Interesting, being new, where can I get these? Willing to give them a try. It’s getting hung up in that area on my machine often enough it’s making me question if I made the right decision here.

It does look a little low in the pic (meaning high compared to the PF) - I think I see the recessed area of the post a bit.

Try this - just place a ball there and move the ring so it lines up to the center line of the ball. Any chance you have a spare ring? My Star Trek Pro had the same problem w/a trap around the pops, others had the same problem too. I just stuck a bigger ring on it.

The other thing that might be causing it is the pop switch might be set a little wide - so it wasn't firing as much, letting the ball get stuck there.

Great suggestion. Will try this. Thank you

I had this happen early on. I adjusted all of the pops to be more sensitive and the issue went away. I've had to adjust the slings and pops on all of my nib sterns to be more sensitive.

Ok, will add this to the list of items try - can you provide a link or more info on how to perform these adjustments? And thanks for the help!

You just set the gap on the leaf spring switch. I've seen good write ups on Pinside before - I'll do a quick search.

Edit: Check out Vid's write up. Didn't read all of it, so Stern's pops might not be covered specifically, but should be enough to get you going.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-rebuilding-pop-bumpers

Pops have not changed much. That guide is a good one to follow

https://www.titanpinball.com/

But I wouldn't buy just one because of shipping - so probably hold off a bit. If you do think a bigger ring might help, I'd just make a trip down to the local hardware and see if you could kludge something to see if it's needed.

I'd look at the pop not being sensitive before buying anything.

I looked at mine again, no way the hamster trail is that low.
But make sure the pin is level left to right both near the flippers and near the head. I guess you've done that already.

While replacing opto for spot i saw my plastic for Herman was cracked. Im second owner. Emailed stern, they got back within 24 hours and all they wanted was serial# . Sent picture of it, and that day I received email saying they have sent new piece, free of charge. Good service!

Wzpin, I took the glass off and manually placed a ball there. It would stay in place, but I imagine that if it had any speed at all, I don't think that would happen. While I was at it I checked my playfield. Side to side up there was at 0.2 degrees. Front to back pitch was 7.0 degrees. Maybe you just need to adjust the steepness at tad bit more.

I think you mentioned you checked your playfield, but didn't see the numbers. Got them?

I'm pretty dead level, but at 6.7° wonder if steeper would help. But then wife wouldn't play, be too fast. Damn fast at 6.7

Don't tell her...

Removed it last nite. Was easy to do from underneath. My only real problem was trying to find the nut I dropped. It had somehow found its way wedged on the inside of the bottom leg of my TWD..

48AF54F8-5238-4684-A911-A5E6D8252061 (resized).jpeg

You are not alone! My ball gets stuck there every game. I am 100% level N•S•E•W.. That POP bumper is adjusted super sensitive any tighter will close the circuit. I have been going back and forth with Pablo from Stern Support to no avail. I even moved the rubber washer up and down on the nearest post. No difference. Its really annoying at this point. I either bang the side of the machine to get the ball moving or wait til the POP bumper activates in about 10 seconds or so. At this point i pretty much gave up. The only option left is to replace that POP bumper.

20201222_182850 (resized).jpg

20201223_124426 (resized).jpg

20210117_013438 (resized).jpg

I think I’ve only had it hang there twice in 1000’s of plays. Popular pin in our household. Easy to rack up the games..

Put another rubber on that post. Stack up two of them on there and try that.

Make the game a hair off level so the ball will want to roll into the pop bumper more.

If I am reading you correctly, you are thinking about it backwards.

I like things tight, set to tight tolerances, etc. If the manuals say gap the switches at 1/16" I go for 1/32". For me it works for rollovers and outlane switches. I found out by accident that this practice does not work for pop bumpers.

If you make your pop switch gaps ultra tight here is what happens. The ball with hit the skirt and the tight switch will kick the ball before it gets all the way inside the space between the skirt and pop ring and you wind up with a weak rebound.

I'm not going to sit here and say this is the proper way to gap a pop switch, but this way works for me: You don't want those pop switches closing until the ball is all the way inside that air space between the ring and skirt. You push your finger down on that skirt and adjust the switch so the contacts do not touch until the pointer on the skirt is all the way to the edge of the pop spoon. This lets the ball get itself all the way inside that air gap and when that ring touches the ball it will be happening from the inside edge of the ring and ball-to-ring contact will be the full width of the ring instead of the ball just hitting the outside edge of the ring.

Try it. I think you will appreciate the performance difference.

Appreciate all the suggestions. Other than the ball hanging up in that area - it’s getting a lot of play. Will keep trying all the options mentioned. Great support on the forum and community. My wife and I are officially addicted to pinball. Thanks everyone

The ball does get hung up in the same spot once in a great while in our game as well. It has never bothered me for the occasional time that is sits there. If I'm lazy, I wait until the ball search, and the pop bumper kicks it out. If I'm impatient, I'll nudge the game until I get enough of a bounce to have it roll out.

Here is the solution that was posted by others and then used on our first NIB game, Stern Star Trek, when the ball found a dead spot in those pops.
61eUOiKbejL._AC_SY355_ (resized).jpg
Just carefully place it on the playfield where you need to eliminate the "Dead Zone". I think I'll do this to our Munsters as well.

I’ll try these. What exactly should I search for to find them? And correct the ball search does eventually put it back into play for us as well. Thanks!

Hi, can you provide a link to the exact clear sticky buttons that everyone is using. I will give it a try.. Tnx!

I just put a picture of generic cabinet bumpers. Just the ones that go in the corner of your drawers or cabinet doors to cushion the sound. You should be able to grab some at Home Depot, Menards, Lowes, etc... I have run into a few varieties. Some are a little taller, wider, etc.

Best part is, you can just remove it or change it out later on.

You all had me curious so I went and looked at our Star Trek fix from years back. It looks like I even cut it to follow the flow and then stuck it down.

File_000 (6) (resized).jpeg

This is a great idea. I was going to suggest perhaps an angled 3d printed peice to wedge in there to keep the rail and pop bumper from cradling the ball. But this would do the job.

Our pro is losing the sound when I put playfield down after servicing. Last time it came back, now its not. I've removed sd card. Checked connections, cycled, Any ideas? Thx

I would put the playfield back up and at the very bottom check the two or three main harnesses that plug directly into the playfield coming from the head unit. I would unplug each one and then reseat it. See if this solves your issue. I believe there cable tied so you may have to clip a tie to two to free up the cables so you have the room you need to unplug and replug them. Sounds like possible intermittent stress onnone of the connectors. Check them all while your at it. Including the ones in the head unit.

Fun,Fun-Munster Madness,Extra Ball,Spot,Raven Multi-Ball,Geez this is GREAT- +25 Million just like that-Get Ready To Rumble with The Munsters !!
Works for me !!

20190214_203313 (resized).jpg

20200414_185825 (resized).jpg

20200414_123102 (resized).jpg

Backglass Shot (resized).jpg

Spot (resized).png

Munster Madness,Raven Multi-Ball,Spot,Extra Ball-Fun Fun !!

Our pro has an issue, when ball is in grampa chute, its sometimes not reading its there and goes into se ersl ball searches before it kicks out. Nothing is loose or misaligned as far as I can see. Did notice factory cliffy is broken on left upper, but that shouldn't interfere. Any help? Thx,,

Put in test mode. Pin should register when you put a ball or your finger in the hole. I imagine there's an opto controlling
This function so look for a cracked solder joint or loose opto.

Its intermittent tho, some games just fine. I'll try test later tho. Thx

Them switches were junk,they usually break off at the lug but it could be a bad switch or loose solder but I'd suspect the arm on the switch has bent a little and needs to be bent so it pushes the little button under the arm sooner and the contact point to the ball is a little higher.

I actually got off my lazy ass and checked mine. It's not done with opto's but a switch as mentioned above. Just bend the tab a bit that you can see at the bottom of the hole, on the south edge.

Thx. I'll look after dinner.

This is a fun look back at still a great game!

Hi, a few questions about the Stern topper, just got mine installed. Is it supposed to tell the time of day when I power on the game? It seems to work when playing a game and spins during Raven multiball. Although on one game when I lost the ball, and the game was over, during Raven MB the clock kept spinning for 30 seconds or so after the game was over. Lastly any way to have the raven talk louder? Didn’t see any specific adjustments in menu.

Thanks!

Yup, bent it back straight, all good now. Thx!

I have the same issue with the ball hanging up at the same pop bumper of the Upper playfield.. I have been back and forth with Stern's tech support for several months now.

Also, this is about the 5th time the smaller balls have gotten stuck in the lower playfield of grandpa's laboratory.. The first few times it got stuck ontop of the machine toy in the center. Then a second time it got stuck between the right shoot and the upper plastic playfield cover.. Then a third time it got stuck on the left shoot behind the wire rail. If you look at my posted image you can see the ball stuck on the left side. BTW... I have both, the lower flippers and the main flippers set to "Soft" and i'm perfectly level all directions.

*I have since installed this grandpa's laboratory ramp cover (see images) and it has stopped the ball from getting stuck on the right side. It comes with protective film on both sides that you need to remove. Highly recommend.

https://www.pinballlife.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PBL-300-0093-00

20210131_215032 (resized).jpg

20210201_075440 (resized).jpg

20210201_075150 (resized).jpg

For those with the prem/le - what are you using to protect the plastic on the lower playfield? My NIB machine had serious scratches - which stern replaced as a warranty item - the new one they sent looks better and would like to keep it as nice as possible.

I play the hell out of it. It is plastic. It is scratch resistant, not scratch proof.

When the time comes sometime, way in the future, I will replace it.

The most you could do is permanently install a piece of mylar on top of it. That might help, or it might not.

Hey Guys,

Anyone have the tech support contact at Stern? My Munsters audio acts up occasionally. Sometimes no bass, sometimes no audio at all. Sometimes when I don't hear any audio, as I shut the pin off...I hear it for a moment as the power supplies are slowly collapsing. So I need to run that by Stern.

The pin's audio is working now, and the VA status LED is lit (power supply for audio), I'll have to check the VA LED when the audio screws up again. One thing I noticed is the VA LED remains off when the game is booting up - likely delayed to keep garbage from coming out the speakers as the things get initialized.

Thanks ahead of time.

Where's the code update

Hey, mine does that too occasionally. Be nice to find a cure

I've re seated all connectors its been ok, but haven't put much time on it

Screenshot_20210201-102242_Gallery (resized).jpg

I also had an Aerosmith and I think that did it once or twice too.

Thanks for the tech info.

I had a Herman broken plastic, he responded within 24 hours and part was sent next day. Good service

I bought a spare when I bought the game. Haven’t used it yet.

We play this table more than any other in the house except maybe MMR and haven’t had serious issues with scratching or clouding.

Good to know. Thanks