Do your games have the correct flipper parts?
Danny
to my house to help me fix some games. He did a great job fixing the games
I asked him to look at and then he surprised me by telling me that my MM and
TZ flippers were wrong, even though I had used the "proper" flipper rebuild
kits for them. He said that the flipper parts for these games have changed
over time and only Pinball Life consistently sells the correct parts. The
result of using the wrong parts are that the flippers do not go high enough
in the up position and it is harder to cradle the ball, etc. He was able to
fiddle around with my machine (by bending the coil stop brackets) to get the
flippers in the proper configuration and they were quite noticeably
different after he changed them.
I'm guessing that there are a lot of others out there with improper flipper
set-ups!
Danny
P.S. That was my MM at the PPE, so if you were having trouble getting a
high score on it, now you know why!
John Wart, jr
I tend to buy the parts in bulk and don't use 'kits' as the kits often don't
include all the parts you need to do a proper rebuild, and sometimes some
parts can be reused - such as EOS switches, plungers (just install new link)
etc.
"Danny" <dann...@removethis.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:8dCdnY8Z7PjnE2zV...@comcast.com...
seymour-shabow
> After visiting the Pacific Pinball Expo, Clay Harrell (aka Shaggy) came over
> to my house to help me fix some games. He did a great job fixing the games
> I asked him to look at and then he surprised me by telling me that my MM and
> TZ flippers were wrong, even though I had used the "proper" flipper rebuild
> kits for them. He said that the flipper parts for these games have changed
> over time and only Pinball Life consistently sells the correct parts. The
> result of using the wrong parts are that the flippers do not go high enough
> in the up position and it is harder to cradle the ball, etc. He was able to
> fiddle around with my machine (by bending the coil stop brackets) to get the
> flippers in the proper configuration and they were quite noticeably
> different after he changed them.
>
> I'm guessing that there are a lot of others out there with improper flipper
> set-ups!
>
Yup, he told me the same thing about my TZ too, the difference is that I
KNOW they are the 'incorrect' parts. But, the game works fine and you
don't miss any shots so who cares??? It's harder to trap a ball coming
down but I guess on the plus side easier to pass to the other flipper.
At the time I rebuilt those flippers the correct parts were not
available (Pinball Life was not in business then). I stopped buying
"kits" anyway because they were too expensive from the regular sellers,
next time they get rebuilt I will change them, but I don't agree with
bending the brackets.
That's surprising that your MM didn't work correctly though, they must
have sent you some FUNKY kits. I'd of thought that you got the newer
style for both.....
I think TZ was the last one to use the older style actually.....
-scott CARGPB#29
hagis_u
When I first got my Corvette all three flipper assemblies were
incorrect. The operator had subsituted a Data East assembly for the
upper flipper. The other two flippers had the diodes removed and the
left flipper EOS was clipped together. Then you wonder why the person
I bought the pin from stated the flippers on Bally games are not very
good, and the fliptonics fuses keep blowing...??? Fortunatly, I have
fixed these errors along with an array of other little "magic" fixes.
But, thats another thread for another time..
PT
game I rebuild. At $18+ per kit when you buy 4, you can't beat the
price.
John
TheKorn
old chicken bones. :)
--
Have a home video that's trapped on your camera? Want to share it on the
web or on DVD?
Paul in California
Good to know, thanks! I was wondering why Pinball Life offers 2 or 3
different flipper rebuild kits for 90's WPC pins, whereas other
vendors offer a "one-size-fits-all" kit. I see now that if you get a
one-size-fits-all kit, it will work fine, but you might end up with a
coil stop and plunger-link assembly that is different than the
original, thus resulting in reduced flipper throw.
martin
>
> - Show quoted text -
There's nothing easy about this.
For example, Clay quotes 2-3/8" as being the correct throw. But the
different generations have different throw - more recent WPC machines
should be a bit shorter.
The longer throw does not seem to affect ball speed off of the flipper
- I put both short parts in a left flipper, and regular parts in the
right. You can see the height difference, but the filppers shoot the
same.
Also, some flippers seem way better than others. Could be game angle,
or a bunch of other things.
There are short stops and long stops.
There are short plungers and long plungers
There are manufacturing variations in the plunger length.
Bending the stops will encourage mushrooming. I am not sure how much
that matters in home use.
Mike W. from NJ
that I cannot get parts... well (see below) but rather because the
metal (or the screws) that they used somehow have all stripped over
the years and previous owners/operators inflict hack jobs to hobble
together just about anything that will work. Often they are rebuilt
without washers, with screws that are the incorrect threadsize (to fit
into a rounded out and stripped hole, etc)
Over time, of course parts wear funny, etc.
These are older games, but specifically I'm talking about an EM Night
Rider, a Stern Sea Witch, and a 72 Fireball.
When I say that I cannot get parts, I'm speaking specifically about
Fireball. I bought one some time ago and it was, as advertised by the
seller in good condition. I was and still am really happy with the
purchase and feel that I got a good deal. But I played for a while
and ultimately (as Bally's sometimes do), one of the flippers went
cockeyed and when I pulled the playfield to see what was what, I found
the usual... screws, washers, etc. that fell out.
Ultimately, however, I found that the flipper plate was incorrect
(these are Zip flippers). Have been on the hunt since and still
cannot find parts. In general they worked pretty well, in fact they
worked better than some of the other machines w/Zip flippers and
original parts, but I WOULD like to replace these.
Scott was good enough to let me take a number of pictures of his
Medusa but I'm still at a lost after trying to fabricate something
(without an original in hand).
If anybody has a supply or knows where I can get some Zip flipper
parts, I'd be greatful. (I did manage to buy two zip flipper bushings
yesterday for $7.50 a piece; not the best deal but I was just happy to
find them... Thanks !!).
-Mike W. from NJ
www.emwhite.org