SOLVED - Removal of STTNG gun turrets.

[Andy B]

Restoring a barn find STTNG - restoration log to be posted soon - and trying to decide whether or not to remove the rotating gun turret bases so I can clean them up in sonic cleaner or tumbler or just try and give them a good scrub up whilst they are in-situ.

I want to do a proper job and remove but the mechanism underneath looks hellishly complicated and I don’t want to bugger anything up or misalign things when I reassemble as the machine was playing mostly fine prior to strip down.

Anyone worked in one of these before and have any tips/suggestions?

Cheers

Andy

 

[Pick Holder]

It is not complex.

Take photos.

Study the diagrams in the manual.

At least on this era game you get decent manuals.

I buy drug dealer bags (with the sealable tops) and put in all the washers, screws, nuts and bolts from each mech and label it.

Would say its worth getting an imperial set of allen keys as well. Do not try and use metric ones. It doesnt work.

Also buy the Phil Palmer Pinball Heaven looms and follow the instructions for the cannons.

 

[cmrl9]

It's time consuming.

Ive done a STTNG restore here:

Complete - STTNG - Flipper Rebuild, left, Right, Upper Right - First time using a soildering Iron! Subway clean and Ball Popper, Opto Rebuild and other things:)

5 months later and over a grand dropped into the machine, some of it necessary and some of it not! What have I done: Replaced all the rubbers Cleaned the machine, playfiled and pastics replaced all the balls gave it an instruction card :) replaced the gun spring Replaced most of the bulbs with...

www.pinballinfo.com

Specifically in relation to cannons, they can cause all sorts of strange issues with the machine. Recommend doing the following/ in no particular order what you will need to do:

1) Take the wirelooming off, this is connected via a molex connection and soldered to the two opto, coil and flasher. You will need to desolder the wire from the optos, coil and flasher.

2) Order a wireloom from pinball heaven:

Cannon looms (pair) for Star Trek TNG H-17067 - Pinball Heaven

Replacement Star Trek TNG cannon looms. Improved cannon loom (pair/with connectors/fitting instructions) made in the UK by us for many years. Come with lifetime warranty (when fitted according to our instructions). Most intermittent cannon problems on Star Trek TNG pinball machine are down to...

www.pinball.co.uk

the colours dont always corespond correctly with the wires, cant remember which one was the wrong way round.

3) order 2 pairs of optos, black and white

4) refurbish the coil or replace if needed. Plastic thing, metal plunger. not sure exactly what the part is

5) the tricky part is solidering the wirelooming loom as this has to be solidered in place on the machine, make sure you protect the playfield with a soldiering matt when you do it.

6) i think there is one or two diodes per canon, make sure the diode banding is the correct way round, unsure with the canons if the diodes have any effect on the boards, check the manual or members on here.

7) take lots of pictures and store the parts in large freezar bags labeled with a post it note in side as to what it is.

If the wireloom or opto are damaged flaky in any way the machine will randomly start modes and generally misbehave.

good luck

 

[new forest pinball]

“take it off!” “Take it off!”

 

[Andy B]

Thanks for the encouragement all - I’ve only been and gone and done it!

Shop log started…

 

[David_Vi]

I buy drug dealer bags (with the sealable tops) and put in all the washers, screws, nuts and bolts from each mech and label it.

What do you do with what was in the drug dealers bags?

 

[M4carp]

It's time consuming.

Ive done a STTNG restore here:

Complete - STTNG - Flipper Rebuild, left, Right, Upper Right - First time using a soildering Iron! Subway clean and Ball Popper, Opto Rebuild and other things:)

5 months later and over a grand dropped into the machine, some of it necessary and some of it not! What have I done: Replaced all the rubbers Cleaned the machine, playfiled and pastics replaced all the balls gave it an instruction card :) replaced the gun spring Replaced most of the bulbs with...

www.pinballinfo.com

Specifically in relation to cannons, they can cause all sorts of strange issues with the machine. Recommend doing the following/ in no particular order what you will need to do:

1) Take the wirelooming off, this is connected via a molex connection and soldered to the two opto, coil and flasher. You will need to desolder the wire from the optos, coil and flasher.

2) Order a wireloom from pinball heaven:

Cannon looms (pair) for Star Trek TNG H-17067 - Pinball Heaven

Replacement Star Trek TNG cannon looms. Improved cannon loom (pair/with connectors/fitting instructions) made in the UK by us for many years. Come with lifetime warranty (when fitted according to our instructions). Most intermittent cannon problems on Star Trek TNG pinball machine are down to...

www.pinball.co.uk

the colours dont always corespond correctly with the wires, cant remember which one was the wrong way round.

3) order 2 pairs of optos, black and white

4) refurbish the coil or replace if needed. Plastic thing, metal plunger. not sure exactly what the part is

5) the tricky part is solidering the wirelooming loom as this has to be solidered in place on the machine, make sure you protect the playfield with a soldiering matt when you do it.

6) i think there is one or two diodes per canon, make sure the diode banding is the correct way round, unsure with the canons if the diodes have any effect on the boards, check the manual or members on here.

7) take lots of pictures and store the parts in large freezar bags labeled with a post it note in side as to what it is.

If the wireloom or opto are damaged flaky in any way the machine will randomly start modes and generally misbehave.

good luck

I had it with the wrong way around, think it was the left cannon. Was scratching my head for a while!
I just switched the wires around on the opto in the cannon, that might confuse someone one day but should be years though.