Help needed from an RFM Owner

[marcoos_1]

Hoping someone can help here. I have an RFM which I have recently purchased, having never owned one before. On several occasions when I have been playing a game, when I go for either of the outer loops on the right hand side and the ball travels rapidly around the loop to exit on the outside left loop, it then goes straight down through the middle of the flippers. No matter what I do or how I position the flippers, the ball goes straight down through the middle and is lost This never happens when I shoot the opposite side as the ball always comes down and gives you the chance to catch it if you position the flippers correctly.

Having looked at the yellow post rubbers on each side, it appears I have a much larger one fitted on the left where the ball exits as opposed to the one on the right hand side and I am wondering if this is something that has been fitted by a previous owner and it is affecting the path of the ball? It is really frustrating when it does this as there is nothing you can do to stop it and it doesnt really seem like it should be necessary to input major nudge for what is the output of a standard shot.

I hope the above description makes sense. So, if possible, could someone check their RFM and see if they are different sizes on each side of your machine? When I look at the steel outer side of the loop where the ball exits, it looks like this part is sitting out slightly, caused by the larger left hand rubber. Maybe I am way off and they are all like this.....

I have levelled the table several times in case this was the issue.....makes no difference. Hopefully you can see the difference in the diameter of the rubbers in the pics.....

 

[Moonraker]

I have a much larger one fitted on the left where the ball exits as opposed to the one on the right hand side and I am wondering if this is something that has been fitted by a previous owner and it is affecting the path of the ball?

Correct, that size rubber is not correct and is all most certainly causing the issue.

 

[AlanJ]

Funny that - my old RFM had the same large yellow rubber there? (Could be the same machine I guess).

 

[marcoos_1]

Brilliant, thanks for letting me know. I will get it changed and see if it corrects the problem.

I guess it could be the same machine as I bought it from a forum member. Its a shame these machines don't have a log book.....would be interesting to see how they have moved around.

 

[Garry Sp8]

According to the manual it should be a yellow post sleeve 23-6552 of which there are 5 on the game. 7/8” tall x 1/2” od. No other yellow post sleeves listed.

 

[AlanJ]

Brilliant, thanks for letting me know. I will get it changed and see if it corrects the problem.

I guess it could be the same machine as I bought it from a forum member. Its a shame these machines don't have a log book.....would be interesting to see how they have moved around.

post some pics of machine. i’m intrigued to see if it’s my old one or whether these large yellow sleeves were fitted on more than one machine for some reason.

 

[Gary Flower]

It's a long time since I owned my RFM but I recall there should be gate(s) to stop the ball completing the loop.

 

[carl lawrence]

Mine also had that Configuration for some reason, if fact that large rubber was pushing the lane guild over Slightly , I put a normal post sleeve on and level up the lane guild up . Just checked manual and it does state a normal yellow post sleeve . To level a playfield I always place a ball centre of the playfield and let it roll down between the flippers to see if I have got it dead centre .

 

[marcoos_1]

Thanks to all for the info.

I've ordered up a set of new sleeves so thanks Gary for the part number.

@AlanJ ....what's the best pic for you to identify the machine? The top left front corner of the backbox is a bit damaged (if that helps).

If there is a few machines like this then I wonder if it was some kind of mod? It will be interesting to see if there's some other weird output when I change it back to standard.

Thanks for the levelling tip. Not actually tried that method (but it seems pretty obvious now you mention it!). I've been faffing about with a digital inclinometer and a spirit level!

 

[DanLewell]

It's not @AlanJ old machine as that is at my house, temp swap with big G who bought from Alan.

I'll check the rubber tomorrow to see if it's still like that.

 

[AlanJ]

It's not @AlanJ old machine as that is at my house, temp swap with big G who bought from Alan.

I'll check the rubber tomorrow to see if it's still like that.

Aha. cool. hey remind Graeme that i still have the old CRT display waiting for him, if he still wants it? If not I’ll offer it up for sale and donate proceeds to charity.

 

[marcoos_1]

Forgot to update this thread......problem solved!!!!

Fitted the standard yellow post rubber, bent the siderail back to where it should be and I can't believe the difference in the game. I was ready for giving it up due to the way it played and kept draining after making the loop shot.

2 games after fitting this I got the grand champion! Loving it now.

Thanks to all for your help.

Mark

 

[David_Vi]

Forgot to update this thread......problem solved!!!!

Fitted the standard yellow post rubber, bent the siderail back to where it should be and I can't believe the difference in the game. I was ready for giving it up due to the way it played and kept draining after making the loop shot.

2 games after fitting this I got the grand champion! Loving it now.

Thanks to all for your help.

Mark

It's something I learnt early on, adjusting a metal ball guide has a huuuuge impact on how a game plays.

I've had a couple pins where I've wondered how the previous owner played it, or didn't notice these things... Or am I just a perfectionist?

 

[cmrl9]

Interesting, useful information thanks.

I noticed on my STTNG if it wasn't perfect level the canon upkicker would sometimes shoot the ball out too hard missing the canon and getting it stuck or down the left drain. Took me a while to work that one out

 

[Moonraker]

I've had a couple pins where I've wondered how the previous owner played it, or didn't notice these things... Or am I just a perfectionist?

When I received our RFM, I noticed that the slings were not working very well. on investigating I found that the sling switches were installed back to front / wrong way round - so that the small leaf was first rather than the longer leaf that the sling rubber is supposed to hit. The sling switches looked like they were factory installed... and that no one had picked it up or corrected it over the years.

Not the first time I've come across B/W sling switches being installed incorrectly..! (again looking like factory install). I think the other game may have been a MB.