what color is everyone's shooter rod? I've got 1 with clear and 1 with red. The clear one is busted so before I replaced it I wanted to get it right.

Mine is red.

Red

Red it is. Thanks Lonzo Hammerhead

Just received my NOS backglass and plastics. All set for a restauration

NOS_BTTF.png

Not sure if you know this, but you're missing a couple of plastics...

Yes exactly 3 colored and 4 clear ones. I'm getting some repro for them.

Where are you sourcing the repro ones? I have a new plastic set for mine and am missing the same plastics.

Full repro set should be available for everyone soon. All I can say right now

So I've been getting deeper into my game. Fixed a ball lock switch, went into test to make sure all 3 switches were working in the correct order. My game never gets past ball lock 2.. It says "ball 2 locked", then kicks out a ball from the bottom. No matter how many times I knock down DMC and go into the VUK, it never goes into multiball. Am I missing something?

I doubt it's that but have you try knocking down the target in order? D then M the C? If it fixes the issue, your game is probably setup to hard (or very hard) mode instead of factory.

Yes, always do them in order.. Also did a reset by pulling batteries, same issue.

The roms on the CPU are home burned (hand written sticker), I suppose it's possible whoever burned them didn't do them correctly (or they've developed an issue over time). Half-tempted to spend the $20 on new roms just to rule that out.

I'm just going to throw some stuff out there.

What is the status of the "back to time" lights when this is going on?

Check the trough and make sure that you don't have an issue. I know troughs on the WPC games had an issue where the balls "sit" would start to get a grove in it and would prevent the ball from rolling down the trough. Maybe something like this is happeneing and with the weight of 2 balls they will roll but maybe when the second ball is ejected into the shooter lane, the third ball doesn't roll down to trigger the switch. I have also seen switches that were to strong and the weight of one ball was not enough to get it to roll down far enough to activate the switch. If this happens, then the game doesn't think there is a ball in the tough and maybe kicking that locked ball out is the solution. I have no idea if that is programmed but it would make sense.

I will try and experiment with mine today and see if I can duplicate the problem.

Good point, I'll have to check.. from what I remember, with 2 balls locked only top insert is lit.. putting 3rd ball goes to 2nd insert, but then backs to one lit.

Great things to check.. should have thought to test the switches with balls (not my finger pushing on them). trough switches are another good thing to check.. would make sense if say the last switch wasn't registering, that it would kick out another ball thinking one was stuck.. Even if I have all 3 balls in there to start a game, the logic might only be checking the 3rd switch, not all 3.

Will try both of those things out tonight, thanks!

Lonzo you rock..

I don't know why I didn't think to check trough switches. It was the bottom one not making contact with the switch, I can finally achieve multiball! Now I just gotta figure out why my left flipper has weak hold.

Glad you got it fixed.
What exactly is the left flipper doing?

Kicks fine, then slowly comes back down (so there's some hold, but it's like it's low voltage). Swapped flipper board with known working one, same thing. Probably going to start measuring voltages at the coil next.

Make sure the flipper switch is clean

Check the wiring harness. The 9 volt comes from the power supply (CN1 pins 10,11) and goes to the flipper board (CN pins 6,7). There is a 2 pin connector in the harness. Make sure it didn't come loose.

Went ahead and replaced it with one I had, no change

Installed a new powerboard shortly after I got it, fixed a low 5v issue.. replaced that CN1 male connector almost immediately when I got it because of burnt pins. Checked hold voltage, both are around 6.8VDC.

So, just for giggles, I moved the wiring from the right flipper coil that works, over to the left flipper that doesn't.. Low and behold, the issue is still there on the left side. So that means if the power on the right side is good, and it's still not moving on the left, that greatly reduces it down to:
1. mechanical issue (seems to swing pretty free, however the spring is cut and might be pulling back with too much force against the coil). Have new springs in my pinball life cart, also going to be replacing all three pop bumpers with brand new assemblies because not only are mine dirty and have poor switch contact, there's corrosion on both the switches and the metal rods.
2. Could be the coil itself, though previous owner replaced it just before I bought the game (seems to also have the stock diode).

If new spring doesn't fix it, going to install new diode, then might swap coils to see what happens. Meant to check the resistance on each, will check tomorrow.

Check the ohms on your "new" coil. I have a buddy that just bought one new from marco and the ohms were reading 25! Compare the readings with the right flipper.

I would swap springs and see what happens. If the spring is too strong then I can see that happening. Starting with JP they added and EOS switch which would have energized the high power again if the spring pulled it back.

Checked coils, both measuring about 4 ohms. Swapped springs, right is still fine with shorter spring. Left is better (can hold a ball now), but I can push it down temorarily.

I think I figured out my flipper issue. Was going to go ahead and replace the plungers on both coils. right flipper went fine. Go to try to take the left one off, the screw won't unthread. I take a pair of pliers to the plastic arm, yank it off.. put a vise grips on the bushing real tight, keeps spinning. someone put a bushing on that's too small, somehow managed to press it in. So now I either have to buy a new crank bar (I prefer to keep the stock gold plated one), or I have to cut off the bolt with an angle grinder and replace both the screw and the bushing. Oh and come to find out the plunger is too short on the left, hence why it doesn't have the same strength.
stuck_bushing (resized).jpg
Blue is the previous one, bottom white one is the correct one
short_plunger (resized).jpg

Added over 7 years ago: This definitely fixed my issue

so started to replace the pop bumpers, which means removing the top ramp. I knew something looked funny with the plastic by the bottom pop bumper, but I didn't know it was that bad. Whoever attempted to recreate this plastic not only used plastic twice too thick, but it's as if they exported the plastic from virtual pinball and scaled it up because it looks like total crap. Also looks like they used modge podge or something to apply the regular paper (not photo paper) to the plastic because you can see the glue.

So off to the scanner to get a starting point, trace over it, and get a clean image to recreate my own in 1/16" PETG.

New plastic is on top, old is on the bottom:
old_new_bttf_pop_bumper_plastic (resized).jpg

bttf-pop_bumper_plastic (resized).png

The new plastic looks good. That plastic is broken on most machines. The manual calls for a red flipper rubber and a 1 1/2 in rubber on those two posts. Over time, the posts bend inwards and the tension on the plastic eventually breaks it. I made a metal support that kinda looks like a popscicle stick that goes under the plastic and takes the stress leaving the plastic stress free.

did you get that on eBay? very difficult to find for some reason. Fair price?

Make a protector for that plastic! There's a reason it is missing from most games.

Note: from factory red flipper rubber wrapped on bottom posts.
------ Metal bracket fits under D/T plastic.

I have a new one. I was planning to restore mine, but might just keep it as is and sell.

Custom shooter rod installed!

IMG_3507 (resized).JPG

Has anyone modded a small flux capacitor to go on the game. I have s 2 x 2 car charger soneone got me as a gift. The LEDs chase just like in the movie. Seems like someone could easily rewire and mount on pin somewhere

I am out of town so this is the only picture I have that shows it. I mounted it in the center of the coin door using the slot for the middle coin mech. I wired it to the switching power supply that I already had installed.
IMG_3238 (resized).JPG

Very nice. Easy to break into it and connect wires? 12v? Would love to put it on pf somewhere

The thinkgeek flux capacitor is pretty big, and the animation isn't that good (and it isn't sold anymore).

There's one that is about the size of a quarter, costs $35, and has better detail and animated lightshow:
http://www.madgeekcollectibles.com

It also has a mode where it will shut itself off after 20 seconds, could be cool to wire up a switch on the ramp so it only activates when you enter the ramp and turns itself off.

So I didn't like how I had to have the ramp flopping around while I lifted the playfield to replace the pop bumpers, so I decided to connectorize everything with J-connectors. I think the gauge is close to the stock wire, if I run a lamp test and the connector is getting too warm I'll source a different connector. At least I have sort of a wiring harness now that can easily plug everything back in very quickly.

bottom (resized).jpg

Obviously in order to get the back ramp out, you have to detach at least the front of the wireform ramp so you can swing it out of the way. I took it out entirely because mine had a lot of paint missing and looked like crap. Few sprays of 3 rattlecans and a couple coats of clear, and it pops again

wireform_ramp painted (resized).jpg

so getting back to the ramp, I was concerned that they formed it with the 2 entry ramps angled down making any attempt at reproducing it VERY difficult because of the depth of the mold. To my delight, I saw that both ramps relaxed back up to the same level as everything else once it was out of the machine
side (resized).jpg

I'm not making any promises of a repro ramp, but I need one VERY BADLY. I have so many cracks:

crack1 (resized).jpg
crack2 (resized).jpg
crack4 (resized).jpg
crack3 (resized).jpg
crack5 (resized).jpg

I've watched a LOT of vacuum forming, and positive mold videos. I believe I have 3 choices:
1. Make a positive mold by pouring plaster of paris on the inside
2. Make a positive mold by pouring low viscosity rubber inside (a little bit pricier, but more likely to pop out after it's solidified).

Either of the above I'll want to spray mold release on the surfaces first.

Option 3: Use my HP4600 scanner, scan the whole thing in chunks, photomerge them, trace the profile in solidworks and create a 3d solid model. I can then print the ramps in small pieces and either glue them, or use screws to join all the pieces together.

I have 2 potential vacuum forming vendors if I can get the positive made, so that part is theoretically easy.

We need a new ramp bad Make them

scanned the ramp this morning and photomerged, came out really well. Now I just need to trace it.

bttf_ramp_scan (resized).jpg

trace the image in draftsight (autocad clone). Because the image is scanned at 1, importing it into draftsight also makes it 1
ramp_Trace_draftsight (resized).jpg

Once I have a DXF, I can import it directly into solidworks as a sketch, then extrude 1.1" (depth of internal feature)

bttf_ramp_solidworks (resized).jpg

I'm in for at least 1 if not 2 of the repro ramps!

Yeah, I'd buy a repro ramp. BTTF will likely never leave my collection.

I started pulling decals off the ramp and scanning them. They all need a lot of cleanup, flux capacitor took me easily 6-7 hours

flux_scan (resized).jpg

flux_cleanup (resized).jpg

Looks awesome. Pinball is a labor of love

Hello, I am hoping to become a member of this club. The BTTF machine I am looking at is in someones basement and he indicated if I purchased it I would need to move it out from his house. Anyone have an idea on the weight or best way to move these? I wouldn't want to damage his walls on the way up the stairs (his basement stairs turn partially going up).

Haven't weighed mine, but typically machines from this era are between 200-250lbs

appliance dolly and a friend to help push it from the bottom. If you're by yourself, and the owner isn't willing to help, you have 3 options:
1. Rent an electric stair climbing device like an escalera
2. Remove the backbox, remove the playfield (which means unplugging every connector), then bringing it up in chunks (backbox, playfield, Cabinet). Not the most ideal, but each are fairly manageable by a single person (at least with a cart).
3. Depending on your location, you may be able to convince a fellow pinsider to help you move it. I helped someone buy their first pin about a year ago (which wasn't fun just because the basement was so tight).

Fortunately my labor just got much shorter. A kind pinsider saw this thread and forwarded cleaned up scans he got from someone else that restored his, so at least that's out of the way.

Anyone know about the dimensions of one of these? Trying to figure out if I would need a trailer, a bed of a truck, or if it would fit in the back of my SUV to pick this up.

And by the way, I'd buy a repro ramp too. The one I hope to buy has cracks in it also and could use replacing.

length (with shooter rod): 54inches
width (with backbox):27-3/4 inches
Max Height (with backbox folded down): 28 inches

typically the length and width aren't an issue for transport (even a small hatchbox should fit both of these even if a front seat has to push forward). The height is usually what you have to worry about because many vehicles don't have tall openings, or if they do there's some plastic trim that shortens that opening. You WILL need to worry about the backbox width if your door opening is 28-30", or if there are rails that might stick out.

If this is your first pickup, I recommend scooting it on it's back, the bottom cabinet facing the vehicle, and lift it in (so shooter rod goes in first). Then when you get home, slide it right back out on it's back. Also recommend using a blanket or carpet at the edge so that the cabinet doesn't end up scratching the bumper going in or out. Some also like using a small PVC tube underneath to scoot it in (easier to roll it in than trying to slide it against carpet).