Loose auto launch

[DaveA]

Hi
On a metallica pro

Auto launch has loosened and now more aligned to left than central and is knocking into wood playfield causing minor wear

Power on it has been dwindling for a little while but now the balls dont even get up to the outlane

Wanted to know what to tinker with to align and tighten

Thanks

 

[Fantazia2]

Have you lifted the playfield to have a look at it?

The manual should have a picture of the mech and how it mounts etc.

https://sternpinball.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MTLAB1-compressed.pdf

Page 2 shows the mech.

 

[DaveA]

 

[DaveA]

Its just loose so need to line it up and tighten but not sure what to tighten

 

[Fantazia2]

Is the metal plate on the playfield loose or just the arm, if its just the arm possibly needs some new bushings to tighten it up.

Item 3 in the Manual - Part no 545-5423-00

 

[DaveA]

Just the arm, is the bushing the bit at top of the arm with the u clip?

 

[Fantazia2]

This bit circled in red, its 2 nylon pieces left and right.

 

[Fantazia2]

Thats assuming the arm itself that goes through the bushings hasnt come loose from the kicker arm assembly.

 

[DaveA]

If i was a betting man id say it was loose on both bottom and top

 

[DaveA]

Easy way to prise metal clips off end? Has a lot more resistance than the one on the shooter rod!

Thank you v much by the way - just trying to learn as I go

 

[Fantazia2]

Probably loose at both, the more important one for sloppiness in the mech is the middle one, the one at the solenoid end doesnt have a bush I dont think, just the blue part that connects to the metal rod.

Should just be a case of getting a flat bladed screwdriver in one of the two slots at the back of the clip and levering upwards, and then making sure you have your hand behind it so it does ping off into oblivion never to be found again.

 

[DaveA]

Thanks Ive now sorted that. Really appreciate it!! Now theres another issue Ive encountered so it will be another thread to come soon :-]

Like bloody buses this

 

[Doggard]

How did you fix it? I’ve also got a sloppy autoplunger on my Spider-Man

 

[DaveA]

Hi there
What i did was unclip the end ring with flathead as advised. As it needed a lot of pressure it did warp outwardly a little bit but no harm done

I then took the two plastic rings out (that i now understand are bushings - thanks fantazia) reinserted them to ensure they were snug

I then held the auto launch to the right position and then put the end ring bk in place but span it round so it was concave and hence provided all the tightness i needed

Not a professional level job im sure but firing on all cylinders now - pardon the pun

 

[DaveA]

In simple terms i think i just refitted the bushings to be tight

 

[Doggard]

Thanks for sharing, at least I know what to look for now, glad you got yours sorted