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Leg Torque Settings Stern Response

Sako-TRG

Sako-TRG

Registered
5Years
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
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Gretna Green
Hi All,

I forgot to post this info a while ago.
I asked around but couldn’t find any info on the subject so went to Stern with the Q - there response below - hope this helps :)


Anthony Gray submitted the following Technical Support inquiry: Hello, I have purchased iron Maiden Pro machine which will be delivered in next few days. I have been trying to find out the torque settings for the 4 table legs to ensure they are tightened correctly using a torque wrench. Please can you provide the info as I'm unable to acquire from UK based re-seller or distributor. Thanks in advance, Anthony Please reply to:

Hi Anthony,
The leg bolts require 36-38 N.m of torque.

Best regards,
Chas Siddiqi
Stern Pinball Tech. Support
800 542-5377
 
The reason I looked into this....without mentioning any names....was a Pro installation guy turned up with an impact wrench ? - also was thinking as it’s kinda acceptable to tilt + nudge in the game then too slack vs too tight outside the manufacturer guidelines could result in cabinet damage.
 
Would of just been a ratchet wrench I’d of thought unless he was dragging a compressor with him [emoji6]. It’s just easier with a ratchet I’ve used one to do legs before just the same as with a spanner u know when it feels tight enough. I wouldn’t loose any sleep about it
 
How much are peoples pins moving about that they need to consider torqueing the leg bolts up to a specific level? :hmm: It's not like they're car wheels..

Can you actually go too tight? The legs will touch the cabinet regardless if there aren't protectors (metal or otherwise)

replicas said:
Let's not get to serious people, it's only Pinball.
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Durzel said:
Can you actually go too tight? The legs will touch the cabinet regardless if there aren't protectors (metal or otherwise)
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Have you never bought a machine with stripped leg plates? they're only a couple of threads deep and easily stripped. Pain in the ass to change the rear leg plates, or put nuts on the inside, have had that problem a few times with older machines, pretty annoying when the seller doesn't mention it.
 
I haven't, no, but I've only bought 3 machines so far in my life :) I use ChrisH's approach, never knew it was possible to strip the plates.. :confused: How do you avoid this happening?
 
RudeDogg1 said:
Would of just been a ratchet wrench I’d of thought unless he was dragging a compressor with him [emoji6]. It’s just easier with a ratchet I’ve used one to do legs before just the same as with a spanner u know when it feels tight enough. I wouldn’t loose any sleep about it
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? nope - honestly.......it was an impact wrench which is what was worrying. Maybe he was a dab hand at using it...feeling the force and all that ? I work on my own motorcycles so know the difference. By the way... they don’t all need an airline (compressor) you can get battery and electric operated ones which punt out 450 +Nm of torque plent enough to ruin the threads on your pin.
 
Sako-TRG said:
[emoji2] nope - honestly.......it was an impact wrench which is what was worrying. Maybe he was a dab hand at using it...feeling the force and all that [emoji23] I work on my own motorcycles so know the difference. By the way... they don’t all need an airline (compressor) you can get battery and electric operated ones which punt out 450 +Nm of torque plent enough to ruin the threads on your pin.
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That’s abit overkill then lol
 
Durzel said:
:confused: How do you avoid this happening?
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By not over tightening the leg bolts - perhaps by using a torque wrench set to the correct level? :cool:

I think it's a fair enough question to ask how tight the legbolts need tightening, especially if you haven't got years of experience - like the majority on here.
There's no such thing as a stupid question - if you don't know the answer.

Once you have tightened the bolts to the correct degree a couple of times using a torque wrench, you should get the feel and not need a torque wrench.
 
Just came across this old thread as I've been wondering about this. I've owned my first pin for a couple of months now think (still super chuffed feel very lucky to own a pin).
When it arrived I'd never set up a machine before and so was mindful that I shouldn't over tighten the leg bolts for fear of damaging the cabinet art.
I noticed straight away that the cab was easy to rock side to side on it's legs (and it squeeks a bit like a bed taking a Friday night pounding....) but I kind of assumed this might be down to the thick rubber (Rhino) Gym mat my machine is on top of so not to annoy the neighbours in the flat below.
Now I've spent some time enjoying the machine and leveling I'm thinking I need to tighten the leg bolts further, as I think the movement of the cab when I'm playing is affecting the behavior of the ball. It reminds me of when the legs on the Virtual pin cab I used to have were a bit wobbly and my nudge board was initially set too sensitive; it's like with most ball hits, spin is being added a bit to the ball due to the cab moving when you wacked the flipper buttons (not slap saves, just hitting the flippers with a bit of gusto).

I haven't got a socket wrench where I can measure the torque and so I'd appreciate advice on signs I'm tightening too much? Currently I feel like the bolts are pretty tight (certainly can't un-screw with fingers) and I believe the nuts on my leg levelers are pretty tight following the recent adjustments I made*

*Re; PF angle/pitch I have my MET PRO set to just above a 6.5 degree angle, but I plan to adjust when I get time to make the angle a bit steeper; I need to find the sweet spot between not frustratingly fast (no chance of hitting a moving ball backhand shot to the grave markers or hitting any combos, although it doesn't help when I also need to adjust the left flipper; ball doesn't roll to the flipper smoothly from the left in lanes and it compounded when set-up faster; makes hitting right ramp/orbit shots with any precision v difficult ) and not slightly too slow as it currently is.
 
Just do them very tight but without pulling a muscle.
That left flipper adjustment will take less than a minute to do too. Could have done both in the time you wrote this post Den 😂😂
 
Andydn said:
Just do them very tight but without pulling a muscle.
That left flipper adjustment will take less than a minute to do too. Could have done both in the time you wrote this post Den 😂😂
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:-) I know what you are saying re: the flipper adjustment - I'm just nervous about messing it up and making it worse; need to find where I put my string action ruler gauge (guitar set-up tool), as that's a nice metal straight edge which'll be perfect for lining up the flipper.

I'm at work at the mo' so can't do anything right now! :D
 
Den - aka Wolfgang said:
:) I know what you are saying re: the flipper adjustment - I'm just nervous about messing it up and making it worse; need to find where I put my string action ruler gauge (guitar set-up tool), as that's a nice metal straight edge which'll be perfect for lining up the flipper.

I'm at work at the mo' so can't do anything right now! :D
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You don’t need any of that mate, just eyes! Then test in lane to flipper transfer with ball. You can do this! 👍😛
 
Den - aka Wolfgang said:
:) I know what you are saying re: the flipper adjustment - I'm just nervous about messing it up and making it worse; need to find where I put my string action ruler gauge (guitar set-up tool), as that's a nice metal straight edge which'll be perfect for lining up the flipper.

I'm at work at the mo' so can't do anything right now! :D
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Can't remember if the modern Sterns have them but most older machines have a pin hole in the playfield that you can line the flipper up to.
 
Rob zombie said:
Can't remember if the modern Sterns have them but most older machines have a pin hole in the playfield that you can line the flipper up to.
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You are right - there are two pin holes, but from what I can tell on Sterns, they aren't lined up so that end of the flippers cover the holes when resting?; maybe they have another purpose these days?
As Andy said, I just need to get stuck in and do it - bit of trial and error I guess
 
Den, flipper alignment can be a matter of personal preference. I favoured lining up the centre line of the flipper with a line through the screws fastening the 'flipper frame', the metal (with plastic upper layers) lead-on to the flipper. That's if there was one; some games don't have them, e.g Taxi and Judge Dredd. In those cases, I'd line up the flipper band with whatever was provided, a thick wireform and a metal habitrail respectively.
 
Den - aka Wolfgang said:
You are right - there are two pin holes, but from what I can tell on Sterns, they aren't lined up so that end of the flippers cover the holes when resting?; maybe they have another purpose these days?
As Andy said, I just need to get stuck in and do it - bit of trial and error I guess
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I don't think the flipper is meant to cover the hole. I think you're meant to stick a cocktail stick or similar in there to hold the flipper against while tightening. Could be wrong but that's what I do.
 
I recently changed my flipper alignments so the ball travels in a straight line from the ball guide to the flipper rubber. Just used a small bit of straight wood held along the ball guide and flipper and tried to get it so the gap remained the same size all along the flipper.
Before I'd set up using the holes, and the games played fine... But being David I had to fiddle...
They play harder in some cases, some shots so easier and others feel impossible 😂
But i love the ball rolling over onto the other flipper which I couldn't do before!

My leg bolts are tightened enough that the pin doesn't move much... I wish there was a more precise way 🤔
 
Yeah, with the legs I think the general rule is to put them on but not tight while on end. Set the machine upright and let it settle before tightening. Just tighten them until you think they aren't going to come loose. No more no less.
 
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