F-14 Tomcat
Williams, 1987I'm in the middle of shopping out an F-14 Tomcat.
I read somewhere that Williams removed the 2 flashers from the playfield, in the back, between the upper flashers.
Is there a way to add these back into the machine? Or will it be too much for the circuitry to handle?
It seems all of the flashers work in pairs. since that's the case, is there an additional circuit, having its' own transistor, that I can wire these flashers into?
Bumping this thread in the hopes of finding out what the proper part number is for the #89 socket. Using the .pdf manual on ipdb.org doesn't help me out. It shows it is an #89 flasher, but the video told me that much. Using google I found p/n: http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/A-17803
Is this the proper part?
89.JPGOUCH! $4.25 for that from Marco???
$1.50 for the identical part here: http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=296
Yes that is the correct size base, however the tab is too short. It can be made to work if you bought a tiny L bracket to bolt it to first then screw to the wood, or fashioned something out of some strip of metal. The original ones were "L" shaped where it bent out to the left so it sits above the playfield a bit so the bulb is fully inside the red domes.
This is the type of socket you really want: http://bayareaamusements.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=LB-077-5103-00
Given they are out of stock on that one, I'd suggest picking these up instead. The metal should survive a one time re-bending to align it the correct way with the tab down instead of up. Only $1.50 each for these too and in stock:
http://bayareaamusements.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=LB-077-5101-00
LB-077-5101-00.jpg
Also, when you install these, be sure to use some heatshrink tubing around the ENTIRE metal socket, and around both wires/tabs after soldering. Consider too using a piece of black electrical tape around the protruding base of the lamp that shows above the socket. That way if a ball hits too hard and bends back your stationary targets, it cannot short out your flasher (solenoid) drivers to your switch matrix -- the whole reason they removed them in the first place. Finally, remember to reattach the warming resistors underneath the playfield to those lamps. They will either have been removed or the wires cross-soldered to take them out of circuit.
Or you can get them here http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=297
Simply bend the mounting tab backwards to look like the out of stock BAA part.
Does anyone have any pictures of how it is suppose to look on the top of the playfield? I understand the wiring, and the placement, but I'm not sure if I have to drill through the PF or what? I removed the plastics in the upper playfield tonight to check out the spacing and I can see two small holes where I think the original flash bulbs were intended to be. A photo would help, plastics removed of course. 
Do you have an early production version of F-14 or later version? I did this mod but didn't have to drill any holes. I have an early production so my wiring was intact and I just had to get a couple of sockets and the mod was pretty simple. I don't know if the later versions need additional holes drilled since they were made after the service bulletin.
I wish I could give you some photos, I had to move my machines temporarily while some flood damage is repaired and I can't get to the F-14. I can try tomorrow if no one else beats me to it.
Here are some pics from mine. Mine has clear back lamps, the large plasma display PCB. The two red flashers did not even have screw holes in the wood -- just dimples to where you should install the #6 screw to mount them. (In fact, there were two sets of dimples, one lined up right, the other did not)
The wires were cut and tied underneath and the mod to the warming resistors was done too to take them out. Just followed the service bulletin in reverse to add them back in
Quoted from Geocab:Do you have an early production version of F-14 or later version? I did this mod but didn't have to drill any holes. I have an early production so my wiring was intact and I just had to get a couple of sockets and the mod was pretty simple. I don't know if the later versions need additional holes drilled since they were made after the service bulletin.
I wish I could give you some photos, I had to move my machines temporarily while some flood damage is repaired and I can't get to the F-14. I can try tomorrow if no one else beats me to it.
I have a late production version. I have not checked to see if the wiring is intact or not. There is nothing above the PF. I'll take a look underneath tonight.
Quoted from Pac-Fan:Here are some pics from mine. Mine has clear back lamps, the large plasma display PCB. The two red flashers did not even have screw holes in the wood -- just dimples to where you should install the #6 screw to mount them. (In fact, there were two sets of dimples, one lined up right, the other did not)
The wires were cut and tied underneath and the mod to the warming resistors was done too to take them out. Just followed the service bulletin in reverse to add them back in
You have an early production model as well. My PF has the dimples where the screws should be, but looking at the other #89 sockets nearby (white and blue) they aren't mounted to the top of the PF so I'm not sure what the purpose of the dimples is.
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Grayling, MI