(Topic ID: 158237)

Hobbit setup, tweaks and adjustments

By pinballinreno

7 years ago


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Post #594 Beast pop-up improvement Posted by pinballinreno (5 years ago)

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#1 7 years ago

I have been tweaking and adjusting my Hobbit™ for a couple weeks now in order to get it to play what I think is perfect or at least pretty good and consistent.

Feel free to chime in and let us know your settings and adjustments you did to make the game "just right".

Any "Mods" that improve game play will also be appreciated here.

Right now I have issues with the left wireform.

Getting the flippers set so that the ball can go up the right ramp from the right flipper and not having so much velocity that the ball flies off the track is tricky. Also a high inertia shot will sometimes fly out of the ramp and hit the back wall.

Some times when the lane change diverter fires, the ball will fall off the track back into play.

The biggest challenge has been getting the ball to drop into the windlance consistently. Mostly it would ride the wall on the left rail and hang on the loop, stuck above the screw there.

When not being stuck the ball would bounce over the end loop and fly over the stop peg and drain the ball.

I have bent the loop in a number of different angles with moderate to low success.

Looking at my wireform from the front it appears that it was at an angle relative the the playfield, down lower towards the wall. This would explain the ball riding the wall to get stuck on the loop.

I carefully bent the left track so that it was level to the playfield and bent the loop up a little. I also widened the loop a little at the bottom by spreading the track a little.

This seems to work a lot better.

I think that the left side of the left wireform needs a little better design. An actual ball stop at the end like the right side of it would make a much more consistent drop into the area.

My game had the flippers set at 22 as the default. They are currently at 24, I might go back to 25.

#3 7 years ago

I checked my playfield angle in 6 areas with my inclinometer and it ranges from 6.5 to 7 degrees.
I had it at 6 to 6.5 degrees but it played slightly slow (just slightly), contrary to nay-sayers out there, the game is anything but slow.

Reminds me of my TZ a little, you have to make the shots! Otherwise your just nowhere and probably drain. I'm beginning to love this game with its challenging to simple modes (gotta love spider bash!).

Left to right I have it pretty level checked it 3 areas from top to bottom with a torpedo level.

Though I like the way it plays at 7 degrees, I might lower it a tiny bit to allow for slightly weaker flippers and more consistent wireform travel, I'm on the fence about this as of now.

#4 7 years ago

In regards to the pop-up mechs rubbing on the wood:

I loosened the nuts on 2 of my mechs and twisted them around as much as possible to get them lined up.
The mechs are a little sloppy and loose internally so what works at level with the playfield in its service position might change a bit at 7 degrees.

They can also be "bent" or even squeezed a tiny bit to get them to just barely miss the wood. All they have to do is not rub at all when at an angle.

If they rub even the slightest amount it causes them to pop up and then go down as though they have been hit with the ball.

#5 7 years ago

I just finished a few games and have a lot of air-balls.

One just flipped over the dwarf drops and into smaugs area to be returned via the subway.

What can be done about air-balls?

#7 7 years ago

Last night I lowered the playfield pitch to 6.8 degrees and am running the flippers at 24 both sides (default was 22 on my game).
WOW what a difference.
The game plays fast and super smooth. No problems on the wireforms after flattening out the left one.
Way fewer air-balls and on a solid ramp shot, the ball slows down a little and stays on track near 100% of the time on both left and right wireforms. No more jumping out of the left loop and always drops into the windlance area.

Still have the occasional ball stuck in the usual right side location as reported by others, as well as the "cradle" on the left at the wireform loop.

A solid thunk on the side of the cabinet usually clears these hangs but its annoying.

Has JJP released a fix for these 2 problematic ball hang areas?

#9 7 years ago

Yes the drops can be loud on some of the modes. There are a lot of coils running in the 3 banks. Especially loud in the mode that runs like a machine gun!

DynaMat would deaden the nose if applied to the walls and bottom of the cab near the drops.
I have some left over from my car project. If I get time this weekend I might throw some in and see if it does anything.

#10 7 years ago

Last night I changed the pitch to 6.5 degrees.

Flippers are set at 24. Higher flipper power results easier ramp shots but balls start flying off the wire-forms and out of the ramps themselves, also get a lot of air-balls.

Game plays better! Not really any slower just smoother and more predictable.

The balls have stopped flying off the wire-forms for the most part.
I can hit either ramp with either flipper from a cradled ball, the ball goes up the ramp at a good pace and slows a bit while going through the wire-forms.

While adjusting the pitch I noticed that the pop-ups are very sensitive to lift/right leveling. If the level is not dead on, one or 2 of them start to rub on the wood.
The device test for the pop-us is pretty good, you can kinda hear if they scrape.
I really like the idea of washers under the mechs to change the angles slightly to stop rubbing. Its a lot easier than removing the mech to rework the holes to allow for more adjustment (although I will probably rework all the holes anyway, I'm just that way I guess).

My playfield is not perfectly flat (this one is bowed upward a little but will probably settle down with all the mech weight on it), none of my games are. I always measure pitch and level in 6 places to get a "happy medium".

Since this game is all about the shots, I think it has to be consistent in the way it functions.

#12 7 years ago

I really think the wire-forms need a redesign or at least more wire added the keep the balls from flying off or losing their way.

Maybe someone at JJP will keep us up to date on this.

I know we spent a lot on these games, but I would pay to fix it correctly if that would help.
I absolutely love the game, but want it as good as it can be.

I hope it doesnt lead to letting the modders fix it...I know they could!
And while I'm whining...My topper????

#15 7 years ago

This is what I think and did:

First off look at the side to side level of your game (I used a torpedo level), If its not level the pop-up mechs will hang at an angle and rub.
If they rub the game will register a failed mech, or a hit and the mech will drop immediately, or become inactive. You will see this in the test menu and get a false alert of a failed switch

These mechs are solidly built! You cant just bend them like the winkie target on the WOZ.

Check the pop-ups in the device test. I love this test as you can hear them scraping audibly.
If they scrape still after leveling, loosen the mech mounting screws of the one that rubs, and insert a thin stainless washer under a corner or 2 to angle it away from rubbing.

The mechs dont need huge clearance from the wood, 1/64th" or less (thickness of typing paper) is enough, just so they dont rub.

Or if you want to do some real work (not for the novice!), remove the rubbing mechs, elongate the mounting holes, and when you reinstall them adjust to get them perfect. Just make sure you have tweezers/hemostat(roach clip?) and a magnetic pick-up on the lid springs as they can go flying and get lost.

I dont think this is a design flaw, you want the mechs to be very close fitting so a ball doesnt hang in the slot around the mech when its open.

But since the mechs are hanging loosely in their housings (weldments?), to make for 6 way activation, they can rub.

I hope some of this helps.

Others, please chime in if you have a better/different approach please

2 months later
#16 7 years ago

I raised my pf pitch to 6.9 degrees and its about perfect for me.
left flipper set at 27 right at 28.

I also installed the 1/2 CTO gel in about a 4" strip over the lleds in the backbox to make the backglass more match the video display.

Still waiting for the new left wireform that fixes the ball hang before the loop, but my bends and tweaks have made the game playable enough for now.

the last annoyance is the ball spinning out of the inlanes and draining from the wireforms.

#17 7 years ago

I think I have solved the ball spin-out problem when it drops down thru the wireform loops. It actually happens on both the left and (mostly) the right. I have still had this happen even though I put a rubber on the wire guide.
I was watching the ball carefully (no beer in me at all) while it dropped out of the loop.
The ball doesnt always spin out of the lane, defying gravity all the way into the golum lane and drain, every time. Only once in awhile and at the worst possible time. A fast running ball can have a huge spin on it.
If everything goes well, on a regular shot, the ball rolls down the wireform and rolls down the loop, bounces a little and then goes down the lane.
However if the ball rapidly circumscribes the ring before dropping, this puts a spin/rotation on the ball that makes it roll up and out of the lane.
My wireform "double" loops were not parallell to the PF. In fact they were hanging a bit low in the downhill side by about 3 degrees.
This angle made it easier for the ball to spin out of the lane as it was more in line the the balls rotation.
In order to counter the spin on the ball one must convert it to a lateral spin instead of an uphill spin, you have to bend the loop up a bit.
The goal is to have the "double" loop bent upward on the downhill side in relation to the PF angle.
The problem was how to do it easily without applying too much pressure on the form and ripping out any mounting screws, as you have to bend it at least 1/4"to 5/16" especially if the bend was negative (like mine) when you started.
I ended up hooking a 3/8 (or bigger) nut driver inside the lower "double" loop with the handle over the wireform side, pressing carefully until the nut driver handle was basically resting in upper part of the wireform itself. The bending of the double loop didnt break the welds or harm it as far as I can see, as I was being careful.
I actually did this on both the left and the right sides.
The upper single loop can also be bent up so that it matches cosmetically but its not really neccessary. (I just wedged a big screwdriver in and bent it up a bit so it looked level).
Kpg has mentioned in this thread that you can put a rubber on the wireguide in the lane. This actually works as it will brake the spin of the ball when it hits it, but for me it blocks the lane a bit, and its hard to get a tiny rubber that fits properly.
If the loop is bent up enough the problem is solved forever, as the ball spin will be lateral now instead of uphill.
I hope this helps anyone else with this problem. As always your milage may vary, its pinball.

#18 7 years ago

Now Im waiting for the fix of plastic blocks to fill the mechs so that the ball will stop being gulped by the trapdoors, or whatever else they come up with.

So my game is getting more bullet-proof every day, Im very happy with it.

1 week later
#29 7 years ago

Last night I increased the power of the lower slings by 2 from the factory settings on my game, and the upper sling by 1.
This has made a huge difference in game play.

#32 7 years ago
Quoted from cscmtp:

Okay so my Smaug just arrived! However the doorway to my theater room, even with the door taken off (which I just did) is too small to fit the box through. Am I going to have any problems moving this into the next room without the box? I have a set of pinball skates but I'm guessing they won't fit a widebody...anyone have any suggestions? Maybe cut away the sides of the box but leave the bottom piece on or something?

Take the box off, slide the game off the pallet, hand truck it into the room or put sliders under it, if the floor will allow it.

I cant get any games into my house through the 36" wide front door without unboxing in my garage first.

#35 7 years ago
Quoted from cscmtp:

I just wanted to make sure the bottom wouldn't get jacked up if I slid it. Kept the bottom of the box only (cut off the rest) and it slid in fine.

Keep us posted! Hopefully you got the new left wireform at least.

#37 7 years ago
Quoted from markmon:

I cranked my lower sling power to max.

Im still at a 7 degree pitch, I will try going up a couple notches on the sling power and see how it plays.

#39 7 years ago
Quoted from cscmtp:

does anyone have a picture of what the leg will look like at the recommended 6.5 or 7 degree pitch?

Front levelers with nut on it screwed almost all the way down.
Rear levelers about half the way up. Leg bottom is maybe 1 1/4 to 1 5/8" off the floor.
Download a level app to your phone, try a few of them.

Set the game for slightly less than 7 degrees (6.9+). You can raise it later if you want. I know some of us are at 7.5, I had it that way but it doesnt play correctly in all modes for me.

You should be able to make both ramps from each flipper from a cradled position, this is important, adjust flipper power as needed.

check your horizontal level, it should be as level as you can get it.
Play the game and adjust in a couple days. The game is made of wood, it will settle a tiny bit.

This is a good place to start.

#46 7 years ago
Quoted from cscmtp:

After about 30 games, my ball has gotten caught where it is supposed to drop, to the left of Smaug and under that green building. Anyone else seeing this? Any fixes for it? Also can I assume the book should always be on? Seems mine is going out on a frequent basis.

The ball should not stop in the green building.
The book is always on.

You have a loose connection or 2.
Look for broken, poorly soldered wires.
Go over all the affected areas and look for a loose wire or weak plug-in.

Start un-plugging and re-seating connectors under the PF, check the USB/video cable to the book at the computer and at the book.

Lloyd may have some insight into this, I think I have heard about this before.

#50 7 years ago
Quoted from cscmtp:

I know its not loose on the back of the book, but where does it plug into? Do i have to take the silver cover off the box below the playfield?

Gently trace the wire back to the big silver box. Open the box and check for anything loose, or just re-seat everything to freshen up contacts.
Shipping a game does amazing weird things to wiring and connectors.

#56 7 years ago
Quoted from cscmtp:

You are correct, but I could see where the VGA plugs in and it was tight. And i followed the black/yellow bound wires and I think those looked okay too. Could this be something inside the small monitor/book?

It could be something with the power supply.
I think you are going to have to contact LLoyd on this one. PM him and definitely get some better support.

2 weeks later
#58 7 years ago

I have the music down a little, the voices up a little and the effects down a bit.
Also I like to use headphones on all my pins. It helps me focus and sounds pretty good. I found sennheiser 202 headphones on sale on Amazon for around $20. They could use more bass but sound pretty good for the $20.

#59 7 years ago

I just finished some maintenance on my TH at 600 plays:

Checked all screws. The drops really pound, I had already glued in the screws for these but they are holding perfectly.
After the initial tightening everything seems to holding really well.

The spider character head was loose. The screws has backed out about half way. I didn't have to remove the mech and disassemble for this. A tiny 5" channel lock pliers worked reasonably well to secure the screws. Ignition wrenches might also have worked.

I had to re-adjust the Warg and Spider leaf switches. Multiple ball traps had bent the poor Warg switch at an angle. Same with the Orc. Very easy to do with a leaf switch adjustment tool (if you dont have one, get one), very difficult with screwdriver or needle-nose pliers.

The spider mech had began binding in its track. It would take 2 tries for it to raise up. The warg was also binding just slightly, it was raising slower than the others.

On examination the back wall of the black carrier had bent forward about 1/32", probably from repeated ball strikes.
It was easy to raise the mech into its upper position by putting a 1/2" nut driver across the main post in the metal cage underneath.
While raised I firmly pushed it back into position towards the back of the PF. It works perfectly now.

The windlance auto-plunge started hitting the lower black bumper of the right hole regardless of the power setting.
This was leading to unnecessary ball drains SDTM.
The ball is supposed to go up the right side towards the pops and then roll out to make the dwarf target shots.

This is particularly annoying as you need this to work in the flashback mode or to kill Smaug (sorta).

The fix is to look at the ball guide exit above the windlance and carefully bend it to aim for the correct spot.
Again pretty easy to do, just wedge a screwdriver between the wall of the guide and the last mounting screw head.

This can take several attempts to get it right. Slight adjustments make huge differences while also adjusting the power if needed.
After 6 attempts it works better than ever.

I loosened the main ramp yet again to bend down the ramp flaps due to curling (they are now curling in 2 directions and make a little smile curve as well as being raised up). My hope is that the fix for this is more aggressive spring steel flaps, a PITA to fix but I think its necessary.

I did a quick wax job with P21S, changed out a couple frayed looking rubbers.

I also raised the PF pitch to 7.1 degrees (was 6.9), it plays a little faster but not out of control.

I was looking at the bumper post between the flippers and was curious as to why I get less bounce off of it than my WOZ. White rubber is supposed to be bouncier? Mine looks like silicone rubber as it has a odd sheen to it compared to latex. I replaced it with a black one like on my WOZ, I'll have to see if its an improvement.

Lastly I bent back the ball guide on the lower side of the left hole. I didnt like the way it protruded off the black sleeve near it.
I think it may scar the balls a bit if it isnt buried in the rubbber, or at least firmly against the rubber sleeve. I will have to see if it makes for a better shot to that hole or not.

1 week later
#62 7 years ago
Quoted from Jcamm:

Got my Hobbit last week had a few things that needed adjustment. One thing I'm trying to figure out and if anyone else is having the same issue is on a hard shot to the lock for Smaug MB the magnet does not always catch the ball and smashes into the gold pile in front. Anyway to increase the power to that magnet?

Yes for some reason, possibly code related, the ball does not stop at the magnet during some of the locks.
This is normal for the moment, there is no adjustment for it.

#63 7 years ago
Quoted from pinballinreno:

I also raised the PF pitch to 7.1 degrees (was 6.9), it plays a little faster but not out of control.

The backhand to the hole shots is much more difficult at higher pitch levels.
Shooting for the pops is way less risky. If the ball exits the pops from the center it now feeds the right flipper instead of SDTM.
The game over all plays better and feels more in control, less floaty on bad anemic shots.

3 weeks later
#86 7 years ago
Quoted from Jeekayjay:

Hope these help.

Those are the added upper mylars for the character mechs. I highly recommend calling and getting them when you order your ramp flap fix and character ball hang kit.
When you have them on the phone its good to order a complete rubber kit. The marco ones are just stupid and missing most of the rubber for the same price.

#91 7 years ago
Quoted from Skyemont:

Who has gotten these from JJP?

I have them.
I will probably install them this wednesday.
Also I will probably sand them a little thinner to allow for a little more room for the character heads to wobble.

Some people have reported heads scraping a little but the install may have been just slightly off towards the character heads.

The clearance is pretty good but a little tight by maybe 3/64". Just make sure its a tight fit to the edge of the mech.
And glue in the screws, maybe pre drill the holes for better placement.
I will have more info when I install mine this week.

#95 7 years ago
Quoted from Jeekayjay:

Interesting, those look different than the ones that came pre installed

That picture is from the aftermarket ones that were available before JJP finished theirs.

#101 7 years ago
Quoted from Goronic:

By the way...the beast insert don't completely stop the stuck ball issue - just helps reduce it.

That is absolutely true.
However now that the balls cant be sucked down so deeply into the mech, the ball search will clear them effectively when it happens.
This is especially important on the routed games.
Also when a ball is stuck during multiball the multiball goes on forever giving millions of points that were not earned.

#103 7 years ago
Quoted from Goronic:

Yeap...if you are in a multi ball you are screwed....and if you are in a mode you will likely run out of time.
Not sure if there is a way to resolve it completely - just part of deal with pop ups I guess. I don't have a MM - but does this happen on MM?

It does happen on MM. But it seems less frequent I think because of only 2 mechs and they are not used that much.
I have had it happen a few times and the same problem, you have to remove the glass and dig them out.

#104 7 years ago

I just finished installing the character ball trap fix:

firstly, I have to apologize to whoever made the detailed instruction sheet, I didnt use it.

installation took 8 mins:

lean pf against backbox with power off.

go find drill gun plus either a 12" magnetic extension for a 1/4" magnetic hex bit, or 3 regular 3" x 1/4" magnetic extensions stuck together plus a 1/4" magnetic hex bit (this is what I used to get a little flex out of the extension).

push one of the mechs thru the PF about 2".

put a dab of titebond on a screw and put it into the tool bit. place loaded gun on top of metal computer box.

wiggle the plastic insert from JJP around a bit in the front space of the mech until is right. Raising and lowering the mech helps to position it or push it in. angled ledge toward the pf edge, rounded gap toward the character head.

from the outside, reach in with a finger and press the insert firmly towards the edge. this is important, FIRMLY ON THE EDGE, no visible gaps seen from the other side.

grab your pre loaded gun and carefully mount the screws without stripping them out. there is plenty of room for the tool bit just push it in to the side of the wires.

do this 4 times.

I started with the spider mech it seemed the easiest.

it was super easy. works surprisingly well.

go into test check the up and down motion of the mechs

start a game check each mech and mech switch with a ball.
make any adjustments at this time.

#109 7 years ago
Quoted from ikrananka:

I installed mine yesterday. I decided to follow the JJP instructions and remove each beast mech. It was surprisingly easy to do - no lost screws or anything but it did take me a couple of hours. I had previously found a loose screw in one of the beast mechs and so removing them allowed me to give them a thorough inspection. I also appreciated the extra access removing the mechs gave me for installing the inserts.
Only issue I had was with the Spider insert. The Spider's legs that protrude at the front were rubbing on the insert so I used a dremmel on the insert and carved out a shallow area so that the spider's legs no longer touched it. Worked a treat.
What's funny is that the day after installing the inserts a ball got stuck in the Goblin. I know this can still happen, even with the inserts, but I found it ironic that it happened so soon after installing them.

Removing the mechs completely is smart especially if you have a lot of plays on the game.
This gives you the opportunity to tighten the character heads and/or apply blue loctite to the mounting screws as they can come loose in play.
Also inspect the leaf switch guide, Its a clear plastic u-channel to keep the switch vertical during sideways hits.
Some people have reported that this is cracked or broken.

I had just removed all my mechs for inspection and didnt feel like doing it again, so I found an alternative method that worked for me.

Next on my agenda is to remove the ramp and replace the flaps with the upgraded ones.

1 week later
#119 7 years ago
Quoted from John1210:

I've asked this on other threads to but is there a ramp flap fix and how do I go about getting it? Is there a simple repair I can do

There is no simple repair but with patience most people wont have too much trouble installing it.

There is a fix/upgrade however, and you can get it for free + shipping

It involves:

2 new spring steel ramp flaps
5 pop rivets (in case you dont have a tubular rivet squeezer or press)
5 backing washers
5 regular 1/8" x 5/32" nickle plated brass tubular rivets.
1 set of instructions

You will have to completely remove the ramp for a proper removal and installation of the kit.
Take pictures of each step you did, for re installation later

Also if you dont have the upper mylars for the character mechs you can order those for free as well. These are important to install.

open a support ticket here:
http://support.jerseyjackpinball.com:8081/helpdesk/WebObjects/Helpdesk.woa

Or call support:

732-364-9900 Ext 222

talk to Frank or Vic

#121 7 years ago
Quoted from chriskuta:

Great thread... I received my update kit and thankfully I already have the newer left wireform, so that's one update done. (had to be the easiest one didn't it). The springs. I'm going to wait until the 1st one goes and I'll do them all. The mechs (beasts) insert seems like a decent job? I've had a few games with the ball getting trapped already.
One thing that I haven't seen mentioned here is the wire guides (see attach photo). I've not seen these on a pin before (although I'm new to pins) so they might be more common than I realise? Won't this pit the balls after a while running down and bouncing of these steel rails? The hobbit LE does seem to use lots of steel on the playfield.. I've thought about trying to put some spiral wire wrap around these rails and see hopefully it doesn't increases bounce too much.. not that I am concerned cause balls are cheap I suppose.
I've also noticed the two ramp flaps have started to lift up at the front, I've put some thick clear tape over them to help keep them flat but that won't last long. How does the fix mentioned above solve this problem?

The wire guides are not too much of a problem just replace the balls every 500-1000 plays most modern games have them.

The ramp flap upgrade will solve the curling problem. Order one as listed above.

#125 7 years ago
Quoted from John1210:

My goblin character mech is not dropping properly after being hit. Any ideas? He just inches his way back into place mainly from vibration.

When the mechs pause while dropping or drop very slowly its possibly a loose wire interfering with the movement or a bent backplate in the mech.

The backplate is the rear part of the black metal assembly that slides up and down within the lower part under the playfield (silver part of the assembly).

In a lot of cases it is bent slightly forward (towards the front of the game), on a NIB game I think it might happen in shipping.
Its made of a fairly soft steel and can be bent back into shape.

With the game turned off and the playfield pulled out to its furthest maintenance position, raise and lower the mech that is binding.
You will find that it feels like its rubbing slightly inside the channel.

Manually raise the mech.
Grasp the black metal part of the mech while its pulled out, dont cut your self on the trap door as they are sharp (maybe put a rag over it), carefully push it backwards 1/32" at a time until it frees up, or pull it forwards depending on how its binding.

Test it in device tests to make sure it works properly, re-adjust as necessary.

The mechs can get slightly bent forwards over time by the balls hammering the rear of the mech also.

#127 7 years ago
Quoted from John1210:

Thanks for that much appreciated. Ive pushed the mech foward and its smoother now. Still seems like its rubbing or binding but he drops ok now.

You might have to fiddle with it a little to get it just right.

Try pushing it a tiny bit more. If its better then its all good, if its worse bend it back.
You will know when its exactly right, as it will drop like a rock with no binding at all.

2 weeks later
#141 7 years ago
Quoted from Metalzoic:

Is that normal?
I have 800+ plays on my Hobbit (have had none of the ramp/flaps/beasts/drops issues in this thread) and the balls still look like new. Should they be replaced anyway or just when they obviously need it?

If its obvious that the balls need to be changed, its way too late.
I think the idea, since pinballs are cheap, is to keep them new to avoid wear on the PF.
If you use a microscope you will see all sorts of dents and rough spots on a pinball after 500 plays.
If you can, wax the pinballs with 100% carnauba, when you clean the game. It puts a temporary coating on the balls and can make them more smooth.

#142 7 years ago
Quoted from goldant:

Does anyone else's kickback sometimes fire so weakly it barely makes it past the left slingshot when used at full strength? It is fine if an actual kickback is occurring, but if the ball is stopped and the power meter appears on the screen it is totally weak 80% of the time even at full power. Other times, full power will get the ball to go straight into the right outlane instead of up towards the man targets.

The kickback has a randomizer in the code to make it harder or easier to make the upper right flipper.
You can make it easier in the settings.
The strength is also stronger or weaker depending on how many switches are hit to load the windlance.

#151 7 years ago
Quoted from metahugh:

Which switches?

I believe the switches behind the drop targets. Or ramps?

Quoted from goldant:

Or to tell how built up the windlance is?

I think that the load windlance insert is either flashing or off?
If you set the windlance to easy it shoots more predictably or fewer switch hits to fully charge it.
Its an ancient weapon prone to failure and inaccuracy
You have to crank it up to get full power.
A fairly accurate representation of what we see in the films and story line.

#153 7 years ago
Quoted from Pinzap:

I realize this thread (and others) are just the worst of an otherwise great game.

This is not a complaint thread, its mostly about fine adjustments of an incredible game.

This thread is all about what myself and other early adopters have figured out to get this game to where it stands now, with the help of the incredibly responsive team at JJP.

All games need tweaking and proper set up, from all manufacturers, in order to play their best.

I hope you get your game soon and am glad you have found this thread to get the most out of your game!

#160 7 years ago
Quoted from konghusker:

Anybody else have to constantly adjust the warg switch? Mine is just so difficult to register. I'll adjust it and it works better for a while and then becomes difficult after a few days. Any suggestions?

The Warg character head is more problematic than the others due to its weight and depth. It wobbles a lot more after being actuated giving false hits.

Generally to counter this, its leaf switch demands a larger gap. Therefore requiring a more solid hit to register it.
I have found that twisting the head slightly to the left or right depending on clearances of the new filler piece.
This gives you a stiffer leaf with less wobble and you can gap it closer.
Its not perfect and still wont allow a ball backstab but is much better play-wise.

I have mine twisted about 3 degrees from center to the left, just missing the filler piece.

For the Warg Im using the ring button once in awhile to attempt the backstab if I cant hit it.

Please report back if this helps, it worked for me.

#161 7 years ago
Quoted from PanzerFreak:

That has to be it as I have not seen any tilt warnings before. Does this mean that a connection to yhe tilt bob could possibly be bad?

There is an adjustment in the new code regarding the tilt.
Manually actuate the tilt in test mode it should clear the error, if not check the connection.
If any switch isnt hit in X amount of games the code will flag it, sensing it as bad.

As an example:
I would periodically get an error in the rear subway entrance before the new code started using it to add mode balls.

#167 7 years ago
Quoted from goldant:

I'm impressed with the windlance knowledge, anyone know definitively how the backstab feature works? I press the button and it doesn't seem like anything ever happens.

If you activate a beast you have 2 options either hit it to drop it or attempt a backstab with the ring button.
The key word here is attempt.

If you try it often enough you will see that it actually works more often than not.
I think its more effective if the ring is fully charged.

Its especially helpful if you are trying to hit that last beast like the Warg, and dont make it, to start beast frenzy multiball.

Be careful though as the ring will have to be recharged after its use.

Hit switches to recharge the ring.

#169 7 years ago
Quoted from konghusker:

Thanks pinballinreno. I closed the leaf switches closer and its working better. I'll try your idea to.
Im now having issues with the right spinner. Seems like the metal bracket is such a soft metal, it may be getting bent during gameplay and the ball doesn't hit spinner properly. I've bent it back as good as I can, but spinner still doesn't sit in upright position when still. Curious if anyone was this issue. Left spinner is perfect and always returns to upright position.

Pull the spinner bracket off the game and inspect it and the switch along with the wires thoroughly. Something is either bent out of spec or installed incorrectly. (check the manual for some insight)
Spinners are an action part and take a lot of abuse, they can also benefit from a tiny drop of dry lube on the wires.
Its posible that its a badly formed part.
Call Frank at JJP and ask for a replacement if it continues to give you trouble.

#174 7 years ago
Quoted from Skyemont:

Anyone having issues with the ramp flaps. Mine are curling up so bad, the ball is getting stuck.

Its super easy to replace ramp flaps, it will only take about 15 mins:

removal:

replacement:

I use the Hanson rivet tool # HT-174 it works with all pinball rivets on all of the games I have worked on:

http://www.erivet.com/storefront_product_detail.cfm?itemnbr=HT-174

Removing the ramp is not too terrible and takes about 20 mins.

Call Frank at JJP the flap upgrade kit is free. While you have him on the line also order a few rubbers for the center post and maybe a complete rubber kit.

Also if you havent already, get the left ramp fix and spare springs for the drop targets, they are also free.

In the mean time loosen the small black screws in the front of the ramps and any other screws holding it down, slide a pencil or a 3/16" dowel under the flap from the side and bend it back down.

#176 7 years ago
Quoted from Skyemont:

Thanks guys. It's just about unplayable.

My left ramp was so bent it started rejecting the ball.
I had bent it down so may times that it had started to crack.
Just as I was shopping for thicker more aggressive material JJP had announced a free ramp flap replacement!

Talk about service...JJP is second to NONE in this pinball industry!

2 weeks later
#203 7 years ago
Quoted from Rarehero:

Cool - I think I just found a sweetspot that's strong enough...just had a pretty long game (got to Into the Fire and Barrel Escape) and didn't have any balls fly off the right wireform.

Playfield pitch and flipper strength adjustments go hand n hand.
As you have found there is a sweet spot where everything just falls into place.

My game seems to like 7.1 degrees and the right flipper strength set one increment above the left.
I plays fast, error free and consistent game after game.

The only thing that makes it wild is the few games after a fresh wax with P21S, but it settles down quickly enough without any further adjustment.

#207 7 years ago
Quoted from Goronic:

I have been doing great with the hobbit over the last 5 months (since getting it). However, on 3 occasions during a game some of the lights will 'lock' in - and it appears to be different lights on the playfield. The game keeps playing but the lights don't go back to normal. Even when launching a new ball (or starting a new game). However, if I reboot the machine it is back to normal. This started happening last week and did it twice last night. Any thoughts?
Could it be a grounding wire that has came loose?

If its locking up it could be low wall power, loose ram modules, or a bad or corrupt software load.
Maybe replace the ram or maybe try re-arranging the ram and possibly re-install the software iso plus delta updates, after backing up your settings of course.

Unstable ram and bad SSD drives produce odd intermittent lock-ups.

And yes unstable power and grounding issues of course, but not on the top of my list for now.

#214 7 years ago
Quoted from wolv3:

I just unboxed my hobbit and I've been trying to iron out the kinks on this machine I had an issue with the ball not going into the hole above Smaug and found this plastic piece covering the hole(see attached pic). It looks like the metal tab broke off from wherever it was supposed to be. Also that start button is stuck when you try to push it in. It looks like the lock bar may need to be adjusted up as the playfield sits too low and is resting on the switch. What are your thoughts?

It looks like you have some minor shipping damage.
Immediately call Frank and get the replacement parts ordered. He will also guide you on adjustments if you need help.
If the game was dropped even slightly, you will see similar damage.
Fortunately for you it looks fairly minor.
Check everywhere for cracks or loose seams in the cabinet.
Make sure that everything operates smoothly with no binding e.g. character mechs, smaug head etc.
Report everything you see.

#220 7 years ago
Quoted from pinlosopher:

Also, I noticed that my right spinner has stopped registering, or at least isn't making the moving to erebor sound anymore. Why would that be?
Has anyone done anything to warm up the color of the LEDs in the backglass?
And where do we get cliffys/should I get them?

1-Check and adjust the spinner switch:

Check for loose or broken off wire, adjust contact arm.

2-Get a some 1/2 CTO gel film to cover the backglass LED strip, install it with gorilla tape:

https://www.amazon.com/CTO-Sheet-Color-Temperature-Orange/dp/B0089JKIH4

3-Get cliffys here:

http://cliffysprotectors.com/index.php?main_page=products_all

#223 7 years ago
Quoted from bonanza:

Hobbit setup. Just got my Smaug 314, build date 8/15/16 set up. Just a reminder to snip the zip ties under the play field that hold the beast mechanics. I didn't see that in the instructions (or I missed it).
It seems to have the updated left wire form, 360 beast mylar, ball blockers under the the beasts, and I think it has the updated ramp but I don't know what the old ones looked like.
It is very very heavy. Get some friends to help you get it into the house. An appliance hand cart helps a lot (took it out of box and strapped it to that) they have them at harbor freight for $90
Set it up to 6.9 using pin guy ipad app (front legs all they way down with lock nut between the foot and the leg. back legs have 21-22 mm (13 or 14/16 of an inch) of the bolt sticking out of the nut that is welded to the leg)
Came with 1.31 - Installed 1.9 delta software. The folder "hobbit update" must be in the root directory of USB drive or it doesn't work
Found the ball flying off left ramp onto the wind-lace ramp
Found the ball flying off the right ramp around the barrel bumpers and onto playfield
All settings stock except:
Changed flipper strengths from default 20 to 18
Changed slings from default 22 to 20
Changed sound master volume from 29 to 20
There are still occasional times where the ball jumps the wire forms but not as much.
What are others finding for flipper strength settings?
Volume is better for my room.
What other settings are people changing?
I love this game.

Mods so far:
Sword Shooter rod (easy maybe 10 minutes)
Laserific green plastic protectors (easy maybe 10 minutes to install)

Brand new games are very fast.
It will tame down at 50 to 100 plays, just keep tweaking settings slightly until you get the perfect balance.
Balls will stay on the wireforms.
Wax it with P21S (silver can) to protect the new finish, this is important!

After a good waxing balls go everywhere for a few games, this is normal, no adjustment is needed really.
My game after 1500 plays goes nuts after waxing for about 10 games, as it is still like new.

#227 7 years ago
Quoted from Jeekayjay:

I have the same question

When I had it out, I just cleaned it with Mist N shine and some sparkle.

#237 7 years ago
Quoted from pinlosopher:

Dumb question - how do you adjust a contact arm?

Leaf switches, actuators and the various flat metal "arms" that attach to micro switches are adjusted by careful bending.

#260 7 years ago
Quoted from finman2000:

I tried to reapply the diffuser under the ramp, but I can't figure out a way to accomplish this without taking the ramp off. Thoughts?

Take the ramp off, sorry. Its the only way to do a good job.

#270 7 years ago
Quoted from CafeOne:

Maybe I'm over looking something obvious, but I can't adjust when a replay is awarded based on points. I have my Hobbit at our restaurant and the thing just shells out free game after free game , for the folks that are semi decent at it. I would like to be able to adjust when the first replay is issued and it can be dynamic from that point , but the 310,000 or so is too low to start ... I feel this is a critical fix for ops, unless I'm overlooking something.

Change the awards from auto to manual then you can adjust them and also change the awards score values.
Also change replay to extra ball or even ticket if you have the dispeser.

1 week later
#316 7 years ago
Quoted from wolv3:

It's there a way to disable the left slingshot in the menus?

For what purpose?
You can make it weaker in the settings if you want.

If your serious, I imagine you can bend the contacts way back so that it doesnt fire.

I have all my slings cranked way up, it makes for exciting game play.

1 week later
#321 7 years ago
Quoted from Metalzoic:

so JJP Support sent me a new sound board and cable (quick help through the support portal by Victor!), but after switching them out I still have the exact same speaker static/crackle. So far nothing has worked Switched out both sets of RCA's, switched out the 3.5 cables, cleaned all cables, switched out the board itself and nothing made a difference.
ltg or anyone else have any ideas at all on anything I can try? I've spent hours looking under the PF for anything loose or disconnected and have never found anything. It's driving me crazy.

Have you examined the wires or contacts to the speakers themselves?

#326 7 years ago
Quoted from LTG:

Shooter lane switch stuck down, or dragging on the sides of the hole in the playfield it travels through, or not staying closed when a ball is sitting on it.
LTG : )

Ball bouncing around too much after launch?
Trough kicker too strong?
PF pitch too shallow?
Shooter lane switch wire too high and ball rolls of it?

(just some random thoughts...)

#331 7 years ago
Quoted from Metalzoic:

and also a Slim-Jim with the sheet wrapped around it

Mmmmmm Slim-Jims...

http://www.slimjim.com/

#341 7 years ago
Quoted from Nappis:

Are there any instruction how to remove main ramp properly? Quite hard to wax without removing it.

For an intitial complete wax job a lot of stuff would have to be removed for the best result.
But, really one could get away with waxing only the areas that the balls roll on most frequently.

If dust is an issue, from the wax, you can vacuum it off or use a wax that has less dust like P21S (silver can).

#345 7 years ago
Quoted from Nappis:

Thanks a lot! Are the worse ramp flaps totally clear? Here is mine. Are these the better ones? Just few games so hard to say anything about curling.

You have the better upgraded flaps on your game.

#372 7 years ago
Quoted from Skyemont:

I'm about to do a shop job on my hobbit. I just noticed this for the first time sense April of this year. Anyone else notice this on their Hobbit? How would Jack handle this issue??? The side part of the cabinet is higher than the front piece.

It looks like it needs to be realigned and glued. Possibly happend in shipping, or it was never glued from the factory.
Its not a terrible fix but I would seek guidance from JJP.

#418 7 years ago
Quoted from Skyemont:

PROBLEM: When playing the Hobbit even after installing the new post w/ the rubber on the diverter ramp. It will hit the rubber and fly off and go into the in lane or jump right over the out lane plastic. BALL LOST. What the hell...

Yes the wireform needs tweaking.

If the ball is going a little fast, lower the pitch to 6.9. I needed to make some major tweaks to the left wireform, as it was unplayable on the initial setup.
Using a pair of crescent wrenches and a rag to avoid too much scuffing.
Bend the wireform as needed.

Starting a good 10 inches up from the end, just below where the track curves towards the wall and becomes straight again.
I bent the whole length of track at a slight angle towards the wall and kept the upper part to be mostly flat.
I spent a good 30 mins messing with it to get just the right bend based on a playfield pitch of 7 degrees.

So, in essence warp the wireform to suit your needs. It doesnt even have to be be removed from the game, but flat or angled down towards the center of the playfield doesnt work at all.

Currently the lower part of my wireform has a slight 6 degree tilt towards the wall, this keeps fast moving balls on track.
Bending it a lot or too much can make the ball ride the wall and hang on the wire loop area.
I also added the little post that JJP sent out.

I also bent the end loop up about 1/4" up as the ball would climb up the wire and go over the plastic and drain, really annoying. This also got better after the bending of the lower section.

I have it perfect now and havent had a ball come off in 1000 games.

All it took was a little patience and a couple bends.

#419 7 years ago
Quoted from crwjumper:

Minor bending of the ramp/post should solve this. If not, JJP sells the ramp with the extra wire for those who got early machines.

I have the new improved wireform, but it isnt in my game as I fixed my existing one by bending it a bit.
Since it doesnt have an inner rail to keep the ball on track, balls will also fly off it unless its bent up and angled into the wall a bit.
All they did on the new wireform is add an outer rail to keep the ball from hanging on the end loop.

I was very frustrated with this issue until I got the track and the end loops bent right.

Ball spin out on the double loops was also an issue untill I bent them up about 5/16".

#424 7 years ago
Quoted from koops:

thewool
If you have an iphone could you install an app called Spectrumview (https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/spectrumview/id472662922?mt=8) and do a screen shot of what it looks like. Try and get the screenshot of before the machine turns on and after. And also with the ground loop isolator installed.
This would be an excellent resource for other users. They just compare and see if it is a similar frequency.
Example.
Large vertical line is the boot noise.

Long horizontal line is the fan noise.

If there was a high pitched noise i'd expect to see another higher line right across the screen.

From what I understand this may well be the case:

"Noise problems in audio amplifiers are usually caused by not using a seperate ground returns to a single point which result in voltages across ground tracks due to the resistance of the tracks. This unwanted voltage is usually amplified by the inputs of the amplifier and results in interefence." (from A/V web)

In this case the ground loop isolator should do the trick as noted.

https://www.amazon.com/PAC-SNI-1-3-5-3-5-mm-Isolator/dp/B001EAQTRI

#433 7 years ago
Quoted from TomDK:

Any tweak here for the left autoplunger ?
Sometimes it misses the ball completely, sometimes it brings back the ball with less power. Also hitting the 3 right targets with
the button from the autoplunger ... sometimes harder, sometimes softer.
i checked the coil, plunger, mechanismen and the corresponding switch .. all looks okay.
Cheers
Tom

Is the plunger hitting the ball somewhere near the center of the ball?
Is the shooter lane switch centered and not bent sideways or too high? It can throw off the way the ball sits in the lane.

#436 7 years ago
Quoted from Pinballomatic:

I thought he was talking about the windlance/kickback?

Your right! I misread that totally.

#437 7 years ago
Quoted from rubberfist:

Anyone have issues with their plunger? Brand new Smaug and shortly after setup the manual launcher barely gets the ball out of the trough. Is there a way to adjust this?

Check or stretch the spring.
Also make sure the plunger is centered on the ball, horizontilly and vertically.
Pull off the e-cilp on the shooter rod, pull it apart and put a little dry-lube on the shooter rod.
Check if its binding on anything or bent from shipping.

Check the playfield front hanger brackets, they should not be bent out at all. (sometimes they get bent from shipping)
Make sure the playfield is setting down where it should be, post pictures if you have any questions.

#442 7 years ago
Quoted from rubberfist:

Any idea on what the tech did? It appears that the washer between the rubber tip of the shooter rod and the spring is hitting the auto plunger mechanism. Either the rod needs to be a bit lower, the auto plunger needs to be rotated forward, or playfield needs to be elevated a bit.
However I cannot see a means of adjusting the positioning of any of these elements.
Any help is appreciated.

can you post a picture of the front playfield support hangers and the plunger area.
If they are bent out, the playfield will be in the wrong position relative to the cabinet.

#456 7 years ago
Quoted from Phbooms:

good idea! now where to find a yellow transparent film thats over a foot long?

1/2 cto gel is what you want:

https://www.amazon.com/CTO-Sheet-Color-Temperature-Orange/dp/B0089JKIH4/ref=sr_1_3

#458 7 years ago
Quoted from PinMonk:

Fro $10 shipped? Probably better just to get the right color LED strip at that price...

Im absolutely sure you can get 1/2 CTO gel sheets from any lighting or art supply place local to you for a low price if you shop around.
Amazon is just for ease of purchase without calling around for me mostly.

If you do get the 1/2 CTO gel just tape it on with a few small pieces of goriila tape equally spaced, the 1" roll. It seems to hold forever.

#461 7 years ago
Quoted from marspinball:

I really cannot backhand either ramp when cradling the ball with the flipper. I believe my game is at about 6.7 degrees. I have not changed the flipper power. Should I be able to backhand at the factory defaults with my pitch?? Is there a flipper factory default setting??

Use a level app on your phone to set the playfield (not the glass) to 6.9 degrees.
Adjust the flipper power:
left flipper = 27
right flipper = 28

If the game is very new and slippery you might lower the flipper powers by 1 until you can backhand to the ramps and keep the ball on the wireforms.
The ball does not have to travel quickly after it reaches the top of the ramp, in fact it should slow a bit then continue down the wireforms.

As the game breaks in and the ball slows a bit, up the flipper power until it plays correctly.

Also after waxing the game you might notice that the ball will fly off the wireform. You can either wait 10 games untill it slows down again or adjust the flipper power down for 10 games and then back up again.

In all cases the right flipper seems to be best set at 1 increment above the left flipper.

One last thing, as the game gets dirty (300 plays or more) and in between wax jobs you might raise the playfield pitch to 7 or 7.1 degrees to keep the speed up in order the get the game playing exactly as you want. This is really up to you.

I am cleaning and waxing the reachable areas every 500 plays and will do a tear down and complete rubber replacement at 2500 plays in my home environment to keep it playing "like new".

Playfield pitch on this game is critical to making the shots accurately (as its quite the shooters game), as well as keeping it from playing too floaty around the bats and lower slings.

One other adjustment is to kick up the lower slingshots by 25% or more, the upper sling doesnt have to be as strong as the lower ones.

#463 7 years ago
Quoted from Rarehero:

It depends what wireform you have. If you have the "old" wireform (has no wire "hugging" the barrel), airballs with stronger flippers are pretty much guaranteed. The new one, the new one has given me no airball issues.
That being said - the stronger your flipper coils are, you're more likely to bend the beast mechs which can cause them to lower slow/clunky. They're easy to bend back...but if you notice your beasts aren't falling easily, that's probably due to the flippers being too strong.
First pic is the old one, second pic is the new one

I do like the new right wireform, I think I'm going to have to call and get it, then I can crank up my flippers a bit more!
What a difference 3" of wire makes and it doesnt at all kill any views of the area.
I wonder why it was cut out in the first place as far as aesthetics, it doesnt seem to look any different.

Thanks for the pic.

#468 7 years ago
Quoted from Goronic:

I wish they would not have cut those gaps in the rails on either side - where they have done that I have had the ball come off in those areas.

Agreed.
I wonder if it was just to try to make a more expansive wide open look and feel.
The game is absolutely gorgeous, I think added wire wouldn't have hurt the look at all.

#474 7 years ago
Quoted from Metalzoic:

Crazy. I've never gotten a ball stuck there. Had it fly off the rail a couple times though.

Its not that it comes off the rail in that location, its that air balls from other shots can be trapped there as well as on the barrels.
Now that my game is pretty much dialed-in it doesn't happen at all. (Except after a fresh waxing while the ball is WILD maybe...)

#477 7 years ago
Quoted from Asael:

What are your settings for the kickback? I just can't get mine to work as it should, no matter what I try it always goes into the radagast hole direction or in it? And for now I am on the lowest power settings.

What is your Pf pitch? It affects everything.

Also one can bend the left side rail at the very end slightly to aim the ball into the right spinner loop. (you can wedge a small flat blade screwdriver between the end of the siderail and the last playfield mounting screw for it.)

Any adjustments of this kind should be made after you make sure the auto-kicker is nice and tight and the settings are correct, or close to the factory ones if in doubt, and the PF pitch is verified at 6.9 to 7 degrees.

One other thing is to set the kicker to easy settings, it made it less random on my game.

1 week later
#482 7 years ago
Quoted from IceFang:

Recent purchaser of the Hobbit and first-time poster here! After experiencing numerous stuck balls between the right VUK chute and spinner bracket as shown below, I wanted to share my quick and easy fix with everyone. I removed the chute's rear attachment nut, added a small nylon cable clamp underneath, reattached the nut, and voila... issue solved! The clamp now diverts the ball away, and now I get no more stuck balls here. Love the game!

I like your solution, its very simple and elegant!

I have never had a ball stuck there and have looked extensively for ball hang areas.
Has anyone else had a ball hang there?
Also what is your playfield pitch?
Are you missing a piece there that would prevent such a hang? Is something misaligned or installed wrong?
Im going to look at mine and see if I can get a ball to hang at that position.

#483 7 years ago
Quoted from PinMonk:

Haven't had that one happen, but that area by the flasher in the lower right of your picture is a airball magnet, and there's no way for the balls to roll out if they end up there. Irritating.

I have had that happen once but my air-balls have slowed a lot due to tweaking and adjustment.
I was thinking of placing a plastic mini post on the plastic to stop balls from wedging there.

#488 7 years ago
Quoted from CyberNinja24:

Anyone having sound issues? Mine cuts in and out and is quite noticeable during certain modes. I have checked/cleaned all connections that appear to be sound related with no improvement. Although it might be coincidence, it seems to me that the sound cutting in and out has been happening now after I did the 1.90 upgrade.

Maybe add this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EAQTRI/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2

or something similar.

It seems to help if there is noise.

#500 7 years ago
Quoted from CyberNinja24:

Also curious on what others are seeing on play field dimples. I have exactly 200 games on my Smaug and have pretty noticeable play field dimples. My flippers are set in the mid 20s I believe. Certainly not cranked up. It doesn't bother me and I'm not complaining. Just curious if this is the new norm? I thought I read somewhere that certain ways/chemicals used to make play fields in the past could not be used anymore. Thus, the PF dimpling.

Dimpling is normal. All plywood playfields dimple, no way around it. Even a solid steel playfiled would show wear from heavy ball bearings slamming onto it.
Give it another 2500 plays and a lot more dimples they will all even out.

#504 7 years ago
Quoted from PinMonk:

Not on this machine. Even with the tie moved and the hex oriented like you showed, the ball still doesn't clear the post.

On some games you might have to reshape the hex post by grinding it with a dremel or sanding it down.
Another option is to replace it with a narrower post.

You only need a very small clearance for the ball to pass.

If it were my game I would carve the post just enough for the ball to pass with a dremel or chuck it into a drill press and hit it with a file, and then polish it.

1 week later
#508 7 years ago
Quoted from PanzerFreak:

Notes regarding lose beast mech heads.
A few months ago I had one of the beast mech heads on my game come lose and nearly fall off. I fixed it but then noticed while performing the beast mech fix (plastic spacers from JJP update kit) today that nearly all of the screws holding the figure heads were lose.
I would highly recommend checking the two screws holding each of your beast mech heads in to see if they are lose, remove them and add Loctite Blue to each screw.
Below are the steps for how to perform the fix.
1. Remove the beast mech (5 screws from underneath the playfield + disconnect the 3 connectors)
2. Remove the screws / nut in the picture below. The nut on top is holding down a square piece of plastic, remove the piece of plastic (apply pressure from back to pop off after nut is removed)

3. Losen the two screws that hold the beast head metal strip to the mech. The screws do not have to be completely removed

4. Tilt the beast head to one side to remove the two screws below. I would recommend only removing one at a time as its a pain to get the holes lined up again when they are both removed. (Note: When tilting note location of the diode below, you do not want to break the solder connection for it).

5. Apply Blue Loctite to first screw thread, re-tighten, same steps for the second screw, replace the remaining screws and nut.
Here's a link to the Loctite Blue. Using Loctite Blue will still allow for the screws to be removed later if you ever need to do another repair.
amazon.com link »

Oh, I would also recommend the two magnetic nut drivers from Klein Tools below. These will make the fix above and any repairs to The Hobbit (and other pins) much easier.
amazon.com link »

Good Job !
Perfect instructions, thanks.

2 weeks later
#517 7 years ago
Quoted from Goronic:

I went with transparent rubbers throughout except flippers which I did green. To be honest they are much like the white (on initial look) - but the rubbers tend to 'hold' the color of the surrounding LED colors instead of appearing white.

I had transparent on my slings but they cracked off really fast in 20 games.
Went back to STC white, seems to be holding up as it should.
Let us know how they are wearing as I also like the look a lot.

Im using Titan silicone bands on my TH and on my WOZ with the exception of the munchkin flipper, I chose a black urethane super band from pinball life, it hits really hard.

I really like the Titan flipper bands they feel like fresh rubber, grab the ball better and dont get as dirty. I also chose green for the TH and red for the WOZ.

2 weeks later
#535 7 years ago
Quoted from Phbooms:

Im doing the ramp flap fix and have a question about the kit. They sent the short rivots that you use a rivot clincher on that you see on all ramps that i thought was all you used to re-attach the ramps. My question is what are the long 2" pop rivots for they also sent in the kit?

Since most people dont have a rivet press or even a proper river clincher, JJP sent you some pop-rivets.
They know that you might have a pop-rivet gun or can get one really cheap if needed from The Home Depot or harbor freight...

The pop-rivets are not ideal for route operations, but should hold up pretty good in a home environment.
They dont hold as tight as the pressed ones though.

I used the regular rivets since I have the press from pinrescue as well as the hand clicher from hanson rivets as well as the easy press from pinball life (I know its way over kill on my part but I got the tools over a period of years...).

2 months later
#544 6 years ago
Quoted from swampy:

Anyone had issues with the shooter rod clipping the edge of the auto-launch bracket? Result is a very sluggish shooter!! Auto-launch bracket seems really sloppy, but appears to be intact with all parts secure. And the auto-launch itself works just fine.
Any suggestions? This seemed to just happen all of sudden, rather than a gradual trend.

Check that everything is screwed down tight.
The shooter housing can be adjusted via the 3 nuts inside the cabinet.
Check that the playfield is hanging properly and isnt crooked in the cabinet.
With a ball in the shooter lane the shooter rod should hit it straight on the center of the ball.
Also rotate the shooter rod and see if its bent.
Check the shooter rod rubber tip for wear, it shouldnt be crooked.

#549 6 years ago
Quoted from Goronic:

I added a small amount of tape under the brackets on both sides to raise the PF by a very small amount to allow the shooter rod to shoot smooth again. But is a short term fix - I need to go in and figure out what the real issue is - it may just need to be reattached. I don't see any bend in the shooter rod - but I would probably need to remove it to be certain.

I agree with bending the front playfield hangers down a hair.
Probably the lock bar receiver is a hair low.

On a couple of my games I have thin washers under the front hangers to make it perfect due to a low receiver.
Its a pain to raise the receiver, you have to dowel the holes and re drill.

#553 6 years ago
Quoted from Goronic:

I wonder if anyone sells a heavier grade metal for the brackets?

No necessarily a heavier grade but maybe a hardened version.

Or maybe heat them up to red glowing hot and quench them in used motor oil a couple of times.

1 month later
#562 6 years ago
Quoted from wolv3:

What kind of adjustment do I make so the ball doesn't spin out from the right wireform into the outlane?

Quoted from Pimp77:

You have to bend the wireform...specifically the ring where the ball drops through: bend it up a bit. That will put top spin on the ball and minimize the side spin it builds up. Mine did this early on and I never saw it again after tweaking that wireform.

I just used a big nut driver through the lower loop and bent it backwards a bit until the handle touched the wireform.
Basically bent the loop up about 3/16" to 1/4". This will spin the ball laterally instead of up and out of the lane guide. Seems to work very well and is a simple tweak.

I did this on both wireforms as the ball can also spin out of the left one too.
Its very annoying when it happens.

1 week later
#565 6 years ago
Quoted from Bendit:

I man-handled mine too this weekend, and I was unsuccessful at fixing the problem. Nothing more frustrating than the ball flying in the outlane from that wireform. Jeez.

Bend the lower loop up further.
Jam a nut driver in the hole and bend it back up until the ball no longer spins out. (read above)
Works every time.

4 weeks later
#574 6 years ago
Quoted from wolv3:

The other day the upper flipper stopped retracting all the way. I lifted the playfield and it seems like it might be rubbing on the inside of the coil. I took a look at the lower flippers and they seem much more smooth. The spring is still on it as well. Any ideas on what to look for?

Quoted from LTG:

Check if the pawl slipped on the flipper shaft. Loosen it, realign it. Tighten it real good.
LTG : )

Also maybe pull off the coil stop and look at the coil sleeve and check the condition of the plunger.
It might just be full of black dust causing it to jam up, or the coil sleeve is wearing abnormally due to dust and is not smooth.

4 weeks later
#584 6 years ago
Quoted from Aflacjack:

Ground loop isolator eliminated the noise. Thanks for the info

I did the same thing and it solved all of my audio problems.

Curiously my WOZ had one installed from the factory, I wonder why they didnt put one in the Hobbit?

5 months later
#591 6 years ago
Quoted from Pathfinder:

it a matter of just bending the metal fence

yes

3 months later
#594 5 years ago
Quoted from system11:

I've filed down the burrs on the flaps, one was quite bad luckily on a front corner. Is the troll ball hangup kit worth fitting? It looks like a lot of work

I have a write up earlier on, it took me about 10 mins to install the beast spacers.
Others took more time, but if you have a 6" 1|4" drive extension and a magnetic bit for a screw gun or a long 1|4" nut driver they can be installed without disassembly. The magnetic screw gun worked best for me.

The mylars go on the top each beast cut out. position them with a little soapy water until they fit right with no overlap.

To remove the beasts remove the retaining stop nut on the bottom of each one, unplug the switch and pull the complete sliding assembly out from the top.

Once the mechs are removed, save some grief down the road and put blue loctite on the threads of the screws that hold the heads on.

#596 5 years ago
Quoted from system11:

They seem to be specific left/right though and I can't tell which is correct as the lower mylars seem the same height on each side. The rear ones are like a U shape with one side longer than the other. I've been looking for photos but haven't got lucky yet finding an extreme closeup on a machine with them fitted.

I had the same problem. I cut 2 of them close to the lines and positioned them on the playfield to see what was going on before sticking them down.

Yes there's a left and right. I had to wear magnifiers and put a bright light over the game to see what was going on.

The fit closely to the upper edge of the cut-out and the fingers? dont overlap when properly applied.

Look at it closely you will figure it out. If you ruin them, contact JJP for more. they are free.

#598 5 years ago
Quoted from Sunfox:

Are there any USB sticks guaranteed to work with this? I have functional 4GB models for use with my WOZ, but Hobbit needs at least an 8GB. So far I've tried:
Lexar 16gb (formatted FAT32; flashes a message about "missing operating system" on boot despite numerous attempts to re-partition / format / copy).
Samsung 64gb (formatted to 16gb FAT32; just ignores it entirely, also tried 64gb exFAT).
Seagate 12gb (ancient micro hard disk from when "big" USB sticks were really expensive; formatted FAT32; this works!)
And that's all I have >4GB. Yes, the old Seagate actually works, but the thing is MASSIVELY slow. USB 1.0 speeds. So I'd really like to get something new, that actually works.

Kingston drives for great and are inexpensive I havent had one fail to work yet.

#600 5 years ago
Quoted from PinballCharlie:

I've had Hobbit for about a week now and I have to say that I am really digging it. Theme integration is phenomenal!
One "issue" I am having is the left ramp is not clean - it clunks around at the top and only makes it around the ramp about 75% of the time. It is almost never smooth and the ball always slows down since it clunks against the edge of the inside metal wall.
After some investigation, it appears the ball travels around the far edge of the left ramp then banks off the center/back of the assembly and into the inside wall of the right entrance (kinda hard to put into words).
Is this common on Hobbit? My right ramp is smooth as butter. The whole assembly appears to be in normal condition with no cracked weldments...

Your behavior is not normal. What are your flippers set at left and right and what is the pitch of the Playfield with the glass off.

#603 5 years ago
Quoted from PinballCharlie:

More
Thanks for the tips. Definitely not flipper strength, I’ve tried 15-28 - doesn’t make a difference and flaps are great (dk spring steel). Testing the ramp by hand produces same slop on left ramp, but smooth on right.
I 3D printed a small wedge and used metal duct tape to slightly redirect the ball and that works pretty good. A slight redesign and I think I can get it perfect.
I have to assume this ramp assembly was manufactured slightly out of spec, hmmmm.

Absolutely contact jjp about this it's possible your ramp is out of spec.

#605 5 years ago
Quoted from AbeVigoda:

I found the brightness/contrast controls for the head monitor, but is there any way to adjust the book monitor? Mine's looking pretty washed out.

Maybe open a ticket or check the cables to it on both ends.

#607 5 years ago
Quoted from Hammerhead:

Does anyone know where to get soft white LEDs for the head above the monitor?
Mine has bright white and the art is washed out.

Most of us have applied a filter over the LED strip in the backbox

Either a 1/4 CTO stage gel sheet in 2 layers to equal 1/2 CTO (available in most arts and crafts or lighting stores) or online at a few places:

https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Orange-Correcting-Lighting-Filter/dp/B0000AQJ7C

Or use 1/2 CTO stage gel:

https://www.amazon.com/FILTERS-SHEET-ORANGE-CONVERTS-Gel-Sheets/dp/B003DIDK3U/ref=sr_1_5

Cut a 20 to 24" length 4" or so wide strip. Tape it with 1" segments of 1" gorilla tape to the backbox over the light with the light being somewhat centered under the film.
You only have to hang it over the LED strip, so you dont have to tape the bottom or side edges.

This will give you the right color that matches the screen and kill off all the blue from the LED.

Its a 10 min reversible fix (but no one will ever go back the the ugly colors).

Adding this filter seems a little redneck, but it comes out really perfect.

#610 5 years ago
Quoted from Hammerhead:

For those of you who increased your game pitch to 7 degrees, did you upgrade your shooter rod spring?
Lately, I can no longer hit the drop targets under Smaug off the plunge. I know the spring was intentionally weak from the factory.

I'm at 7.2 degrees using the factory spring. Try adding a little bit of dry lube to the shooter rod. You can also stretch the spring and see if that helps. But really once in awhile a little dry lube on the shooter Rod helps a lot. Also make sure the shooter Rod isn't dragging on Anything.

#614 5 years ago
Quoted from LTG:

That might conduct electricity. I wouldn't use that in a game. If it gets into other stuff, you might have weird phantom problems going on.
LTG : )
Disclaimer : Learned this from EM days many years ago when my Father's arcade had a .22 caliber rifle range. Bullets were graphite tipped. Turned to dust on impact. And go into the games.

Yes, graphite bad, flammable in some circumstances.

Once dry lube is fairly safe.

Pull out the shooter and spray a little on the rod, actuate it a bit, it dries fast.

Put a rag under it, or hold it out with a rag while spraying so as not to make a mess on the floor.

4 weeks later
#618 5 years ago
Quoted from gamefun29:

In the machine in my area, The ball trough is weak at the game itself (it works properly in the test mode, but not In-game). I tried to change its strength but I didn't find any setting related to this. Can someone help me?

The ball plunger in the trough has a setting in the coil settings adjustments. Are you sure that it is weak or does the tab above the ball launcher need to be opened up a little bit under the apron. Sometimes the guide tab causes balls to fall back into the hole instead of rolling into the shooter Lane.

Remove the apron and bend the silver metal tab open about an eighth of an inch more and see how it works

#619 5 years ago
Quoted from screaminr:

Does anyone have a picture of the back box with this done .

Just apply the filter.

Make it 4-5 in tall and wide enough to cover the LED strip.

You'll be amazed at the difference. 1/2 CTO seems to be the correct filtering.

2 years later
#623 3 years ago
Quoted from paulbaptiste:

Does anyone has the instructions for installing these for the beast mechs? I've asked JJP and no one seems to have them.

They come standard on later editions of the game.

The beast spacers are pretty easy to install with the right tools:

I have 2 posts in this and one is a key post.

A long 1/4" nut driver, a long extension, for the screw gun, a little titebond for the screws so they dont vibrate out, a little spacer to hold the mech up if you dont want to remove it ( i just put a ratchet handle in the cages other than removing the mechs).

I did all 4 of them in 8 mins.

#625 3 years ago
Quoted from Mr_Outlane:

Then come over and do mine! I'll bet you $1000.00 you won't do it in 8 min! We talked about this. Some machines do not have the clearance. Or you had thinner stops. But something is not the same between us. I don't need them and never did install them after seeing what a PITA is was going to be.

I dont doubt you at all, some games are slightly out of spec (or dead on spec?), but they play good.
In fact a lot of games dont need the spacer at all.

Mine did, Usually the first shot at the orc locked the ball in solid, game over.

Lol, I didnt even read the instructions that came with mine...

I just held them firmly against the edge of the cut-outs and screwed them in.

Removing the beast mechs (if you want to) is simple enough.

Unplug, remove the single nut at the bottom and slide them out from the top. this only takes a couple minutes.
(I have had to remove them a couple times to tighten the beast head screws, now they are on with loctite)

Then assess/address any clearance issues you might have.

The spacers can be dremeled if they are too tight after they are installed, I imagine, if you need them at all.

But, not having seen yours, I also imagine anything can happen... Its pinball.

Now, changing out the terrible silver, curling ramp flaps, however, was a chore...

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