(Topic ID: 131213)

Flippers Sticking Hot Weather?

By halomojo

8 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 22 posts
  • 12 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 8 years ago by cfh
  • Topic is favorited by 2 Pinsiders

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#1 8 years ago

I have 3 machines that are currently in my non climate controlled garage. It's very warm in the summer with 95 degree days. I'm finding that occasionally the flippers will get a little bit stuck and not return all the way down. It's not an electrical issue because if you power off the machine, the flippers stay in the slightly stuck position. When the ball hits them, they'll go all the way back down. Also if you flip the non stuck flipper a few times, it'll cause the stuck flipper to nudge down to it's original position.

Is this due to weather? Any idea on how to fix this?

#2 8 years ago

Personally it sounds like you may need to replace either your cabinet switches or your EOS switches. It sounds like the contacts on the switches are making contact a little bit, but they aren't allowing the full voltage to go to the coil. I would clean your contacts first, and if that doesn't fix your problem, I would definitely try changing out those switches. I hope this helps.

#3 8 years ago

Have you rebuilt the flips? new sleeves, coil stops, bushings etc...? check the return springs?

#4 8 years ago

it is helpful for you to list your location in your profile. that has a bearing on this response...

as humidity increases, wood gains thickness. that is, your playfield expands.

if you rebuilt your flippers in the winter, when there is less humidity, this may have some bearing on how flippers work in the summer.

The up and down movement of the flippers (not the rotation) will decrease in the summer. this can cause flippers to stick. if you rebuilt them in the winter and didn't leave adequate up and down movement, this will be a problem in the summer.

#5 8 years ago

Sounds like worn flipper parts...replace plunger and links coil stops and sleeves and you should be good to go

#6 8 years ago

If you have that much heat in the garage I would be concerned with the expansion and contraction going on the playfield plastics. Check for hairline cracks around the bolts and screws or warpage on areas like the slings. If its 95 outside its over a 100 in the garage. Your probably looking at a 30 to 40 degree swing each day-night in there.

#7 8 years ago

Just updated the location. It can definitely get pretty toasty in the garage. I've been keeping an eye on things checking for any warping, but everything seems fine. Generally the flippers function perfectly, but every once in a while one of the flippers will get a little bit hung up. Drops about 70% of the way down and will hang there til something pushes it down.

#8 8 years ago

Perfect example. The little flipper icons at the bottom of this page. It looks like that when it gets stuck.

#9 8 years ago

Since you're in VA humidity is definitely something to think about. so in the summer, the playfield will swell a bit. when it hangs check for up and down play on the flipper bat. if there's none, then humidity is the issue. but hey that's an easy fix, just an adjustment.

#10 8 years ago

An easy thing to check that may be binding is that the flipper bat still has a credit card thick gap between the bottom of the flipper bat and the bushing.

#11 8 years ago
Quoted from cfh:

Since you're in VA humidity is definitely something to think about. so in the summer, the playfield will swell a bit. when it hangs check for up and down play on the flipper bat. if there's none, then humidity is the issue. but hey that's an easy fix, just an adjustment.

If I have the playfield glass off when the flipper hangs up, I can easily push it back down. It's just barely getting snagged by something. when a ball falls onto the flipper it'll push it the rest of the way back down. What would I adjust to correct this because the angle/range of flipper movement is correct, it just get hung up sometimes.

#12 8 years ago

Classic symptoms of flippers installed to tightly down to the playfield. Not enough up and down play.
It shows mostly when the games are warmed up and played for a while, but in the heat and humidity probably worse.

#13 8 years ago

^Could be your flipper bat is rubbing on the bushing... Make sure you have a sight gap between the flipper and the bushing(about the size of a credit card)

#14 8 years ago
Quoted from Bowlingpin:

^Could be your flipper bat is rubbing on the bushing... Make sure you have a sight gap between the flipper and the bushing(about the size of a credit card)

Cool, thank you. I'll take a look at this and see if that gap is present. I've actually never adjusted flippers before. Pretty new to pins.

#15 8 years ago
Quoted from halomojo:

Cool, thank you. I'll take a look at this and see if that gap is present. I've actually never adjusted flippers before. Pretty new to pins.

Rebuild the flippers with new coil stops and sleeves. Just google the machine manufacturers name and repair.
Search
Eg. Williams pinball repair.

Then go to rebuilding flippers section.

#16 8 years ago

Loosen the allen screws from the flipper shaft under the playfield. Pull the flipper up so there is a tiny gap between it and the pf, line it up and tighten the screws. THis should prevent it from sticking the future. Like Homebrood said, classic flippers installed to tightly to playfield

#17 8 years ago
Quoted from simplykind:

Loosen the allen screws from the flipper shaft under the playfield. Pull the flipper up so there is a tiny gap between it and the pf, line it up and tighten the screws. THis should prevent it from sticking the future. Like Homebrood said, classic flippers installed to tightly to playfield

Good to know. It's happening on all 3 of my machines. I guess folks are really cranking down when installing them to the playfield.

#18 8 years ago
Quoted from homebrood:

Classic symptoms of flippers installed to tightly down to the playfield. Not enough up and down play.
It shows mostly when the games are warmed up and played for a while, but in the heat and humidity probably worse.

Yup, that's what I would say.

#19 8 years ago

Though people are recommending a credit card thickness, I generally go with a bit more play. Because where I live weather changes wood a lot between the seasons.

#20 8 years ago

Before assuming they need adjusting, simply lift up on the flipper bat and check that there is a tiny bit of up and down movement. You should be able to feel a very slight movement. If it moves, they are not too tight and no need to adjust the gap.

#21 8 years ago

Turns out that there was actually TOO much play in the flippers and that it was causing unnecessary weight on the plunger. I loosened the nut on the flipper bat, pulled it a little closer down on the playfield and ensured that the flipper plunger was perfectly lined up. Problem solved. Nice snappy flippers. Feels good!

#22 8 years ago

yes true that can happen too. it causes the plunger to move at an angle through the coil sleeve, adding potential for binding.

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