So are you asking if you have to cut out the old lamp sockets to replace the pop bumper?
The answer is yes. PITA isn't it.

You'll have to clip the light sockets out or pull the staples and desolder them from the bottom in order to get the pops completely apart. I would recommend clipping them out and replacing them with new ones, that way you can just solder the new leads onto the old leads. It's a real pain frankly and on FT, probably complicated a bit by the pops being all the way at the bottom of the playfield.

+1 just cut them and put in new. even if you don't have them on hand, don't try to save them.

while your taking them apart make sure to inspect your rings and bodies and replace what is even the slightest bit questionable. Better to do it once while you have them apart now, but the parts are cheap. I know it sucks to be down another few days waiting for parts but such is life.

typically, I don't even mess around and rebuild the entire assembly with new bodies, bases, ring and rods, springs and coils with new coil stops. pinball life has everything you need in stock. I'm just a little obsessive about these things though.

The parts for pop bumpers are quite inexpensive...
I have not decided yet which I hate more, rebuilding pop bumpers or drop targets...they both suck!
But on the flip side when you are done the final product sure does look nice.

I think the drop targets are easy, do not like pop bumpers. Replaced a drop target on LW3 last night.

you can get a complete assembly for 40 bucks from pinball life. that includes everything though... brackets and such. just replacing the sockets, bodies, bases, springs, coil stops, ring and rods is a lot cheaper.

here is the link to the entire replacement assembly (cross check part numbers with your manual)

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1513&parent=0

here is a link to a typical Williams/Bally pop bumper body (cross check part numbers with your manual)

Rod and ring

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=351&parent=0

body

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=330&parent=0

base

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=331&parent=0

sockets

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1513&parent=0

if replacing the coils they should come with the coil sleeve. if your coils are good just replace the sleeves as long as you have them apart, and they are cheap. check your user manaul for the part number pinball life should have them in stock.

Check the position of the skirt finger and the spoon. Should sit right in the middle of the spoon. Test from all sides. It can be a PITA to get it just right.

Anyone know a source for pin2k pop bumper assemblies? One of mine in my RFM is very shot on an otherwise very clean game (skirt is cracked and underside spoon assembly barely registers after lots of tweaking).

Drop targets just plain suck. It took me forever to get motivated on my Flash Gordon because of all those targets. I personally dont mind the pops.

Check the switch on the pop bumper, it needs to be gapped properly.

I need to changed my fishtales skirts too, but it sucks, so I've put it off, then put it off again hahahah..