TIP: If your ball has a habit of exiting the pops (the wrong way) through the one-way gate, use a zip cord the limit the gate action.

The ball is able to escape because the gate opens too far. Whenever a ball in the pops bounces off the gate it springs open allowing the ball to pass through. The wider the gate is allowed to open, the more time the ball has to pass through. A zip cord can be used to restrict the gate opening without interfering with it's intended purpose.

I actually have mine tightened down to just slightly smaller than the ball size. There's still enough give that a ball with any speed can pass through from the outside, but the gate will never open wide enough to allow it to exit from the pops side.

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Be sure to tighten it down real good and check it often.

I have always be told not to overtighten anything on a pinball machine. So when I replaced my post I intentionally put in on "just snug". But after a couple months of play the post loosened itself and wore a spot in the playfield behind it. Now I have to apply a clear coat fix around my replacement post fix. I'm trying not to let it bother me. Can you tell?

Me too. I even upgraded my speakers thinking that was the problem. The music sounds amazing now but the callouts are still scratchy. I believe they were just poorly recorded, especially the original batch that came with the early code.