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So - Pinball backbox wingbolts - who uses them?

Do you use wingnuts in backboxes?

  • Total voters
    76
  • Poll closed .
Pick Holder

Pick Holder

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5Years
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Jul 18, 2016
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Location
Bournville, Birmingham.
Obviously these are not used on modern Sterns, JJPs and PB games.

Mainly on Bally/Williams games - plus of course Chicago Gaming.

After having a brief posting chat with @s000m - he says he doesn't usre them as not needed for home use, just on site (I am of course paraphrasing).

I said I use them all the time as I have seen the damge of not having these installed..... Yes I have seen latches ripped out the back of games.

I would ALWAYS use them to save damaged side rails and broken pinglass.

So out of you guys - who uses them and who does not....

Screenshot 2022-07-26 at 20.33.35.png
 
I always thought that the latch was just there to hold the head up while you dropped the bolts in and or engaged the lock.

A few little screws and a latch being the only thing preventing a heavy backbox full of expensive boards falling on an equally expensive body with covered in glass never seemed like a good plan to me (doesn't the sticker on the back say pretty much this?)

Get those bolts dropped in.
 
ChrisH said:
I always thought that the latch was just there to hold the head up while you dropped the bolts in and or engaged the lock.

A few little screws and a latch being the only thing preventing a heavy backbox full of expensive boards falling on an equally expensive body with covered in glass never seemed like a good plan to me (doesn't the sticker on the back say pretty much this?)

Get those bolts dropped in.
Click to expand...
This is what I understand too.
 
I’ve bought a few tatty pins that didn’t come with wing bolts but I make sure I replace them. When moving pins ever so slightly you have the possibility of the latch moving past the lip and thus falling onto the playfield. The bolts holes have been machined for that reason. With the bolts in place they don’t need to be tight but in place they will provide the support needed for that heavy head..
 
none at home,. none at the club. 6+ years and not an issue including a load of games taken to plenty of shows, some in the east of London! :D :D Some in the gorbals of Manchester

If someone is pulling that hard on the latches that I have on my games to make them fail - chances are they will **** the backbox if you put those wingbolts in - good luck with that.

If it's some old ****box pin where the strength of the latch is only outweighs by Poibugs arm strength at carrying beers, then fix the latch.

Neil.
 
Think my comment was taken out of context @Pick Holder.

I'd challenge anyone to pull the backbox down on a new latch with 2 inch screws.

This was also bound TIGHT no wiggle room.

You argue a bolt should be used and I see many others here saying the same, yet in all the machines I've purchased only 1 wing bolt was supplied to me and that was with SS which also had no latch.

I'm not saying you shouldn't wing bolt if you want to. But honestly I find it hard to believe that a backbox latched in well is going anywhere.PXL_20220621_220238348.jpg
 
s000m said:
Think my comment was taken out of context @Pick Holder.

I'd challenge anyone to pull the backbox down on a new latch with 2 inch screws.

This was also bound TIGHT no wiggle room.

You argue a bolt should be used and I see many others here saying the same, yet in all the machines I've purchased only 1 wing bolt was supplied to me and that was with SS which also had no latch.

I'm not saying you shouldn't wing bolt if you want to. But honestly I find it hard to believe that a backbox latched in well is going anywhere.View attachment 176716
Click to expand...
Scott - I was shocked you said you knew nobody who used them.

Just a bit of a fun poll.
 
Scott, your latch is tight as the head box is already leaning forward which is keeping it tight - look at that gap between your head box and the main body of the pin. Every nudge will give that head box a chance to wiggle and over time bend the top part of the latch (the V bit) or just one day allow it to ping open.
You could be cleaning and accidentally knock the latch, a neighbours kid could knock it open. Accidents happen, safety is important - stop being so stubborn and chuck a wing bolt or two in there you tight git!

ED8BEA38-186E-431A-B2DE-08B78035AFFD.png
 
Yes but not on all my games.

If only to make room in my drawers where there's a few bolts.
 
s000m said:
I'd challenge anyone to pull the backbox down on a new latch with 2 inch screws.

This was also bound TIGHT no wiggle room.

You argue a bolt should be used and I see many others here saying the same, yet in all the machines I've purchased only 1 wing bolt was supplied to me and that was with SS which also had no latch.

I'm not saying you shouldn't wing bolt if you want to. But honestly I find it hard to believe that a backbox latched in well is going anywhere.
PXL_20220621_220238348.jpg
Click to expand...

The thing is, that is clearly a restored game, with a new latch.

A large proportion of the games from 90s back I have seen are nowhere near that condition.

At least 1 wingbolt in the intended position is a must on any game I'd consider setting up or playing. A leg bolt also works.
 
I say why not, sure the chances of the latch failing are tiny, but why have that tiny chance when installing them takes a few seconds.
 
Most old machines seem to come with just one wingnut, so where have all the others gone? Some of you must have built up a huge stash of them.

The first house I bought had loads of door handles with only 3 screws in the 4 holes - always wondered what they needed the missing screws for.
 
literally there in big text on the very object itself. Now, say something happened to a person at a show (or competition) and it was shown that the instructions were not followed...
May as well not bother PAT testing them either as "i've never had a problem"...
Williams_Backbox_Text_Caution-Achtung-Attention-Attenzione.jpg
 
Sven Normansson said:
From a public liability pov, this is a compensation case waiting to happen.
Click to expand...

BEST PINBALLINFO POST EVER!

"Had a bad pinball experience? Stuck your finger in a plunger spring? put your back out nudging a game? had a backbox come down and kill your dog? Been sparked by sparky? PHONE 1-800-ITS-JUST-A-FUSE-LAWYERS - NO WIN - NO MULTIBALL - NO JACKPOT - NO REPLAYS"

Cheers,
Neil.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
kev a said:
I say why not, sure the chances of the latch failing are tiny, but why have that tiny chance when installing them takes a few seconds.
Click to expand...
My thoughts exactly, the difference between it'll probably be OK and it'll definitely be OK is less than 5 minutes work and a couple of quid if you don't have the bolts.
 
Always, not worth the risk of damage.

Had a couple of instances that a leg bolt (in place of wing nut as not all games can take the standard wing nuts) has saved the backbox crashing down after it slipped the back box latch, also a couple of machines where I found the latches undone but was none the wiser thanks to the wing nut being in place.
 
Again having seen the state some machines have turned up at shows with the back latch brackets barely held on, having screws missing or not being there at all, for the sake of a couple of minutes works put one in or as said before a leg bolt.
 
I think half the machines I've owned have had signs of the head smashing down into the rails at some point. I always put a bolt through, and if I don't have one then a couple of heavy duty cable ties instead.
 
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