TRON: Legacy (LE)
Stern, 2011
TRON: Legacy (Pro)
Stern, 2011I noticed the other day on my machine that this post is getting bent over. I'm not sure if the post itself is bending or if it's pulling loose from the playfield. Either way, I think I'm going to need a more robust post, but I obviously don't want to change the diameter of the ring. Anyone else been down this road?
It it is just a wood screw post you can always drill through the playfield, put in a t-nut, and put in a threaded post.
edit: now that I think about it, with how close it is to the arcade scoop assembly there may not be enough room for that. I will have to take a look when i get home.
Interesting. The picture is borrowed from Pinbits. See their extremely nice pop bumper kit? 
I wasn't at my machine when I posted, and I had to dig for quite a while to find a picture that showed it. I took a quick look at mine last night, and while I didn't remove that post to find out if it was bent, it looks like it is just screwed into the wood. That plus you saying yours doesn't have it makes me think it is an afterthought.
I'm planning to look into daley's suggestion, hoping it will fit.
Quoted from daley:It it is just a wood screw post you can always drill through the playfield, put in a t-nut, and put in a threaded post.
edit: now that I think about it, with how close it is to the arcade scoop assembly there may not be enough room for that. I will have to take a look when i get home.
I think a t-nut would fit fine, at least as far as the scoop is concerned - there are just 3 tabs securing it to the underneath of the playfield, two tabs on one side, one on the other.
I'm guessing the post is just loosening up in the hole, it happens every half year or so on my 24 on the post to the right of the spinner (left orbit)
I took a look at this today. Here's a picture of the bent one in my machine, then after removing it. It's definitely bent, and it was pretty easy to straighten using tools, meaning it will bend again pretty easily. I'm pretty sure there's not room for a T-nut, but it's not the scoop that's in the way, it's due to the pop bumper bracket. Maybe LTG's right and the Williams one will be stronger.
Quoted from herg:Maybe LTG's right and the Williams one will be stronger.
M-A-Y-B-E Lloyds right??? Surely you jest! : )
As much as I respect LTG's expertise, I don't take ANYONE's advice as gospel, especially when they are using a word like "seem". I try to think through the entire problem, weighing everyone's advice and trying to make the best decision about how to go about solving it. Most of the time, this does fall in line with LTG's recommendations.
The Williams part number is 02-3905, the Stern part number is 530-5004-00.
So, I started looking up posts, and Pinball Life has one to choose from:
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=324
It doesn't say whether it's for Williams or Stern machines, but it uses the Stern part number.
BAA fails when searching for the Williams part number, but has this one for Stern:
http://bayareaamusements.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MP-530-5004-00
Marco brings up two matches for the Williams part number, but when reading the details, it uses the part numbers as if they're interchangeable, and says 530-5004-00 replaces 02-3905. Both are out of stock, BTW.
I haven't called PBR yet.
So, I'm wondering what the difference between the two could be. The only things I can think of are different metal or a different mechanical design. How can I know if what I'm getting has the Williams magic or if it's just a re-badged Stern post?
Quoted from u2sean:I've got a first run Tron and don't have this post on mine. Something has obviously changed.
ya,
that's really strange they added that on the later runs. I never have the ball hang up there, why would they add that? i'm sure it changes gameplay.
Quoted from snyper2099:The reason I suspect is because on Tron's without that post, once completing the GEM shot, the ball has a higher tendancy to go SDTM.
If that's the reason they added it, it didn't work! 
I think this might be the fix.Are you able to drill into the playfield and put a nut on the underside?.I found the parts you will need at pinball life. My tron 3rd run is on its way,So i can't look myself.If there enough room for the nut under the playfield without it being in the way of something.Problem solved!.
I could see if its not there that the ball could get wedged inbetween the pop and the rubber next to it behind the scoop.. adding it tho, 9/10 my gem shot wants to go SDTM so it does nothing for fixing gem
Quoted from Pinzzz:I think this might be the fix.Are you able to drill into the playfield and put a nut on the underside?.I found the parts you will need at pinball life. My tron 3rd run is on its way,So i can't look myself.If there enough room for the nut under the playfield without it being in the way of something.Problem solved!.
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=320
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=749
Quoted from Pinzzz:Confirmed.It works
Really? That's awesome. I wouldn't have thought the nut would fit just by looking at it. Thanks for taking the initiative and doing this. You didn't happen to take a picture, did you?
Also at pinballlife.com pickup one of these 1/4" spacers.
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=357
I also used 3 metal washers 1 on top of playfield and 2 on bottom of playfield under the nuts.
I cant wait for the Eli ramp lighted wire to go into production.
Sir, you have balls of steel taking a drill to a brand new playfield! Congrats on the mod/repair.
My Tron was from the very last run with the 3d backglass. I looked and the post is there, although I've never even noticed it before.
Quoted from Pinzzz:Also at pinballlife.com pickup one of these 1/4" spacers.
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=357
I also used 3 metal washers 1 on top of playfield and 2 on bottom of playfield under the nuts.
I cant wait for the Eli ramp lighted wire to go into production.
Nice pictures...thanks for sharing
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Hopkins, MN
Enfield, NS
Sana'a
Victoria