You should buy this for the inner loop rattle;
https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1268-3d-tech-pinball-parts/04245-hot-wheels-metal-wire-guide-brace

He doesn't ship to Canada. I messaged about throwing it in a bubble envelope and sending it USPS but have not heard back.

Does it even work? I will just make something to fit in there if it does.

I can backhand the left loop and right ramp. To backhand the left loop, the shot has to be perfect, otherwise it rattles. Once I got it down,
it's made about 80% of the time. I reduced flipper power down to 22 and playfield is at about 6.5 degrees.

Joined the club today. I was having pretty bad feedback from the speakers and did discover my wire/isolator was installed backwards. Otherwise having lots of fun with it so far. I set it up this evening after the kids went to sleep so excited to see what they think of it tomorrow.

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Hot Wheels and Houdini got a new friend yesterday - Oktoberfest.

The three games fit nicely in a cove that can hold 3 pins in my game room. When AP #4 is released I may have to slide Oktoberfest over next to my small beer fridge and insert #4 between Hot Wheels and Houdini. Little beer fridge is just off camera and to the left so it would make a good grouping of four.

What a nice variety of games this is.

AP lineup (resized).JPG

It does work cutting down on rattled shots. Maybe he’d send you the file to 3D print it yourself?

Are you at 6 degrees on slope?

Check side to side level. Also, I had cranked up my flipper strength in settings, and that was causing me some issues with the track builder saucer, I put it back to default, and haven’t had any issues since

I will check flipper strength. Where do you guys take your slope reading? At flippers or at upper playfield?

The reading is different at both spots.

Nice quick tweak; good work! Thanks for taking the time to share your findings.

Try pushing down on the gate so that it sits perpendicular to the playfield.

I haven’t done extensive review yet, but this mod maker made a simple brace to take some of the bounce out of the metal guides https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1268-3d-tech-pinball-parts/04245-hot-wheels-metal-wire-guide-brace

Flippers positioned correctly? Might need to loosen the bat and move down towards the drain.

Flippers are pointed down slightly towards drain.

Will adjust gate see if that helps.

There should have been only a few games that got out with this installed backward. I made this handy guide as a reference: click on the picture to get the pdf file.

Hotwheels - audio connection and settings.pdf

Nice job on your tech announcements Dave. Good work. Text and photos I am sure will be helpful to those that may need help. Nice and easy to read and understand. Thumbs up. I have not experienced this issue, but for those that may, you post up nice clear instructions.

Would be great to have an option in settings where you can change the modes so you don't get it awarded to you if you drain.

Would be a nice option to continue mode from where you left off like on BKSOR.

Pretty please.

Just installed orange t-molding and Pin Stadiums. If you tie the GI section of the Pin Stadiums to the rgb light strip at the back of the playfield (green & yellow wires), the Pin Stadijms go off with the GIs when they should.

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nice i am gonna pick up some mods this xmas for the hotwheels i am really happy with it. its gonna stay around a while.

Get the 3D pop bumper tops and the pit stop barrier from The Mod Couple for sure.
It’s also worth picking up the Metal Wire Guide Brace for 5.00.

Does the pit stop barrier block the view at all??

Nope

Sometimes, it is the little things that count. My friend with the Hot Wheels also has a Houdini. I like that trap door in the apron at the ball launch area that closes automatically when you lift the play field. The balls don't fall out. That is a nice touch.

I spent a couple hours today working with my game. I took the glass off and tried to find as many places the ball could get hung-up and fix those areas. Fo me the ball gets hung up at locations 1-4 marked on the pic below.

InkedIMG_20201206_103714302_LI (resized).jpg

I have never owned a game where I have had so many balls hung-up. I suppose that it's inexperience and the lack of play & tweaking that happened with the whitewood...or changes to the playfield after the whitewood effort. For example, at location 3 in the pic the roll-over switch arm is in a location where a ball could (and does for me) get hung up. Moving the switch about 1/8-inch to the right, or changing it's angle slightly would have probably been all that was needed to stop that from happening there.

I ended up bending a couple of guide rails (locations 2 & 3). In other areas, I couldn't see an easy solution by bending something. After I did this I played 1 game (!) and had 2 balls hung-up during Red Line Mania. I did 't know they were hung up until RLM ended and the game didn't launch another ball. I few shakes and 2 balls rolled out of the RHS of the game in places where no hang-ups had previously occurred. Ugh...I guess I'll just have to get used to this happening randomly with this game.

I also put some foam at the end of the track builder lane, as a test. I didn't remove the plastic (way too many screws), but pushed in a short piece of foam weather stripping down to the end of the lane. This has helped reduce the number of ball rejects there. When I get the inclination I'll take the plastic off and install the foam piece properly.

I also removed the gray foam behind the 3 stand-up targets and replaced it with the black stuff that is more dense. That worked well in reducing those reflected air-balls.

My Isolator was also installed backwards, so I fixed that. My serial number is HWL 3146, so at least up too that S/N the isolators were being installed incorrectly.

After I did that stuff the game played and sounds better, but that's' a lot of work to do on a brand new game.

I added 2 more cars to the playfield, using the standoff/supports I got from American Pinball. I screwed the cars to the support in addition to the Velcro like I did with 2 of the original cars previously.

Robert

The only time I get the ball hung up is when it doesnt have the momentum to make it around. Then I just nudge the pin.

I will try putting something at the saucer. I get way too many rejects there. And the ball rattling between the guides is driving me insane. Never experienced this before on any game.

Can you post a pic of the foam at the saucer?

Sounds like you don’t have enough pitch on your game if balls are getting hung up on your 1 and 2 spots.
Also, try adjusting the the rollover switch where it isn’t sitting up as high.
I think I may have bent my rail up instead of down on the left side (your number 3 area). Haven’t had one hang up since.

I have 50 games so far on mine and not one stuck ball. My pitch is a little steeper than recommended at 6.5°

Not really easy to do, I will try later.

Basically I cut about a 1-inch long piece of weather strip and jammed it down to the end of the ramp builder lane...trying to keep the sticky side towards the end.

I really need to take the plastic off and position the foam more precisely. If I do that, I'll be sure to take a pic. But just jamming a piece in there is working pretty well.

Robert

My pitch is right at 6 degrees, where it is supposed to be. I may try experimenting with 6.5 degrees before I do anymore bending/etc. on the game.

I'll take a look at that switch arm, in my experience lowering the arm usually results in the balls not registering.

Robert

Not sure what you mean about this. What areas are you experiencing this?

Robert

Inner left loop and at the track saucer. Ball hits the R target on the left side and rattles back and forth. I think if the R target was moved to the right and the guide behind it was brought forward more maybe it wouldn't happen. It would hit the guide and keep moving forward toward the saucer.

Funny thing is i never noticed this stuff when I was playing the one at my distributor. Maybe I just got a wanky game.

.

i was looking at the 3d pop bumper tops. i was wondering if they block thw pop bumper area view.

No two games, just as no two cars are built just a like. There are always the tolerance factors. There is always the human element. My friend's HW had the one problem at the left pop. Everything else is dead on.

i have the same issue on all 4 spots.gonna bend those guides in and do some tweeking. i had put tiny clear bump dots in thise spots so the balls wouldnt get “trapped” there.

What is the best way to remove the mylar in front of the slings?

Not sure why you want to...if it was me, I wouldn’t.

Robert

I don't think you need it in a home environment. I also do not like the way it looks. If the ball is moving slow it also changes the ball path.
Would prefer it in the goodie bag and if you want to add it then you can.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/least-damaging-way-to-remove-mylar

They do not.

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Buy this, you’ll be happy;
https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1268-3d-tech-pinball-parts/04245-hot-wheels-metal-wire-guide-brace

I would go up around 6.5. I think you’ll like the added speed and experience less (hopefully no more) hang ups.

I sent a message to him few days ago as he does not ship to Canada. Have not heard back .

It’ll cost a little more, but you’re welcome to have it sent to me and I’ll ship it to you.

Thank you for acquiring Hot Wheels. We hope you love it.

Unfortunately, the promotion you are referring to was a temporary offering that expired at the end of 2019.

Thank you for considering Oktoberfest!

Dang, didn't seem like that long ago. I'd pick one up in a heartbeat if it was still going in. I miss my Oktoberfest but took a bath on it when I sold it after buying new. One of the most fun games ever and compliments Hot Wheels nicely. Excellent work AP.

Oh, wow. I was just thinking about that deal the other day as well and I didn't realize it was that long ago. Gotta be honest, I'd consider it if it was still going.

Looks good. Does the Pitstop tire stack block your view of the pop bumpers? I got the 3D pop bumper mod, but held off the tire stack thinking it would partially block my view of the pops, and the pop bumper mod is far more necessary than the one for the Pit Stop.

I don’t feel like they do.

AP Team,
Planning to start saving for the next AP pinball machine. Suggestions and of course, feel free to ignore:

1. Please keep the price point close to Hot Wheels. Your growing market is the home buyer (us) and money matters despite high end hobbyists who seem to have hundreds of thousands for machines (they don't - it just seems that way ).
2. Within a budget and frame of next title, any synchronized lights, shaker and music would probably put the game over the top. You are off to a great start with the Hot Wheels machine with the cutaways with the dino battles and Red Line Mania. Yeah, GNR fever is prevalent but that is something that is fun that people want while keeping the pinball elements alive.
3. Continue with the great depth of game play that you have going on currently.
4. Any rough idea when the next title might be released (I figure after your Hot Wheels run) . Just want to know how much extra to fund the pinball account faster.
5. Keep the value added options for the first 500 - 750 games - a shaker and topper. That is a classy touch and appreciated.
Happy Holidays Everybody!

Hot wheels will be delivered tomorrow!!!! I can’t wait

I think you will love it.

To me it as a fantastic game that gives me the same feeling (that I have not had for a long time) when playing pins in the Arcade when I was a kid.

I am curious how you find it stands out in your current line up.