Quote:
Originally Posted by dieselguy
Brad … I’ve been on the MOC several years and haven’t asked many questions unless I wanted to know something for my benefit as well as for others that are interested in my question. We all buy things and later have buyer's remorse. I wanted to know if there was any “snap pad” remorse here on the MOC. Frankly I’m satisfied with the responses from both sides.
I’ll also go as far as to beg to differ with you on what snap pads and wood do as to function. They both provide a larger foot print and they both somewhat cushion the foundation for the hydraulic rams. As for the 1-1/8” number … for conversations sake, I loped off the hexagon points and went with the advertised 9” dia for standard feet and 11” dia for “snap pads”. (Put a 9" circle squarely inside an 11" circle and what do you have all the way around ... about 1") And yes I can calculate what percentage of area that is.
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Thanks, I appreciate you clarifying. I still believe your original language it seemed - to me - that you were just interested in "stirring the pot". YMMV.
As to "intended use"... the unique features of snap pads are that they remain attached - your wood, and other pads, do not. They are different. Whether you value that difference is up to you, but intended usage is definitely not the same.
What is missing in your simple math is that the snap pads are flexible and that impacts how the load is spread out. I have used them on wet grass where the OEM pads would sink out of sight. In the past that would have required putting wood or other pads. The snap pads worked fine... you could see them flexing in the soft ground and they did sink, perhaps 1 inch. But they were quite serviceable for the 3 days we were there. I've stayed in similar places and not sure that a few wood blocks would have done that much better (IOW, would 1" be so much worse than .75"?)
I still carry a couple of my older pads; which are about 14" square and made of recycled rubber. But where I used to carry 6 of them, I only carry a couple, and only for those occasions where we might be on a slope and I want more height under the snap pads.
I still maintain that snap pads work better than it may seem. I was skeptical also, and only bought them knowing I could return them. After a few days using them, I knew they were staying on the rig.
And, BTW, I'm ok if others like wood or other pads. They are tried and proven.
But, snap pads serve a unique purpose and they do it well. To suggest otherwise is to miss the point and potentially provide misinformation to those who may be interested. I do hope our exchange provides the data for others to decide for themselves.
Brad