Can't loosen nut on flipper assembly

[Dinsdale]

Me again :-(

Bought new flipper assy with new, stronger coils. Idea is to also use old learns to learn about to rebuild. Taking old ones off, but I can't remove what I think is the pawl(?) because the nut is unbelievably tight.

I've been very careful to spray it with silicone spray, but not difference. I've tried a straight ratchet with all my might and a proper ratchet but nothing is making it budge.

I can get an alan key in the other end but that's also ridiculously tight.

Right now the flipper bat is on the playfield and this is the last part I need to unscrew.

Please say I'm doing something obviously wrong?

 

[Happypin]

mine have been very tight in the past, I used a long spanner ( correct size) and then used a tube of metal to make it longer for better leverage, keeping the alan key in place.

good luck

 

[drhex]

Turn harder but hold the torque with the allen key. Failing that you can use a dremel to cut off one leg of the pawl.

 

[Widnesbernie]

Aligning flipper, tight nut

Noticed turtles was draining SDTM if plunging around the orbit. Thought the flipper might be touching the ball slightly (although hard to confirm even in a slow mo video). However its definitely not aligned correctly. I have Allen keys from Pinball heaven, I've managed to align flippers on the...

www.pinballinfo.com

 

[Widnesbernie]

Aligning flipper, tight nut

Noticed turtles was draining SDTM if plunging around the orbit. Thought the flipper might be touching the ball slightly (although hard to confirm even in a slow mo video). However its definitely not aligned correctly. I have Allen keys from Pinball heaven, I've managed to align flippers on the...

www.pinballinfo.com

Plenty of ideas. Looks like it was the angle of grip on the bolt.

 

[David_Vi]

Aligning flipper, tight nut

Noticed turtles was draining SDTM if plunging around the orbit. Thought the flipper might be touching the ball slightly (although hard to confirm even in a slow mo video). However its definitely not aligned correctly. I have Allen keys from Pinball heaven, I've managed to align flippers on the...

www.pinballinfo.com

Plenty of ideas. Looks like it was the angle of grip on the bolt.

That seemed to be a freak occurrence, I'm convinced stern used a thread lock.
I've had similar experiences with Bally Williams mechs like @Dinsdale when I was newer to pinball.

You should be ok if you pop the Allen key in and use a spanner on the bolt.
Often they have been over tightened or never adjusted. It's that first loosening that is tough. One mechs where I just had the Allen key end it felt like I was going to break something the first time I experienced this.

That older set up with the Allen bolt and nut is awful, it'll be so much easier when you do change it.

 

[Jay Walker]

As the doc says, use a 3/8" spanner (ideally a ring type rather than open-jawed) and counter-hold the bolt with a hex key (it's also an imperial size, but 4mm is pretty close). Putting undoing effort into it from both sides, as it were. I don't see any sign of a spring washer under the nut, is it so tight that it's crushed?

I'd temporarily re-attach the baseplate to the playfield, before applying the effort that may be needed for this.

 

[mufcmufc]

If you're still struggling after all the above advice, get a big adjustable spanner or big mole grips on it and tap (whatever you chose) with a hammer to stun the nut into loosening

 

[drhex]

Better to cut it off if you can’t get it lose with spanner/Allen as the force you put into it is taken by the bearing/ playfield otherwise. You are replacing these parts anyway. That being said I never met one I couldn’t get open .

 

[kevlar]

That older set up with the Allen bolt and nut is awful, it'll be so much easier when you do change it.

I much prefer the Allen bolt and nut personally, I've broken a few of the other pacman type just trying to tighten them enough to grip the flipper shaft.

 

[Dinsdale]

I used mole grips to get the bastard off in the end. Now with my assembly. Another tool bought that I may need again!

 

[Monkeyboypaul]

I just snapped a bolt trying to get one off! It had obviously been tightened by the Incredible Hulk.

 

[Jay Walker]

I had a couple of instances where the thread inside the nut stripped out, leaving a 'ghost' shell of itself resting on the bolt.

 

[Dinsdale]

Well I've now got a new problem on the other flipper. The metal has clamped down so hard, even with the screw removed - I can't prize it open.

Trying to take the nut off to the left only comes on some way and it just spins.

 

[pinballmania]

Punch the flipper bat through the playfield with hammer and punch tool or similar. Be careful not to punch too hard at the end and have the flipper bat hit the backglass. ( remove it and store safe ).

 

[Dinsdale]

Punch the flipper bat through the playfield with hammer and punch tool or similar. Be careful not to punch too hard at the end and have the flipper bat hit the backglass. ( remove it and store safe ).

Ooh, that's an idea. I'll try that soon.

 

[Dinsdale]

Punch the flipper bat through the playfield with hammer and punch tool or similar. Be careful not to punch too hard at the end and have the flipper bat hit the backglass. ( remove it and store safe ).

That worked!!!! Thank you! I love this site!

EDIT: Now getting "Gun can not find home error". Didn't realise this until I loaded the canon. Hmmm. One to look at tomorrow. Think it's probably that wire that I've soldered not making contact properly.