Hey folks,

I just noticed this on my SOF pin this morning....

One of the 5 drop targets in the upper playfield seems to be dropping quite slowly in comparison to the immediate drop of the other 4.  I am fairly new to the pinball scene and think it could just be a dirty drop target issue or lubrication is needed but I figured I would ask the people who are in the know about this sort of thing.

Any suggestions as to the cause and the necessary repair?

Thanks very much in advance
_troy

Easy Items to check:
1. Check for loose, bent or worn hardware on the mechanism.
2. Also check that the target is not gummed up from previous over lubrication. I think that these run dry or with very little lubrication.
3. A broken spring may also be the cause.

It should be easy to determine the cause of your troubles by manually comparing the operation of slow target to that of the fast ones.

Good-luck
Adam

The only thing in a pinball that use lubricant are gear boxes on some machines , everything else run dry , all coils , drop targets , flippers etc... , so your problem is mechanical or dirt stuck to previous uneeded lubrication !!!!

Bruno

Drop target are usually "dropped" by a spring.
(ie. you should be able to drop them even when the machine is off )

The coil only pushes them back up and re-extends the springs.

If one target is slow, it's likely a weak spring,something "gumming-up" the path,
or the target is rubbing against the playfield on it's way.

Like others have mentioned, you should be able to spot something different
on that targer's mechanism.  You shouldn't even have to power-up the machine.

Good luck.
Steph
[ BTW : I'm pretty sure this is NOT a hidden "feature" of the new Game Eproms
I burned for you !    ]

Ok so I got in and took a much closer look and just pulled the drop target assembly out of the pinball machine.

It appears it was a combo of both dirt causing the spring to slow down a bit and the spring itself was pretty much shot.

Where is a good place to get replacement springs for this kind of thing? Any help is much appreciated.

The  3 ways that I get springs:
1. Marco Specialties or Bay area Amusements
http://www.marcospecialties.com/MODERN/items.asp?Cc=PFLD%2DSPRING&iTpStatus=0&Tp=&Bc=
http://bayareaamusements.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?

2. 'Score' one from someone local who has parted a game.

3. Depending on the type of spring you may be able to do a temp fix buy cutting off a few coils from the end. (Sometimes this works and sometimes it creates new problems so I would only recommed it if you are really desperate)

Good luck
Adam

Hmmm... I guess that's actually 4 ways.

Hey thanks for the advice...

I jury-rigged it back into working by basically doing as you suggested with the cutting of the coil.  I also cleaned up the entire assembly and that seemed to improve things further.  

I will probably order some new springs once I can find out what springs it is they are (the manual doesnt appear to list the exact part number).  At the same time I can order some replacement lamps and a rubber kit.  Always good to have some extra parts lying around for that quick fix.

jokker I sent you a PM.

I believe the spring you are looking for is Williams item 10-364 (Target Retractor Spring).

Marco's link:
http://www.marcospecialties.com/MODERN
(just type the item number 10-364 into the search line)

Let us know how you make out.

Adam

Hey Adam,

Thanks a lot!
That looks exactly like the spring in question!  I had started looking in manuals for similar year machines from Williams but none seem to list the part number for that spring.

I shall put in an order ASAP and get me some springs, lamps and rubbers

Thanks again!!

_troy

Don't forget... he wants your machine once you get tired of it!!!  

   

Quoted from Moonlit_Knight

Don't forget... he wants your machine once you get tired of it!!!  

   

Yup!....and I also believe that it's never to early to start sucking up.

Adam