Flipper sticking

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I just bought a Williams Space Shuttle machine from a friend of mine.
It is my first pinball machine and I am looking forward to learning how
to clean it up and getting working. For the most part, everything on
the machine works well. I've played it a few times with no problems.
Two days ago I noticed that the left flipper would get stuck in the up
position every once in a while. Yesterday it got stuck and it wouldn't
come back down. I removed the top glass and tinkered with it a bit. I
noticed that when I pull the right flipper up, it moves nice and smooth
and it springs back smoothly. When I try to pull the left flipper up,
it sticks really bad like it is rubbing against something. I have to
physically pull on it pretty hard to get it to move. The same thing
occurs when pushing it back down. I tried to see what was happening
underneath, but it is really hard to get to. I was going to try to
spray some WD-40 inside of the mechanism to see if that would help, but
I didn't want to fry anything. Does anyone have any suggestions of
what I can try? Is it ok to spray wome WD in there, or is that a bad
idea? Am I going to have to take the playfield off to get at the
flipper to fix it? Thanks.

Tom

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Hi Tom:

Firstly: do NOT spray WD40. Bad idea on several levels. For the most
part, pinball machines run dry with little or no lubrication needed
ever. Not to mention you may start a fire in the game and your house.
Do you know that the playfield lifts up from the front of the game
similar to a car hood? There is a metal "stick" to prop the playfield
against while working on the game. Your culprit may be a bad flipper
coil. These are available from several sources including:

www.pbresource.com and www.marcospec.com to name just a couple. This
coil will likely have a number printed on it which will make life
easier when ordering. It also may be that the switches are dirty. To
clean these on a solid state game (such as Space*Shuttle) place a
business card bewtween the blades, carefully pinch them together and
pull the dirt onto the card. Just be careful not to bend the switches.
You should see some gunk on the card to tell you they are clean.

Good luck with everything, Spc Shutt is fun game. I am sure there will
be better advice than I can give, but this will get you started. Oh,
and if you don't already have one, be sure to order a game manual also.

Regards,

Mark

www.wvpinball.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Thanks for all of the great advice. I had no idea that the playfield
lifted up. I guess I have some more research to do I do have a
manual that came with it, but it is just circuit diagrams. I am not
sure if it is the specific manual for the machine, or a generic
Williams book. I can't wait to get home now and play around with it.
Thanks again for all the help.

Tom

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Post your location someone might be near and stop by and show you some
pointers. throw that WD40 away, don't spray it on anything in
pinballs.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Wow, thanks for all of the great advice guys. I am in New Hartford, CT
if anyone is in the area. Thanks for all the help. I look forward to
getting my hands in there tonight.

Tom

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

One of two things is probably happening:

1) The tapered return spring around the plunger is probably biting/eaten
into the plastic link which inhibits the travel (and strength) of the coil
plunger. Very common. And the main reason we do away with the tapered
springs in these old games and replace with the modern side-mount type.

2) EOS switch may be worn and/or broken off at the tip which can stick on
the flipper crank pawl.

In either case, you're most likely due for a flipper rebuild- on both
flippers- after all, when one starts to fail, the other isn't far behind,
typically.

We carry new flipper rebuild kits, bushings, screw kits, coils, and flipper
bats & rings on our site- see: www.actionpinball.com

For "tech help" in rebuilding your flippers, see the guide at:
www.marvin3m.com/fix.htm

WD-40? NO! Do not use any lubrication on this stuff- these mechanisms in
these games were designed to run dry- without lubrication. Lubrication may
be a temporary solution, but it will attract dust/dirt and quickly "gum up",
causing more problems. WD-40 has a tendency to "dry out" very quickly for
some reason- which makes such problems come up much quicker than expected.
It can also get into switches and wires/coils and potentially cause
short-circuits or possibility of fire- worst case scenario. DO NOT USE IT
ON YOUR GAME- ANYWHERE.

To get at the flipper mechanisms under the playfield (or just about anything
else under there)- yes- you do have to raise the playfield. If you don't
know how, see the guides at the link above, or see your game manual- either
will show you how.

Hope that helps!

Ray J.
--
Action Pinball & Amusement, LLC
Salt Lake City, Utah USA
Web: www.actionpinball.com

We're serious about pinball. Anything else is just for fun!



<vickerto@gmail.com> wrote:
> I just bought a Williams Space Shuttle machine from a friend of mine.
> It is my first pinball machine and I am looking forward to learning how
> to clean it up and getting working. For the most part, everything on
> the machine works well. I've played it a few times with no problems.
> Two days ago I noticed that the left flipper would get stuck in the up
> position every once in a while. Yesterday it got stuck and it wouldn't
> come back down. I removed the top glass and tinkered with it a bit. I
> noticed that when I pull the right flipper up, it moves nice and smooth
> and it springs back smoothly. When I try to pull the left flipper up,
> it sticks really bad like it is rubbing against something. I have to
> physically pull on it pretty hard to get it to move. The same thing
> occurs when pushing it back down. I tried to see what was happening
> underneath, but it is really hard to get to. I was going to try to
> spray some WD-40 inside of the mechanism to see if that would help, but
> I didn't want to fry anything. Does anyone have any suggestions of
> what I can try? Is it ok to spray wome WD in there, or is that a bad
> idea? Am I going to have to take the playfield off to get at the
> flipper to fix it? Thanks.
>
> Tom
>