FUNHOUSE Ramp entrance gate problem

[surfer]

Sometimes (too much for my liking) the main ramp entrance gate (not the one that is used by the left plunger- the main one) rejects
the ball when it is launched at it, as if it is stuck solid and the ball falls straight down the middle and I lose it. I have
checked it and it moves freely enough. I had a very similar problem with my BBBB sometime back. Anyone know the answer to this one?

While I'm here, is there a cure for a ball which has gone round the main ramp which is diverted to the Crazy steps dropping in to
the Crazy steps lane only to miraculously move over in to the left flipper drain lane?

Already done a Google for the answers BTW.
Thanks,
Surfer.

[surfer]

Correction: there is no ramp entrance gate on the Crazy steps ramp. Dumbass me.
"surfer" <a...@jkl.com> wrote in message news:bid7m1$87m2f$1...@ID-49477.news.uni-berlin.de...

[metallik]

I had the ball reject problem as well.. It's not the gate, it's the fact
the ball is catching air off the springsteel flap, possibly helped by a
screwhead, and hitting the front of the plastic ramp cover. I had
similar rejects on my MM damsel ramp - the springsteel would flex when
the ball was shot hard at the ramp... especially here because of the
extra thickness of the ramp entrance floor (where the "drain-saver"
plexi is) .. the steel would 'conform' to the lip of the ramp plastic
when the ball was shot hard at the ramp, forming a little launchpad, and
the ball would jump and hit the underside of the dragon bracket and come
back.

Solution that worked for me: Press down on the springsteel entrance
flap. Observe how the steel flexes and forms a slight lip where the ramp
plastic begins - this is the 'launchpad' we have to eliminate. Get a
bit of thin cardboard and fold it up a bit (or something similar - thin
wooden wedges would be optimal), and slide it under the springsteel, in
front of the ramp plastic, with the goal being flattening out that 'lip'
that forms when the springsteel is pushed down. You want a gradual
incline all the way up, even under 'pressure', since a fast-moving ball
will apply similar 'pressure'. On FH, you can also shim up the front of
the ramp shield plastic by 1/4" or so .. this should stop almost all
rejects. For MM Damsel it was sufficient to simply 'flatten out' the
approach. Make sure the entrance screws are fully screwed down and
properly countersunk.

This also occurred (and was fixed) on SS Bony Beast ramp...

Let me know if this helps...

[Cliffy]

Believe it or not this is (sadly) typical of Funhouse. I've minimized
this effect by loosening the ramp entrance flap which eases the ball up
and by (of course!) adding my ramp protectors which GREATLY stiffens the
ramp itself. This keeps that slingshot effect to a minimum ;)
As for the ball jumping off the wireform and into the outlane -
presumably on it's way to the steps plunger - not much you can do except
make sure the wireform itself isnt tweaked in some way. I've had that
happen on really fast shots to that ramp. Not much can be done to avoid
it :(

--
Cliffy
CARGPB2
http://home.comcast.net/~crinear

[Bob E.]

surfer wrote:
>
> Sometimes (too much for my liking) the main ramp entrance gate (not the one that is used by the left plunger- the main one) rejects
> the ball when it is launched at it, as if it is stuck solid and the ball falls straight down the middle and I lose it.

I have had this happen on my Funhouse, but I always assumed that it
was because my ramp is broken on the sides. The person that had it
before me just moved the switch bracket with rollunder wire back a
little bit (where the walls were more solid for mounting), and I just
assumed that this changed the geometry of the ramp entrance and the
place on the ball where the rollunder wire contacts it. I sort of
imagined that the ball was being "sling-shot" propelled back to me!

Hearing other people's experiences, however, it now seems like it is
more of an endemic problem with Funhouse. I wonder if raising the
switch bracket with a few washers or thin spacers would help...

--Bob

=======================================================================
Bob Ellingson bo...@halted.com
Halted Specialties Co., Inc. http://www.halted.com
3500 Ryder St. (408) 732-1573
Santa Clara, Calif. 95051 USA (408) 732-6428 (FAX)

[JB]

Mine did it too until I tackled it as a must-solve problem. I ended up
trimming a notch out of the steel deflector part of the wireform where it
was contacting the steps ramp. This allowed the wireform to be positioned
closer to the outside edge of the steps ramp.

The ball now drops right on the spring steel flap and only bounces to the
outlane maybe 1% of the time.

Oh yeah, I also have a black rubber sleeve on that metal post that's right
there, with one side ground flat so the ball can pass up the steps ramp.
This also cut back on the outlane drains somewhat.

I can take a photo of what I did if you like.

-JB

"Bob E." <bob...@halted.com> wrote in message
news:3F4AB308...@halted.com...

[JB]

OK, I added some photos to the website of my cure for this problem:

http://www.videoengine.com/pins/fh/fh.htm#mods

-JB

"surfer" <a...@jkl.com> wrote in message
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