Good heads up…thanks bro.

Good advice.

I've always wondered about the autolauncher scratching balls. Is ACDC bad for scratched pinballs? It has the frequently used fire button as well - not nearly as much as ST with the Away Team shot but still more than most.

You used the balls that came with the game? That also would be part of the issue..

Stern is well known for sending shit quality balls with NIB games...

I noticed this yesterday when I was cleaning mine. I will try those fixes you suggest.

Nice post and tip. Thanks

Great suggestions. I just changed the balls out last weekend and will take a look at the shooter lane.

So which balls are best to use with games with magnets in them?

can you post a photo of the fix please, thanks!

I use PinballLife ultra-gloss balls and am very happy with them.

Would it be possible for you to post a picture or two of the felt repair?

So I guess it is safe to use with magnets then?

Pics would be helpful if you get chance

Very good suggestions. I just had some more time with The Dude`s pinball refinery ST Pro. What a machine, so fast, so fun she is beautiful!!

Wonder if heat shrink could be another option. Or how it would last compared to felt strips. I've got one on order and want to do something to save pf wear. Can't recall the shooter mechanism. Heat shrink might not be an option.

Thank you! It is much appreciated!

I hope you are having a very nice holiday trip!

I thought this was a good idea, so I did the same thing. I haven't played it yet with the felt, so I'm waiting to see how it works. I'm not exactly sure how The Dude did it, but for the metal shooter I cut some felt strips from a sheet I got from Joann Fabrics. It had an adhesive backing, so just peel and apply.

Also, I cut out some v-shaped mylar and put it on both of the inlanes where the ball drops. And per Centerflank, I put v-shaped mylar on the shooter lane . . . I'll put Cliffy's as well, but am waiting on those.

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The dude did more then that to bullet proof his balls from being torn up. I think he is posting pics and instructions today or tomorrow on how he did it. I bought $20 silver jets to go in my Star Trek and they were chewed up in a week. It was for the good though as fellow pinsiders warned me not to use silver jets in games with magnets. I didn't know that.

Is it me or does it look like your shooter lane has a chunk of wood missing? First picture.

Great tip! It looks this is (yet another) point of improvement...

It seems to me the metal kicker is made of stainless steel. In a way this is good (more durable than the normal steel kickers) However, the edges are raw cut steel, which makes them very sharp (just feel with your fingers) So, the first thing I did was sand the edges. It makes a world of difference.
I then tried to put plastic caps on them (like the ones used on chairs) but this slows the ball launch too much. So I'll think about a better solution. I'm afraid those felt tips are not going to stay in place very long.

The edges where the ball enters the playfield are also very sharp. It would also be a good idea to sand the edges, but this would require quite some disassembly. So, for now, I put a piece of mylar over it.

Great tip - just added the felt before replacing the balls for a third time since unboxing.

Seems like metal on metal design problems have been common as of late. JJP and WOZ bumpers, Stern and their shooter mechs, manufacturers need to pay more attention to these things.

How did you fit the felt tape between the two metal pieces in pic 1 & 2? Does it just slide in there?

Nice job Dude, felt tape idea looks good, I've used the clear self adhesive laminating strips with good success, might try these too....

A little of both . . . it's not as bad as the picture makes it look, but needs to be sanded a little as it's not entirely smooth as the other side.

Hey guys, can you expand on this please:

"My machine did not have the screw in the pop bumper area"

Thank you.

Stern added a screw between the bumper and rubber on the bottom bumper. See the following thread.

http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/ball-getting-stuck-on-st

Sorry for being dim. I understand the felt on the kicker, but why is it needed going up between the right ramp? It looks like you cut it about 1/4 wider than the metal and then let 1/8 stick out top and bottom? Is that right?

Also - if someone doesn't mind I'd love to see pictures of where you guys are putting Mylar. I wish we could get these posts for STLE playfield protection under one roof. Thanks!

Simple question: how many pinballs are in a Star Trek? If I order one, I also want to order replacement pinballs.

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Thanks.

I just glued a thin strip of leather to the automatic kicker and that fixed that problem. I did notice that the quality between the materials used in the kicker on my Luci and STLE are very different, the STLE seeming to be built with cost savings in mind?? I have STLE #701 and the screw in the play field is there but doesn't seem to be an issue for now. Also, the metal strip down the shooter lane is staged higher than the next step of the curve from the ramp so no issues there either. So far so good, we have played the game quite a bit and the play field is looking like any other play field with normal use-no abnormal dimpling. Sorry for the choppy typing, I'm typing this on my phone while traveling. Happy New Year!

Marked