(Topic ID: 134936)

Mars Trek - Starting the Restore Process

By Duckyness

8 years ago


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  • 27 posts
  • 9 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 7 years ago by Badamack
  • Topic is favorited by 8 Pinsiders

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#1 8 years ago

Hey all, I recently picked up a Mars Trek in really rough condition. Missing Back Glass and PF glass, Cracks/buckles in PF surface, Was not powering up, rotten wood cabinet / backbox

Over the weekend I've already got it to turn on but not start a new game, gaped quite a few switches and now I get it to where I can manual start a game to allow basic game play (until the ball goes out of play or triggers the bonus payout)

Its missing a solenoid on the 100,000 score wheel for the 4th player, so I think that may be effecting some other areas.

But that is not my main issue right now.

I am looking for somewhere I can get a hold of a new/reproduced backglass or some better (printable) pictures of it so I can get a new one printed out.

Currently I'm going to start to make up a new image based on the ones from ipdb in the next month or so.

Thank you to firepower for posting that schematic last month, it has helped me as well try to trace some issues. My labeling wasnt stapled down so its a bit difficult as none of it was in its right place anymore.

Ill post some pictures tonight after I get home from work and can take some more of it.

#2 8 years ago
Quoted from Duckyness:

Ill post some pictures tonight after I get home from work and can take some more of it.

Yes by all means, pics please!
Super! Another one saved from the dump.
A very welcome to the community!

#3 8 years ago

You may have some luck finding am original Mars Trek glass floating around for sale if your patient. The play fields and glasses held up incredibly well on these Sonic games but the particle board cabs did not. So finding one from a parted game is highly possible.

#4 8 years ago

CAM00572.jpgCAM00572.jpg

There is a picture I took on my phone, had the back box facing out as I was trying to watch coils kick off when testing it. May not look as bad in this but every time I touch the pressboard, it ends up on the floor. Once I get it playing I will be working on the cab and backbox.

#5 8 years ago

Hey Duckyness.
My Super straight had the bottom fall out.
I put trim around it, and glued aluminum angle to it.
stopped the crumble. good luck with the restore.
Chk your bumper spoons, Sonic used half plastic, half metal, and they warp!
Chk also the step arms, same thing.
Get williams replacements for that stuff...lot better quality.
Keep the pics commin. my SS kicks butt!
does yours have factory mylar too?

#6 8 years ago

Here is some more pics, some spots have already been cleaned up a little bit. I am currently using straps to hold the backbox upright as i haven't had a chance to get to buy some new bolts for it.

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Playfield, needs new rubbers all around and a few repairs to the plastics.

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Shows the Cracks on PF, i'm assuming from water or moisture.

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Interior of backbox looks to be in great shape minus all the bulbs I stole for the PF. The straps make a great tester holder too.

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Side of cabinet, Showing some of the damage over the years.

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Missing Score Wheel Solenoid P4 100,000

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Base, Still needs a lot more cleaning, the two steppers need a lot of love. almost all of the relays have been gaped though.

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Coin Mech / Door / Rust. Missing one coin mech, Other was being cleaned at that time.

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Burnt up Third Flipper, Still working though.

#7 8 years ago

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#8 8 years ago

Give John's a call. Their Web page lists NOS Mars Trek back glasses.

https://www.flippers.com/back4sal.html

#9 8 years ago

Wow, that's pretty rough. I'll be following this thread

#10 8 years ago

Lucy...you've got some work to do...

#11 8 years ago

Some cool photos and informational tid bits at the IPDB

#12 8 years ago

Called Johns, He wants 400$ for the backglass he has and as much as id love to drop that and get it, I will wait on that for now. My first plan is to place an order with pinball resource for new flipper coils, rubber and bulbs + a few sockets

To Style, it looks like it still has the factory mylar on it... but i'm not sure. The pop bumpers and slingshots from above the flippers works.

My current plan while waiting on bulbs and manual:

1. Clean up some of the soder by a "previous fixer". Pick up some smaller guage wire and replace a few that are showing fatigue.
2. Replace Power Cord. This one is showing cracks, End had already been replaced.
3. Replace the P4 Coil.
4. Remove arms from steppers and clean surface better.
5. Possibly replace the jones connectors with something more modern. if not, just clean the hell outa these ones.
6. Soder fix some light receptacles as I know at least 4 are loose / trying to short the fuses (used 7 finding these 4 already, yay)
7. Repair coin mech area, resoder and replace the trip wire on the coin switch.

Last. Remove top side of things from playfield and do a proper full clean of parts and PF also replacing the screws, bolts and cleaning the other rusty metal guides and parts.

After I get manual:

Get game to start.

Talk to family member who works at a glass factory about a new PF glass cover

Cabinet lastly

I will probably only have weekends to work on this but ill keep trying to post as many pics or answer any questions i get asked about it, While trying to not ask to many of my own.

I found out the other day that my older neighbor had a machine bought for him years ago brand new, EM. It was not working and the daughter still has it locally so I may have a second machine to tinker with soon. I don't know what table it is yet, just that its an EM and they are original owners.... as well as any one they talked to locally said they couldn't fix it as it was an EM. So this could be a fun even more side project. When I go see it ill take some pics for you as well.

#13 8 years ago
Quoted from Duckyness:

Thank you to firepower for posting that schematic last month

Could you point me to that Mars Trek schematic please? I'm having difficulty finding that post and could really use it.

Also, when you have everything off the playfield topside for cleaning, could you please scan some of the plastics for me? My Mars Trek is missing both sling plastics, and also the plastic on the right side, so I'd love to try and make replacements for them. If the plastic on the right side is too big to get in a single scan, then scan it in 2 pieces and I'll figure out how to put it together somehow.

Thanks, Roy

#14 8 years ago

Bah just had the page refresh and lost it all...

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/can-anyone-supply-a-schematic-of-a-mars-trek

There is the forum it was posted in.

I already have my plastics off so I will clean them up a little bit and try and remember to bring them into work with me, the workcenter printer we have at work is godly haha. The printer/scanner has a scaning size of 12" x 18" so it should fit, if not I have photoshop and can combine em for yea.

Can anyone confirm that the third flipper is a Coil FL21-375/28-400, Same as the main flippers? Dont have the manual yet so i cant confirm it as the wrapper is burnt up.

When I get the copy of the Schematics ill try and remember to send you a new copy as well.

#15 8 years ago

It's wonderful to have access to a printer/scanner like that! It would be a great idea to make a high res scan of all the plastics while you have them off. We may be able to find someone to make a limited run of them since they aren't available anywhere else.

All 3 flipper coils on my machine are marked as FL-20-300 / 28-400. Since this is different than what you have, hopefully some others can chime in with what is on their machine.

My machine is pretty much functional. I'm not very good at working with the mechanical pins, but if you need a picture of anything please let me know!

#16 8 years ago

Technically I could get the printer to print the images out as a clear sticker fairly easy so that might be an option as well if the cost of doing a run of printed plastics would be too high, then we just stick em on plastic we have cut out (i have a router table so that may work even too).

#17 8 years ago

Ducky Ness,

I know you needed some credit wheel pics. Here they are.

On zero (mine is bent closed for free play)
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On 20 which is my max
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#18 8 years ago

Flipper coils are FL-20-300 28-400.

#19 8 years ago

Hmm so someone replaced mine with FL-21 375 28-400. Add that to my list for fixes hahah.

Thanks for the credit wheel pics, Mine only had one of the black plastic/screw parts on it so it would not trigger on the 0 side. Currently using a screw in replacement of that until I find something more proper.

Ill work on uploading some pics of the steppers I was working on this weekend. Managed to clean up and lube the No. Match Stepper, Player Selector Stepper and all 16 score wheels in the back box, as well as the bonus stepper under the playfield.

About 1/3rd of the coils in the score wheels were previously replaced, so I have had to resoder some connections and replace a few sections of wire.

I have a question about Serial numbers on these machines, Where? haha. The bottom board in the Backbox has been replaced... so that wont work, The front piece of the cabinet has damage under the coin door so that part is missing its paint and top layed of wood.... so that work work either. I have found a number on the PF under where the instruction card would sit on the left side of the apron.... Would that number match assuming all 3 pieces are from the original unit? If so, i'm sad... mine says 668, So close to be an awesome unit.

Will post the pictures later tonight. Did not really take any of the score wheels, but might take a few tonight.

Thanks for following.

#20 8 years ago

I doubt there is much difference between those flipper coils. Personally, I'd just replace the sleeve, plunger/link and see how it works before spending $ on a new coil.

#21 8 years ago

We tried to answer the serial number question in a Sonic Prospector thread. Looks like the spot you located on the playfield below the apron may be the only spot, other than the documents hat were shipped with the machine (see mine on ipdb).

Here is that thread:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/number-on-the-playfield-s-prospector

1 week later
#22 8 years ago

Here is a couple of the pics I promised.

I wont be doing the main metal parts and springs until I redo the entire back box with new wood, Unless they are interfering with the game playing properly.

Some of the before pics were taken after I had already used some sandpaper on the contacts while I was testing the machine.

Credit - After.jpgCredit - After.jpg

Match - Before.jpgMatch - Before.jpg

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Player Unit - Before.jpgPlayer Unit - Before.jpg

Player Unit - After.jpgPlayer Unit - After.jpg

My next project was to remove the loose light sockets from the playfield that were causing the game to short out. I removed the soder from the base and the wire and then put a piece of numbered tape onto the wire and the location of the screw. So far I have only found 6 that need to be fully repaired or replaced, most of the rest just need to be cleaned up.

Light 2.jpgLight 2.jpg

Light 5.jpgLight 5.jpg

Also while waiting for the parts order to get here (should be monday or tuesday as it did not show up today), I bought some long bolts and got the backbox mounted properly (off come the straps, Yay)

I had to also replace a couple of the leg bolts, Much more sturdy now.

Plan for this weekend is once I get to it, will be to work on cleaning up the score wheel setup (so many switches) and the two remaining steppers in the cabinet (ball index? and coin unit?).

Depending on time I want to tackle getting the game to start by pressing the button... but we shall see what happens when I get the other steppers delt with.

To bonzo71 About not spending the money on the coils, The third flipper coil has burnt up the insulation on the wires. It looks as if the switch to set it to full coil use for holding it on... didn't. That one is the only flipper one I will replace for now.

I will probably use a rebuild kit on the parts for them all, with posibility of replacing the coils at a later date.

All depends on how much the new rubber I ordered will work for me. Right now the links look good but could use some cleaning.

#23 8 years ago

In the first photo, just above, What exactly is that Robertson screw doing in that stepper unit? That isn't original.

#24 8 years ago

The part was damaged, and missing that set screw. I have found a new one to fit the hole that was damaged when the old one was broken off. The screw was used to test that the credit wheel would trigger the switches at its end point.

1 week later
#25 8 years ago

"Good news, Everyone" - Prof Farnsworth

So in cleaning up and starting to go through every relay using the manual to adjust the switches (some were open when they should be closed and so on) My Mars Trek now starts a new game and resets to play.

I still have issues with a few areas of the game like the outhole not counting up in balls or switching players.... Unless the machine is "Tilted" and the bonus not being awarded to your score when you collect it (but it does now reset back down to zero). I will be working more on that tonight.

I had to smooth out the gap in the toothed wheel on my Bonus Stepper as it was catching and causing the stepper to advance one tooth past "Max Bonus (100,000)" thus shutting the lights off and telling you you had no bonus.

I would like to request if anyone has or can get me a picture of the two steppers in the cab (Coin and Ball Index) in the Reset position. I would like a picture of both sides to confirm when the zero switch is supposed to be hit and where the wipers are at that time. Much like my bonus and credit steppers I think they are out of alignment.

I don't have any pictures of the coin door area I am cleaning up, but I will work on getting some of them soon.

I started work on cleaning up and replacing the screws holding the ball guides under the apron. I have cleaned up all the metal parts other then the parts that hold the playfield to the cab, Those I will be working on this week.

Part of my PBR Order was new rubber (So much cheaper then ordering from anywhere in Canada) so those are all installed now. All of the plastic stands were removed and cleaned up and all of the screws were replaced. Some of the holes were stripped and so I used a little bit of wood glue and filled the hole in and then seated the screw in and held it down and in place with some weight for a few days. I still have a few other spots to do that to as well later on.

I will be working on getting the Playfield glass ordered from a local shop in the next few weeks so I can keep it a little bit cleaner (Currently using a tarp as the cat likes to lay on the field)

My next PBR order will be more bulbs and holders, surface cleaner / wax and then a couple coil stops and a power cord as its cheaper then anything I've got around here.

Anyone know what bulb is inside of the pop bumpers?. Mine look like a bayonet style, just want to confirm they are a 47/44 instead of something else before i throw one in and melt it.

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1 month later
#26 8 years ago
Quoted from Duckyness:

I would like to request if anyone has or can get me a picture of the two steppers in the cab (Coin and Ball Index) in the Reset position. I would like a picture of both sides to confirm when the zero switch is supposed to be hit and where the wipers are at that time. Much like my bonus and credit steppers I think they are out of alignment.

You may have moved well past this by now, but do you still need the pictures mentioned above? If so, what state would the game have to be put in to get each of those pictures in the right stepper position?

10 months later
#27 7 years ago

I know this thread is old, but I'm working on a MT now and have a few similar questions...
What size are the bolts to mount the head to the body? And are most of these nuts like on steppers metric or sae?
Did you ever get your start button to work? Mine isn't yet...

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