What size backing plate and pad?

[cbtruckin]

Hello everyone,

So I just got a PC 7424xp for christmas. It included a 6 inch white foam pad which I'm not going to use.

Now I've been searching about pads and backing plates, trying to figure out what size to use. I've looked at Meguiars 6.5 and 7 inch pads.
Also looking at Lake Country pads. They offer 4, 5.5, 6.5, and 8 inch pads.

I don't want to get the 4 inch ones yet for small jobs until I get the basic stuff.

I'm leaning towards Lake Country pads and backing plate.

Now, my question is: Which would be the best size to have for starting out? After researching this is what I've come up with:

Lake country 5 inch backing plate and use their 6.5 inch pads.

My first job will be to fix white bmw hood that has small scuffs from somebody polishing on it. Also, a combination of pads and Mequiars products to fix this would be great. (looking at using LC orange, green, or white pads and Mequiars m80, m82, or m9)

Any suggestions would be great.
Thank you,
Corey

[greg0303]

Re: What size backing plate and pad?

In my opinion The Consumer Line offers pretty good selection to get familiar with machine polishing:
- paint cleaner/ compound: Ultimate Compound,
- polish: SwirlX (has some cleaning ability, it's really cleaner/polish),
- protection/ wax: Next Tech Wax 2.0 (sealant) or Gold Class Carnauba Plus (natural/ carnauba).
Ultimate Compound and SwirlX both use Meguiar's newest technology: super micro abrasives.

Buffing pads: if you go with Meguiar's only Soft Buff 2.0 pads are machine washable. For DA polisher 5.75" W68DA backing plate is the choice. You only need yellow polishing pad W8207 and black finishing pad W9207 to cover your detailing sessions (couple of each would be good).

Correction work:
Above surface - good car wash and detailing clay bar (if needed, after feeling rough bonded contaminants on the paint surface, clay also helps with better wax bonding extending protection),
Below surface - paint cleaner worked on small area (like 16"x16") with moderate pressure with speed 5-6 on your 7424XP (make sure your pad still maintains rotation, mark your backing plate with marker). Start with test spot and least aggressive product (but suitable for defect type).

You're gonna see a big diffrence in correction ability, speed and time consumption once you step up to machine polishing.

Good luck !!!

[cbtruckin]

Re: What size backing plate and pad?

Thanks alot. I am going to go with the 5.75 backing plate and yellow and black meguiars 7 inch pads. Figure I'll just get a 3 pack of each.

Will the swirl x and a yellow pad be a good place to start for removing light swirls and it looks like small scratches on the white bmw hood from where someone did a cheap buffing job?

Thank you,
Corey

[BS MXRacer]

Re: What size backing plate and pad?

The swirlx/yellow pad is a good starting point, do a test spot to see if that combo gives you the desired results.

[cbtruckin]

Re: What size backing plate and pad?

Thanks,

Is there a link or chart or something that shows the abrasiveness of meguiars products. You read the descriptions of some of them and they sound like the same thing.

Corey

[greg0303]

Re: What size backing plate and pad?

Aggressiveness order for SMAT products:

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40514&highlight=aggressiveness

[cbtruckin]

Re: What size backing plate and pad?

Thanks for that link.

Corey

[cbtruckin]

Re: What size backing plate and pad?

Hi,


Okay I'm off to a good start. I corrected fine scratches in the hood of my truck and it looks better than the day I picked it up at the dealer.

My wifes white BMW hood had fine little scratches like the used car lot did their 15 minute buff job without using any wax. Took a little while working with Ultimate Compound and a yellow pad. Probably could have used something more abrasive than UC, but that was all I had. WHAT PRODUCT WOULD BE ONE STEP MORE ABRASIVE THAN UC FOR THIS COMBO? It still turned out great.

Now I need to get the 4 inch pads and backing plate. I'm looking at the Meguire 3 inch (S3BP), just want to make sure that's what I need for my PC7424xp? Then I'll just get a six pack of yellow and black pads.

Thank you,
Corey

[cbtruckin]

Re: What size backing plate and pad?

Also, I started out with M9 Swirl Remover and Swirl X with the yellow pad at speed 5 and didn't get much results. The UC worked the best with about 4 to 5 applictions. I figured UC would be more abrasive than it was. You here the word compound and think scracth, but this was different. Just looking for something a little more abrasive than UC without hazing the paint.
Thanks,
Corey