Anybody else get poor life out of the So1o pads?

[TH0001]

I have been using all 4 So1o pads and love them, but I am very disapointed in the durablity of each....

Both wool pads have lost a ton of wool from the center out (creating a two inch bald spot in the center of each) and continue to shed from the center out. I have probably only used the heavy cut pad on five cars, and it is probably not usable because it has lost so much wool.

The diamond cut polishing pad has had pieces chunk off, although I have used this pad on 15 cars (if not more) it still seems on the low side. The finishing pad has lasted maybe 10 cars and has started to tear on the edges of the diamond pattern.

Is this normal, I love these pads, but I am not thrilled if I can only get limited use before replacement.

[zoomzoom mazda5]

Re: Anybody else get poor life out of the So1o pads?

I was thinking the same on durability Todd, I'm been waiting to see. I been using different mfg pads and some last a very long time and some don't. Hopefully someone can answer your question..........

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Anybody else get poor life out of the So1o pads?

We appreciate feedback from our customers both the good and the constructive and we'll send the link to this thread to the Product Manager for the Professional Line which is Jason Rose.

Thank you!

[Jason Rose]

Re: Anybody else get poor life out of the So1o pads?

I have been using all 4 So1o pads and love them, but I am very disapointed in the durablity of each....

Both wool pads have lost a ton of wool from the center out (creating a two inch bald spot in the center of each) and continue to shed from the center out. I have probably only used the heavy cut pad on five cars, and it is probably not usable because it has lost so much wool.

Thanks for your comment.

You did not mention why you love the Solo wool pads, but based on solid feedback from many other Solo pad lovers, you likely enjoy the defect removal, less swirl, and the user experience...primarily how smooth buffing they feel. If you agree, then your complaint about the "bald spot" on the center of our Solo wool pads is pointing to a design feature that contributes to the performance you/we like about the pad. Our research has shown that fibers in the center of any wool pad do not contribute to defect removal, but can contribute to "drag feel" and swirls. This happens when the center fibers twist on themselves and become a big chunk of fibers rotating in one place. So when you see that "bald spot" in the center of a Solo wool pad, I want you to know that that is helping to get the performance you like.

Now, having said that, I agree it may not look as good to have a bald center spot. We had many "spirited discussions" internally about that. One idea was to cover the area with shorter non-functional fibers or a round fiber patch, but we found the added costs were prohibitive and we did not want to raise the price of the pad to users for this reason. Did we make the right decision?

[TH0001]

Re: Anybody else get poor life out of the So1o pads?

One of the problems I have had with the So1o wool pads is that the fast shedding out of the center has caused the backing material to contact the paint on some area's (rear bumper of 325) which caused scratching very quickly. This is what promted the initial post.

I will take pictures today or tomorrow. Also the "shedding" isn't even as some areas have fiber and some don't. In terms of actual performance, I am a HUGE fan, but a word of caution, be careful of the center as it will contact the paint when used on certain angles and cause damage quickly.

[Jason Rose]

Re: Anybody else get poor life out of the So1o pads?

be careful of the center as it will contact the paint when used on certain angles .

Yep. Good point. That can sometimes happen with full size single sided wool pads as well, but Solo pads have a 1 inch pile length making them not as tall as their counterparts. So, once again, the 1 inch pile length buys you lots of performance, but also comes with a caution area in the center of the pad on extreme angles/corners.

I think this goes under the heading of "know what you drive." A lowered mini truck gets you certain performance and fun looks...but you find out soon that the speed bumps need special negotiating to avoid damage to the undercarriage.

For polishing extreme angles/corners I use spot repair pads and small tools. With smaller /tools/pads I have much more control and less risk.

[RDVT4ME]

Re: Anybody else get poor life out of the So1o pads?

Jason,

Could you post your recommendation for these small tools? With your level of experience, this would be helpful for us to make good choices.