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flipper power issues

  • Thread starter Thread starter Friz
  • Start date Start date
F

Friz

I have recently overhauled my flippers, the last being the top flipper i finished last night, new coil sleeves, bushings, stripped and cleaned down everything, polished plunger and cleaned the EOS contacts and flipper button contacts. After all that, it really doesnt seem to have improved what i always thought was very weak, it struggles to make a ramp shot and when it does, quite often it falls into an upkicker hole rarther than making it all the way round to the ball lock ramp (sorry, the same is Operation thunder by the way).

I have checked the coil and seems to be the right spec for that flipper.

The others are OK, not the strongest i have ever seen but can make all of the shots on the table with no trouble.

Is there anything i have missed or can do to improve things?
 
I was going to replace these, but when i removed them, there was no mushrooming at all on the end stop and the plunger looked like new minus some dirt, so i hit them with a clean and metal polish and refitted. It all runs with prety much zero resistance when you move it so i would be amazed if a new plunger solved anything. I dont know what else to do other than trying a slightly more powerful coil or swap for a new one.
 
Did the sleeves go in easily or was it more difficult. Sometimes the coils themselves warp due to heat.
 
The old one came out really easy and the new one went in even easier. The old one was worn and grooved so i had hoped for a better performing flipper after the overhaul. It does seem smoother and more eager but not any more powerful. I know theres something not quite right because i have read of people having to put a mod in to shop the ball going airborn when hitting the ramp and and hitting the glass, which mine is no where near capable of doing.
 
Did you did leave a bit of a gap for the flipper to move on the brushing? #2 on the list of things to work through. Also check the EOS again, #3 on the list...
 
yeah it has room to move and has sufficient slack as to not catch/rub and loose power that way.

The end of stroke swiches seem fine, when moved by hand, they do not dissengage until right at the end of the plunger travel and have used fine sandpaper on the contacts to clean them up, seem to have very little wear and look good.

On having another look, the actually flipper button contacts do look quite worn, where they have not been aligned properly in the past it has worn the contacts at an angle, im assuming it could lose power this way though poor passage of power? Both flipper assemblys dont look in the best state if im honest but all make consistent contact.
 
Friz said:
On having another look, the actually flipper button contacts do look quite worn, where they have not been aligned properly in the past it has worn the contacts at an angle, im assuming it could lose power this way though poor passage of power? Both flipper assemblys dont look in the best state if im honest but all make consistent contact.
Click to expand...

I think it's probably best to replace them before trying anything else... It might not change anything but it will help provide peace of mind.

Other thoughts are have you got the correct legs on the machine and have you set it up quite steep? A couple of inches can make all the difference...!!! :D
 
yeah, thats what my mrs is always telling me!

it came with the correct legs, which were abit beat up, so i got some new ones from pinball heaven. They were about 1-2cm inch longer than others but didnt effect the slope. It is set up to just over 6 degrees (measured on the playfield obviously) which i believe is only 1 degree over what is recommended, so i cant imagne it would effect flipper power that much, especially when the ramp is only 20-25 cm away from the flipper in question.
 
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