Promotion
Now a few comments about this sale that lasts till April 8th. That's this Friday by the way, just 2 more days.

If you order before EOD Friday you'll not only get the extra long 25' heavy duty cord model of the FLEX 3401 but you'll also get the 4" interchangeable backing plate system. This 4" interchangeable backing plate enables you to as I like to say, burn and turn 5" and 4" pads on your FLEX 3401.

A: Smaller pads fit modern cars with thin body panels better than larger pads. This helps prevent you from buffing on edges or on top of body lines.

B: Smaller pads are super easy to control when buffing thin panels, tight areas or complicated curves.

C: Buffing with smaller buffing pads are great for new detailers or new employees because they are easier to control and less taxing on you physically.



Winning combination
The combination of the FLEX 3401 gear-driven orbital polisher with the extra long heavy duty cord and the ability to use both small and large pads turns you into a speed detailing demon that can power through a detail job since with the FLEX 3401 the pad will not stop rotating or oscillating like free spinning orbital polishers. To me this makes the FLEX 3401 HD a no brainer.


And because a picture tells a thousand words... here's what's in the box when you buy a FLEX 3401 HD and get the 4" Backing Plate Adapter System.

Here's the box...




Here's what's in the box...





That's the 25' heavy duty cord that comes already pre-wired into the FLEX 3401 without any affect to the normal FLEX warranty





AWG = American Wire Gauge
AWG is a U.S. standard set of non-ferrous wire conductor sizes. The "gauge" means the diameter.




Here you can see the 25' heavy duty cord entering into the factory rubber strain relief just like the factory short cord.




Here's the 4" Backing Plate Adapter System




It consists of the backing plate, the adapter and the included bolt, washer and 2 spacers.




As you can see it's quite a bit smaller than the factory backing plate.




Installation is easy - simply remove the factory backing plate and then install the adapter first.




Align the slot in the adapter to the slotted spindle.




Next install the two spacers...




Then align the 4" backing plate to the the adapter....




Insert the washer....




Then install the hex head bolt...




Tighten till snug...





MOST IMPORTANT
When changing between the factory backing plate and the 4" backing plate adapter system don't mix up the bolts and install the wrong bolt.

The SHORT bolt is for the factory backing plate.




The long bolt is for the 4" backing plate adapter system.





And if you order before the sale ends this Friday, April 8th you will not only get the HD version of the FLEX XC 3401 VRG Orbital polisher and the 4" Blacking Plate Adapter System... you'll also get a copy of my how-to book,

How to use the Flex XC 3401 VRG Dual Action Orbital Polisher





If you ask your customer care sales rep to have me sign it I'd be glad to do so.


Here's the link to Nick's post about this promotion that's just about to end...


FLEX XC 3401 Promotion



Here's what Nick wrote - you need to read this!

The GOOD news is that anyone looking to purchase a FLEX XC3401 will receive a FREE HD upgrade ($50 value) along with a FREE FLEX Changeable Backing Plate System ($40 value).

This offer is exclusively for forum members, and you must either call the order in or put a link to this thread in the comments box.

Offer ends April 8th. Oh, and the machine ships for FREE in the contiguous 48 states as well.


HD upgrade consists of a 25 foot power cord. The FLEX Changeable Backing Plate System makes it possible to use 4" flat pads and 5" hybrid pads on the 3401.

There you go!

[Mike Phillips]

Power through a detail


When I say power through a detail here's what I mean...


1969 Corvette Stingray - Cobra Clay Mitt Review


5.5 hours using the FLEX 3401

Compound = BLACKFIRE SRC Compound with LC 6.5" Orange Hybrid Cutting Pad
Polish = BLACKFIRE SRC Finishing Polish with LC 6.5" White Hybrid Polishing Pad
Wax = BLACKFIRE All Paint Protection machine applied using LC 6.5" Red Hybrid Waxing Pad



Before





Problem was... the dreaded holograms...













AFTER









And that's how you power through a detail job using a FLEX 3401.

[ronkh57]

AFTER






And that's how you power through a detail job using a FLEX 3401.

WOW !!!

Love my flexs

[WAXOFF]

I bought the Pink one around the Christmas holidays and wanted the HD cord but it didn't come on it.

[Tooshort]

Really dumb question..
Does the flex allow for the use of 5.5" pads? I purchased a bunch of lake 5.5 pads for my PC and really don't want to have to purchase a whole set of larger ones if I upgrade to the flex.

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Killer deal for sure!!! I absolutely love this machine. I have the same exact setup that is on sale at the moment coupled with the Hybrid pad lineup. This setup is the bee's knee's.

Nice work BTW Mike.

[VISITOR]

Really dumb question..
Does the flex allow for the use of 5.5" pads? I purchased a bunch of lake 5.5 pads for my PC and really don't want to have to purchase a whole set of larger ones if I upgrade to the flex.

if you purchase this backing plate you can use 5.5" pads and it will give you some safety margin as seen in the pic below...

FLEX XC3401 Mini 4 3/8 Backing Plate

[Mike Phillips]

Here's another example of when I didn't have a lot of time but I had a LOT of work to do.


From start to finish 5.5 hours. Weapon of choice = FLEX 3401


3D HD Adapt and Poxy Review - 1940 Packard Streetrod detailed by Mike Phillips

Here's a quote from the above write-up for this project.

I started this project at 6:30pm and finished at midnight.

That's 5 1/2 hours from start to finish.

Here's just a few pictures from the above write-up.


Before










After








If you're looking for a way to get the job done faster while still working safe and turning out professional grade results then you need at least one FLEX 3401 in your tool arsenal. With the FLEX 3401 HD you have the heavy duty cord you need to protect the electrical components already hard wired in for you.

With this deal that ends tomorrow you also get the 4" backing plate so you can burn and turn 4" and 5" pads.

If you want this deal call us before the end of tomorrow and you'll also get a signed copy of my how-to book, which shows you how to do both fast high quality production detailing as well as multiple-step show car detailing.

[Mike Phillips]

Really dumb question..
Does the flex allow for the use of 5.5" pads? I purchased a bunch of lake 5.5 pads for my PC and really don't want to have to purchase a whole set of larger ones if I upgrade to the flex.

Here's the skinny...

"Yes" you can use thin pads like the thin pads you bought for your Porter Cable 7424XP but in all honesty - thin pads work BEST on free spinning tools like the Porter Cable while thicker pads work better on gear driven tools like the FLEX 3401 and rotary buffers.

In my how-to book I specifically recommend the Lake Country Hybrid pads for the FLEX 3401. I didn't recommend them because I wanted to see our company sell a ton of them.... I recommended them because I know from hands-on, real world experience that these pads maximize the ability and efficiency of both the tool and just as important --> YOU.


Because there's simply less mass to a thin foam pad the FLEX 3401 will simple wear them out if you try to do any type of prolonged detailing work, i.e. lots of correction and polishing to lots of cars. If you're just going to do your own car or cars then "sure" you can do it but you will wear out your thin foam pads that work best on your Porter Cable and then you'll have to buy more pads anyways.

A better plan would be to get in on this deal before end of day Friday (tomorrow) and then as your budget allows get some 6.5" Hybrid pads to get you going. Then get some 5" Hybrid pads to utilize the 4" backing plate.

Step by step build up your detailing arsenal to pro standards. You do one or two details for others and you can easily pay for all the pads and then some.


Also.. since this is your first post to the AGO forum....


Welcome to AutogeekOnline!

[Paul A.]

I jumped on this deal the first day and couldn't be happier. I absolutely love the 25' cord. I have done something like Mike suggested by taking my older buffers and have them set up to grab and work in certain areas. Having now 3 machines ready to go will speed up my time and give me faster, better results.

I also invested heavily in pads for both my PC and rotary. A bunch of those are the 5.5" pads and they work perfectly on the Flex, Tooshort. I will use those with the new 3401 (although i did order more hybrids...you can never have enough, right?).

And, again, like Mike said, it is rare these units are discounted or offered with upgrades as this deal has. I couldn't resist and am stoked!