So I replaced some things on my NF flippers. New bushings & springs yada yada. Long story short I place the flipper in the desired angle, and tighten the crap out of them to the flipper bat. Turn it on, after only 10 or so flips it loses it's angle and the flipper is tilted up more. I bought whole new crank arms after this, and the same thing happens. I am using all my might to tighten these SOBs. To the point metal is being shaved off and I'm stripping the nuts...yet it still happens.

What am i obviously missing because I'm dumb? Maybe I need new flippers? Get someone stronger to tighten them? This seems to go against the usual rule of not tightening something to death. Any ideas? Thanks.

And yes of course the flippers where basically working fine before i took them apart and ruined them.

I actually had this problem once before on a Scared Stiff when I couldn't reasonably tighten the flipper any more under the playfield. I played the game a few times with the glass off & kept manually adjusting the flipper with my hand when it would get out of place. After a few games, it eventually stayed in place. I'm not saying this is the proper way to do it, but it worked for me.

they gotta be tight as hell

The slightest play or movement when tightening them can due this, including the movement from the rubber stopper as you're cranking away. This is my new method. When I tighten the lugs I do it light at first, remove my clamps/nails to see if the flippers shift, then put the clamps/nails back on, tighten a little more, then remove the clamps again and manually move the flipper up and back to see that it settles in place ... then re-clamp, final tightening, then final check...

(those are finish nails, sanded round at the tip and inserted into the roll-pins in the playfield)

NF has no holes to put nails in...I do however feel like hammering some right into the damn PF though.

Plan B

TheLaw said:

NF has no holes to put nails in...I do however feel like hammering some right into the damn PF though.

Plan B: I use a small piece of hardwood clamped to the lane guide, parallel with the flipper, then clamp the flipper to that. Should give you decent alignment as well. Couldn't find my little squeezie clamps but you'll get the idea from this pic. Shim as needed to align it perfect, then follow the tightening/checking steps and you're good as gold.

Tighter MAN! Get a longer Allen wrench, you can tighten until both sides of the clamp are touching if needed. Or it may be time for new flipper bats and A new flipper crank. I just had to do this on my new SS. But it fixed it, posted it on my blog

http://Www.ovfdfireman.com

ovfdfireman said:

But it fixed it, posted it on my blog

Where at? I can't seem to find it.

I'm thinking I may have to do this with my Flash Gordon. Hopefully that'll fix my right flipper...

RawleyD said:

they gotta be tight as hell

Then, 1/4 turn more.

Robert

Had the same problem with my flash, the problem was shaft of the flipper bat get worn a marked and the bolt jumps back to the old position when tightening, try swapping the bats over or get new ones. New ones worked fine on mine problem solved.

DEVILinIRON said:

ovfdfireman said:But it fixed it, posted it on my blog
Where at? I can't seem to find it.
I'm thinking I may have to do this with my Flash Gordon. Hopefully that'll fix my right flipper...

Oh sorry not a repair article, just the blog about my SS coming into the arcade. Do you think it would be a useful tutorial? I have to rebuild a set of flippers anyway and can document it..

Sometimes the shaft gets lub/oil on them or the clamp does. It doesn't take much to allow them to slip.

Are the shafts in good shape? Do the clamps still have space by the bolt, or is the clamp bottoming out on it's self from being bent?

Good Luck.

Robert

Great thanks guys. I manned up and had to get the channel locks out...they seem to be holding./ I'll prob pick up some new flippers tomorrow at the expo anyway though...always better to have more parts.

Sometimes also with the shafts the screw was tightened so tight it actually leaves little holes or an indentation in the shaft. What could be happening is when you adjusted the flippers the screw is right by these little holes, so they want to kind of fall back into them. If that's the case, probably time for some new bats or seriously crank the hell out of that allen wrench so the screw really, REALLY digs in.

ovfdfireman said:

Oh sorry not a repair article, just the blog about my SS coming into the arcade. Do you think it would be a useful tutorial? I have to rebuild a set of flippers anyway and can document it..

Yes! I would appreciate it. My problem is I've already rebuilt the flipper and replaced the coil, but it's still weak. So I'm hoping perhaps your blog will hold the answer.

Got a nice laugh outta pinster68's "flipper alignment tool".

Thanks. I'm certain someone will figure out a way to market it, put a logo on it, and sell it for $5.99.

If you used the pinball life rebuild kits, them you need only a 3/8" wrench to tighten these to the bats. No Allen wrench. If you require the Allen wrench then get the proper rebuild kit. You can over tighten them so. Ive cranked mine until the bolt snaps off :(. Now I crank it until the two ends wrapping around the shaft touch or get real close.

Seriously it seems like a terrible design. I hope JJP has changed that.

I thought JJP was using Williams flipper mechs. It will be the same...

They are but he said they will be modifying specific parts to meet the needs of the modern operator.

The flipper design is fine. Learn to use and adjust it. It does not need changing

DEVILinIRON said:

ovfdfireman said:Oh sorry not a repair article, just the blog about my SS coming into the arcade. Do you think it would be a useful tutorial? I have to rebuild a set of flippers anyway and can document it..

Yes! I would appreciate it. My problem is I've already rebuilt the flipper and replaced the coil, but it's still weak. So I'm hoping perhaps your blog will hold the answer.

Weak flipper on a bally is due to your EOS switch not adjusted properly.....Likely your low power coil winding is always in series with the high power coil because of this and so the flipper will be always weak. Either that or you/someone wired it up wrong.

I think I may have figured it out. I'm off to find some tools. Thanks for the help!

DEVILinIRON said:

I think I may have figured it out. I'm off to find some tools. Thanks for the help!

A few folks have been close, but the solution is simple. Use some 100 grit (or so) sandpaper to rough up the part of the shaft that the clamp bites into. Sand vertically along the axis of the shaft. Obviously, don't sand where the shaft rides in the bushing. Works every time.

For completeness...for older games with set screws, if you need to adjust the angle slightly, and find that the set screw keeps finding the prior bite mark in the shaft, swap left and right flippers. The bite marks will be in different places.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://www.Team-EM.com
http://webpages.charter.net/chibler/Pinball.htm
http://www.PinWiki.com - The new place for pinball repair info

ChrisHibler said:

For completeness...for older games with set screws, if you need to adjust the angle slightly, and find that the set screw keeps finding the prior bite mark in the shaft, swap left and right flippers. The bite marks will be in different places

Something so simple....yet I bet many folks (including myself) hadn't thought of it. This tip is worth a bump.