My Review: Griot's 6", Hydrotech, ONR

U

ultrajim49

New member
I've got the stuff,MGCS I mean,and I'm going to Z the car and I don't want to throw the MGCS away.



And I don't want to have bonding problems with future layers of Z.



:nixweiss



Thanks in advance



christiaan
 
You will not have to worry about bonding issues when using a shampoo like GC on a Z'd car. I use Pinnacle BS regularly on my Z'd car with no problems.



However, I would definitely use Z-7 (and Z-6) on days when you plan on adding a coat or two of Zaino.
 
I use Gold Class shampoo on my Zaino'd car weekly. I too was unsure about it, but another Autopian recommended using it as he had been doing this routine for months.
 
Griot's 6" - no question it has more power than any PC, and nears the power of my Makita 9227c, at least it feels like it. Performs flawlessly. My only gripe is that my hands tingle due to vibration, mainly my left hand which holds the handle or orbital area, so I take frequent breaks. Also, it may be just my eyes fooling me, but it seems that it just goes in a rotary like rotation and not really a random orbital....although I'm not exactly pressing down so hard like I did with my PC, but then again I don't have to either.

Hydrotech Pads -

5.5" - I really like them overall, much better performance and finishing than the CCS which I am used to. The cyan pads don't seem to last very long so far, they get soft and squishy after about half a car or so, and basically stop cutting as well. I've had a couple rip and start splitting in half, and a few others that got very soft and "soggy" in the middle, so I threw those out (after washing first to be sure). Combined with 205, this has been my one step, perfect finish go to and it cuts great and finishes perfectly. The orange pad works great with 205 also, I use it on softer clears and again it finishes LSP ready. I only use the red with Klasse AIO and it's similar to the black CCS I used to use with it, no complaints.

4" - so far they wobble around so much I don't feel comfortable using them. Either they are cut crooked or they are just too tall or I don't know what, but unless I put a great amount of pressure, they go all over the place, don't like it at all. I've reduced their use to using them by hand with 205 in those hard to reach areas.

ONR - I've been using just a normal microfiber towel to wash so far, and I will say it works very well as far as cleaning and glossing up the paint. However, the dirt and grime seem to permanently stick to the towel I use to wash to I'm using several towel for one car, I don't know if others have this experience or not. I bought the Optimum mitt that's made for ONR and I think it's complete garbage. The raised edges on the foam make it difficult to clean as quickly because you have to go back and forth so many more times for the mitt to touch and wipe the paint clean. I suppose I could press down to get better contact, but I'm not doing that to wash a car, that invites marring IMO. It does work great as a clay lube also.

I think next I may try to Meg's microfiber disks but I'm not sure about the compound and polish/wax they made to go with it. I'll wait and read more about it and decide then.

Update:

Last night, an orange Hydrotech 5.5" pad split from it's velcro backing from the middle outwards, and created so much heat that it started to smoke up or at least steam up. I won't be buying anymore Hydrotech pads. At 8 bucks a pop they just arent worth it. I'm only getting quality use from a pad for up to half a car, at least the CCS pads didn't have this problem. I'm going with the normal Meg's pads for now and continue to read up on the Meg's microfiber pads.
 
I haven't researched the MF Meg's system all that much, but my worry is that it's only 2 discs, and so what do I do when I want medium cut or something. I know people have used 105 and 205 instead of the MF system polish and compound made for it, but I guess I'll just have to experiment with it and see.
 
Thanks for your Review !

I can totally relate to what you said regarding the L/C Hydro-"Shred" Pads.

Great idea from Lake Country originally
Great Supply from Lake Country originally
Not Great Response to the Problems for some time now
No Follow Up to Resolve the Problems Whatsoever.. Ongoing..
Guess they have washed their hands completely, from this product's issues.
Too Bad..........:(

I dont have any movement issues using the smaller pads with a PC, you just have to put more pressure on them to keep them where you want them to be. I know its a lot harder to do this if the pad is really tall and very stiff, but once you spray some moisture on it, and get it warmed up a bit, it should soften and not want to jump around on you.

Have also experienced the hot center of the aforementioned Hydro-Shred Pads, and it is because they got too wet, the moisture wicked all the way through to the bottom, and the random orbital movements combined to heat the pad up enough to produce steam-heat, etc., and that will almost surely melt the glue enough to cause these issues..

I tried the L/C CCS pads years ago and never liked them and quit using them.

Good luck with your detailing projects !
Dan F
 
The shame of it is that the Hydrotech finish down so perfectly, when they function correctly. I'm talking 205 and cyan as a one step removing everything except the deepest RIDS, and finishing LSP ready, that's amazing to me. But once they get wet in the middle like you mentioned, and the foam gets soft, they are pretty much a ticking time bomb.
 
I have some tangerine and red pads to try sometime but from everything I read these pads should be switched out after several panels to avoid issues. If they were sold as 1 time use this may make some happier in the description but better info on how to care for them would be useful.
 
I would also like to add a comment about the Hydro pads I also agree the Cyan ones cut great .

Also agree they don't last at all . and they work the best keeping them clean and not getting them wet . If they are wet or even damp they produce some much heat the Velcro fails .
I'm not a 100% sure but i believe it was the first generation pads that failed more offen the the later ones .How long ago did you buy your pads and I also think if you contact Lake Country they will replace the pads that failed .
 
Also using the red Hydrotech pads this evening to apply Klasse AIO, the pads got "gummy" and started leaving gummed up chunks on the paint that was very difficult to remove safely. I switched to a new red pad and it was fine but it also started "gumming" up, all this happened in the middle of the pad.


Side note: maybe properautocare.com will give me new ones for the many that failed in the last week? I bought from them through this forum, I think Todd's sig to be exact
 
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