Where's the best place to get classic Stern parts? I haven't had to stray from PBR until now but he doesn't carry a flipper kit for my Catacomb. I'm also looking for solid blank yellow bumper caps or I'll be forced to make a decal to cover the lightbulb burn hole.
Corey did a good job to list part # from PBR and Marco, I just order some part for my flipper seawitch.
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For the benefit of the google archives....
I've done a fair amount of research and have found that all of the parts required to do a proper flipper rebuild on classic Stern machines are now available through a combination of Marco and PBR. There are basically two generations of flipper on the old Sterns. I *think* that the 1st generation ended with Ali and the 2nd generation began with Big Game. The differences between the two generations are slight. As far as I can tell, the base plate is different (but interchangeable, I think), the plunger links were fiber on the 1st gen and nylon on the 2nd gen (but, again, are interchangeable), and the pawl has 'wings' on the 2nd generation where the 1st gen pawls do not. I have not done an experiment to determine if the pawls are interchangeable, but they could be.
Here's the info I gathered with help from Steve Young.
Parts available from PBR: - 1st gen. Bushing #4A-111-W-1 $3.38ea - 1st gen. Pawl right #A-191-R (with set screws #10-32) $5.63ea - 1st gen. Pawl left #A-191-L (with set screws #10-32) $5.63ea
- 2nd gen. Bushing #4A-111-W2 $2.82ea - 2nd gen. nylon flipper Link #4A299 $1.94ea (can be used with great success on 1st generation assemblies) - 2nd gen. Pawl Left #A632L $7.50ea (with set screws #10-32) - 2nd gen. Pawl Right #A632R $7.50ea (with set screws #10-32)
- Flipper return spring #5A-175 or #5A-151 (interchangeable) $0.40ea - EOS switch #SW-294-BR right $3.00ea (substitution for original part) - Games like Meteor with multiple flippers used an EOS switch with a two switch stack and an insulator in between. That part number is in my catalog - I'll add it tonight. - EOS switch #SW-294-BL left $3.00ea (substitution for original part) - Cabinet flipper switches #SW-474 $3.00ea
To replace those old flipper buttons: - Cabinet flipper button #4B-200 - Supplied as as Gottlieb #GTB- B16680R $1.69ea - See: http://www.pbresource.com/buttons.html - Green and red available only. - 2 x flipper button housing #4B-199 -Would supply as Gottlieb #GTB- C13900 $1.45ea - See: http://www.pbresource.com/buttons.html
Using the above parts and your old plunger roll pin, pawl cotter pin and washer, you can successfully rebuild your classic Stern flippers to like-new condition. I just finished doing all the flippers on my Meteor and it plays splendidly.
Corey
Bally Fathom, Centaur, Eight Ball Deluxe, Dolly Parton (for Lost vegas conversion project), Gottlieb Black Hole, Abra ca dabra, Game Plan Andromeda, Stern Flight 2000, seawitch, wurlitzer 700, 1900, rockola 1428, seeburg HF100R, vendo 44, midway monster gun, mystery score, mills High Top
#4A-111-W2 Flipper Bushing $2.82ea #4A299 Nylon flipper Link $1.94ea #A632L Flipper Pawl Left -Currently out of stock! #A632R Flipper Pawl Right Currently out of stock! #5A-175 Flipper spring $0.50ea -Would be a substitute #SW-474 Flipper Cabinet switch $5.21ea -Would be a substitute #SW-294-BL EOS $3.00ea -Would be a substitute #SW-294-BR EOS $3.00ea - Would be a substitute #STN-A192 Flipper plastic & shaft $5.10ea -Would be a substitute Sorry, we don't currently offer coil stops or plunger for the older Stern games!
I was hoping for a one-stop-shop but it doesn't look that way.
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I was hoping for a one-stop-shop but it doesn't look that way.
In regards to the flippers, this has been a weakness of early Sterns. In a couple of cases, I replaced the complete flipper units with early Bally flipper units. They are more reliable and have rebuild kits available.
Or else you are stuck "Frankensteining" your original units to make them work.
I was hoping for a one-stop-shop but it doesn't look that way.
I read on RGP that you can switch the kicker coil stop with the flipper coil stop.. they supposed to be the same, and the kicker are normally in much better shape!
Good luck
Bally Fathom, Centaur, Eight Ball Deluxe, Dolly Parton (for Lost vegas conversion project), Gottlieb Black Hole, Abra ca dabra, Game Plan Andromeda, Stern Flight 2000, seawitch, wurlitzer 700, 1900, rockola 1428, seeburg HF100R, vendo 44, midway monster gun, mystery score, mills High Top
In regards to the flippers, this has been a weakness of early Sterns. In a couple of cases, I replaced the complete flipper units with early Bally flipper units. They are more reliable and have rebuild kits available.
Or else you are stuck "Frankensteining" your original units to make them work.
You could do that, but then you would have the wrong flipper assemblies on your Stern.
Early solid state Stern flipper assemblies just 'feel' right. Unfortunately, the baseplates are made of tree bark and are occasionally broken and often have stripped coil stop holes. This led ops to butcher the baseplates just to get the stops in place.
Unfortunately, there are no complete rebuild kits available for classic Sterns. Having said that, however, you usually don't need them. The stops can be taken from the pop bumpers or slingshots. The bushings and pawls rarely need to be replaced. The plungers can usually be cleaned up enough that they don't need to be replaced either. The EOS's are standard fare and can be had from just about anywhere. The links are available through PBR. They once had NOS baseplates available, but I think I bought the last ones.
I think doing a complete flipper rebuild is kind of a waste of money. Most people toss out perfectly good parts without even thinking about it. Stops and plungers unless severely mushroomed, can be filed, cleaned up and re-used. Pawls and bushings, unless broken, just need a good cleaning. Even EOS's can be filed and re-used more often than not. The only must-replace flipper parts I've found on Sterns are the baseplates when they're stripped to hell and the fibre links that wear out on the 1st gen assemblies. They can be replaced with the 2nd gen nylon style without issue. Oh, and the coils sleeves, of course. As for finding new baseplates, bug Menace. He's been working on having repros made for a while. And the sooner he does, the sooner I get back from him my NOS baseplates.
So save yourself some cash and clean/file your old parts and you'll be fine.
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