I've decided to pull the trigger on a Guardians Pro to add to my collection. Its a game a play a ton on location here in AZ and I just really enjoy it. Checking in with a couple folks with ads on Pinside today. I'm looking to go the NIB route with Insider Connect - I've been watching this thread for a while and don't see anyone saying don't buy one of the new builds? I'm going to have to go through this whole thread for mods, plastic protectors, issues, etc but figured that will be a future problem once the pin gets on its way

My Guardians pro is here! I’ve got two issues I see so far:

* Orb drop target issue. Ball stuck behind it and even on a ball search it’s not able to lower the target. I am doing the single drop target test and + - on that test and the target lowered one time to release the ball but every test not the target doesn’t drop. Is this a loose wire, what should I look for? I can’t remove the stuck ball so assume it will stay in there when I lift the playfield…
* need to do some more leveling right to left seems like ball coming down right orbit is hitting the top of the slingshot and that should be put on right flipper. I’ll try leveling before looking at Mylar or bending the metal as suggested in a few recent posts.

Groot multiball seemed to work. I believe the magnet fired when the balls were released. Can’t check the orb drop target to magnet hand off till it get the drop target working

Anything else I should be looking for? Very greatful it shipped here safely and can’t wait to play more!

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Got the ball from behind the drop target I’m not seeing any obvious wiring issue under playfield but not sure what I’m looking for nothing seems loose…

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Yep, thats where I started and realized the 3/4 inch ring is the solution for a not dropping target. I misread it initially with it was for the target stuck down! I've got a friend giving me the ring tomorrow and I'll try it out. In the meantime I put on the plastic protectors for the right orbit and rocket area. I've got the plastic protector for the orb arriving any day. The pinball life scoop protector - are there instructions somewhere how to install it?

Thanks for the response! Want to make sure I’m looking at this right so I circled in green what I think needs to be removed. Did you remove the right ramp entirely? I see one nut in the second picture you can’t get to with the ramp in the way.

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Also have the issue with the right orbit not delivering the ball to the flipper it bounces off the top of the right sling. While I have the plastic off for the scoop protector it looks clear to me in the picture the metal guide isn’t lined up right it’s pressed in. I see screws behind it I can get to with the plastic off - can that orbit metal guide be adjusted a bit via the screws behind it?

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Ok, thought the ramp had to come off... I'm gonna have to take a lot of pictures LOL - I've taken wire forms off my other games but this will be a first. I also just got the orb plastic protector in today and that looks like I'll have to take everything above the drop target off the playfield to install it. PinMonk thanks for the response on the guide, will do that while I have the plastics off!

Ok, I got the 3/4" rubber ring for the drop target fix suggested here. I'm noticing I don't have enough room between the plate on the spring and the part that the ring needs to go around to squeeze it in there (unless I just need to force it through that small gap??). Do I need to take the whole mechanism off the bottom of the playfield to access it or just part of it?

I’m very happy to report that the 3/4” rubber ring solution posted here resolved my orb drop target issue. It now lowers correctly! Elephanthead suggestion to cut a small notch in the ring was definitely needed and even then it was tight to get in there.

For those that have the rocket plastic protector on - any issues with it preventing the ball hitting the target? Seeing times where ball gets hung up and not getting back to the target. I took a couple picks - wonder if I’ve tightened the plastic down too far in the front edge as it looks pretty low compared to that right corner…

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Added speaker lights tonight. Will tackle the scoop protector and pop bumper plastics later in the week when the parts arrive. Decided to mess around with the pop bumpers given I have to take the ramp off anyways for the scoop.

Interesting my new run Guardians doesn't have the metal bar behind the orb drop target? Hmmm.

I can seem to win with this pin Started to play a few games tonight and noticed that the drop target was suddenly going up/down like crazy after dropping it then hitting the target behind it. Discovered that the rubber ring solution I had installed actually broke - luckily I ordered a few extra and just replaced it. My guess is the notch I cut in the ring was a bit too deep and it ended up failing..

Sooo now hitting groots mouth it isn't opening. The light in front of it flashes but it doesn't drop. At one point it dropped partially but was still above the playfield where only a lucky shot would bounce into it. Mouth closed fine at the end of the game. The switch test in the menu for the groot mouth definitely doesn't work. Any ideas what to look for??

Stern was very quick to respond to my service request - I placed it after my initial post here and they got back to me first thing this morning.

Opto test in front of his mouth is fine - its the motor. The game specific test for Groot's mouth seemed to work a couple times but after continued testing it began to slow down, fall short of completely opening and then just died all together. I just retested it after a few hours and its totally toast - doesn't move. I'm going to assume Stern is sending me a new motor but we will see. Not sure how easy it is to install?

I read in this thread a recommended setting for the ball trough eject power to reduce the impact - anyone have that handy?

I’ve got the right ramp off and the plastics around the scoop for the scoop protector install. Protector had to be massaged into place a bit but looks good - screw hole on the right might be a tad off but should be able to push the protector a bit so it lines up better as I screw it in…

Are the washers for the screws that go through the scoop protector going below the protector or on top of it? I am not sure it really matters but thought I'd ask since I've got this thing open at the moment

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Installed the scoop, orb plastic and pop bumper protectors. Took lots of pics - orb area plastics had a lot going on in there.

My right orbit pathing is still off. Adjusted it as much as I could with plastics off. Someone suggested a piece of Mylar on the metal guide - where do you suggest I put it? I don’t have any Mylar looks like it’s sold in 12 inch square sheets - buy some and cut to size I assume?

Final question anyone have this orb mod and what do you think?

https://www.hookedonpinball.com/store/p134/Guardians-of-the-Galaxy-Orb-with-Lit-Crystal-Infinity-Stone.html#/

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Are you referring to the orb plastic? All the others definitely have the film off. Wondering if I missed it on the orb protector but didn’t seem to have film on it. That was from cpr9999, I might have missed it!

Well damn getting all that plastic off and back together was a pain. I’ll tackle it tomorrow. I looked at the pics you posted of the protector and thought the protector (like many) was on top of factory plastics. I’ll get that film off and do it again!

Thanks I’ll give that a shot. I had a difficult time with the spotlight mounted in the back of the orb. Wires are split behind it but at least in mine there isn’t enough space to pull the screw cleanly out through the top…

Anyone know the screw size for the screw the connects the plastic on the top of the pop bumper to the bumper? I lost the tiny Phillips screw trying to insert it this morning and haven’t found it yet in the playfield or underneath- hate when I do that

I’d say that looks a LOT better!

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Nice - so this connects via alligator clips under the playfield correct? Did you have to remove the orb plastics beneath it to install or was it unscrew factory orb, install new one and fish the wire through the gap to connect it underneath?

Thanks! I decided to order the orb mod

Anyone have experience with the backbox lighting kits for a Guardians Pro - like from Flipper Fidelity, etc? They look nice, never seen one in person...

https://flipperfidelity.com/stern-guardians-of-the-galaxy-pro-animated-led-backbox-light-replacement-dimmable/

I am getting the new groot motor from stern tomorrow and they sent me instructions on how to remove it which seemed pretty simple.

The set screw that connects the motor to the shaft will not budge. Using a 3/32 Allen wrench which seems to be right size and turning counter clockwise it ain’t moving. Anyone ever take one of these apart - any ideas?

5/32 hex t handle wrench did the trick - that was crazy tight!

I replaced the motor with the new one from Stern. First 5 or so tests in the diagnostic menu works fine then the motor just stopped working. Switches in the mechanism working fine - what are the chances I have a second bad motor??

What is the proper orientation of the crank arm? I had the arm blew the groot jaw mechanism that is raised and lowered by the arm. I left the hex wrench in the set screw to ensure I didn’t drop the arm and it’s definitely not upside down. When I turned the pin on I immediately went into the test menu - perhaps I didn’t let it auto calibrate? Should I take it apart again and retry assembly?

Looks like the crank arm is parallel to the playfield and right behind the mechanism that moves the jaw. With the game off mine is resting at almost 90 degrees to the right. I’ll take it apart and reattach to crank arm. Should I wait a few minutes after turning pin on for it to find “home”, start a game??

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Yeah I pulled the motor out and reinstalled. Let the game start up, started a game and it seemed to find home. Mouth opened locked a ball then it failed to fully open on the next hit. Motor is again not moving at all acting like it’s bound up…

I’ve installed the orb mod - it’s very nice with a nice metal sheen on it. The orb doesn’t mount with a nice space between the halves to show off the crystal. I read on here someone had to mess around with the mount - what did you do? The mounting bracket itself there is no way to adjust it - looks like I may need to bend the orb section so that it lines up better?

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I assume you bend it detached from the orb mount? Basically bend the orb on bracket then install it..

Perfect, bending it did the trick. Wanted to check before I started bending things!

On the groot motor issue - the new one stern sent me has totally seized so I'm pretty sure it was a bad unit. I am tempted to buy the one on Pinball Life below so I have a new one while Stern figure out what is going on. Looks like I would have to solder on the harness to this motor as I don't see it in the picture - so remove from the old motor and install on the new one?

https://www.pinballlife.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=511-7926-00

My guardians is still down with the groot motor issue - after some immediate responsiveness from Stern they have gone silent. They had me test the replacement motor they sent and with a 12v battery on the leads it actually works (original motor is definitely dead). They mentioned it could be the board the motor plugs into but awaiting instruction on how to test that or if they are sending me a new board.

In the meantime my modding continues I picked up the topper with illumination from Mezel Mods below. Its quite nice - didn't realize it is two separate metal pieces! For the illumination part I am curious how people placed the light strip on top of the backbox. It says for best effect to put in the middle between the two metal secsion. There is a white plastic cable on the end of the light strip - curious to see how folks are mounting the strip and dealing with that cord?

https://mezelmods.com/collections/guardians-of-the-galaxy-pinball-mods/products/guardians-of-the-galaxy-silhouette-topper

The groot on my Guardians pro is now chewing gum during gameplay

I perform a switch test with the playfield down and it fails every time. If I raise the playfield and set it against the back box it passes every switch test. There doesn’t seem to be any issue with the arms on the micro switches in terms of being out of alignment. When I received the game NIB early in 2023 the groot motor was bad and I replaced it, the motor seems to be working fine. I’m not sure what else to try now?

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