Total newbie question; I apologize. Maybe once or twice per game, the pinball on my ~1980 Bally machine will strike the glass with the ball. Not a huge deal, but I am wondering what is the most likely cause: flipper alignment/rubber, playfield smoothness, or is it just something that happens occasionally due to spin on the ball when I hit it with the flipper? It doesn't seem to happen on the same spot on the playfield, but it is always on a firm/fast shot. I replaced all of the rubber components fairly recently and everything at least seems to be adjusted properly.

#2 3 years ago

REC

Cash_Riprock

Pinside member

Woodstock, NY

11y 51,050 1,781

Sometimes it just happens. See if you notice a consistent specific ‘hit’ when it occurs, and then look into it. Just my 2 flippers worth. : ) Enjoy the game!

#3 3 years ago

REC

Cash_Riprock

Pinside member

Woodstock, NY

11y 51,050 1,781

Quoted from Cash_Riprock:
Sometimes it just happens. See if you notice a consistent specific ‘hit’ when it occurs, and then look into it. Just my 2 flippers worth. : )Enjoy.

#4 3 years ago

AXE

YeOldPinPlayer

Inactive member

Unknown

8y 111K 6,454 4 12

Many things can give the ball upward momentum.
Playfield wear such as cupped inserts, the ball rolls down into it then up to get out.
A playfield item bent slightly, making a non-ideal angle with the playing surface.

#5 3 years ago

JOE

alexmogil

Pinside+ Frequent

Parkersburg, WV

7y 79,550 1,026 17 29

Quoted from YeOldPinPlayer:
Many things can give the ball upward momentum.
Playfield wear such as cupped inserts, the ball rolls down into it then up to get out.
A playfield item bent slightly, making a non-ideal angle with the playing surface.

Or if you own The Simpsons...

#6 3 years ago

SBS

o-din

Pinside+ Addict

11y 158K 58,796

If you own a Comet, you get used to it.

#7 3 years ago

XYZ

LukyDuck

Pinside member

4y 58,300 1,287

All of mine do this on occasion. Gets player’s attention, that’s for sure!

Always reminds me of the sound a rock makes when it hits my cars windshield. Sounds like a boulder just smashed into my car, no matter the size of the rock. Happened just yesterday and got lucky with no cracks.

#8 3 years ago

---

ForceFlow

Pinside Moderator

9y 238K 31,358 268 14

Sometimes, air balls can happen when bouncing off of stand up targets without padding, or when drop targets are positioned just right.

#9 3 years ago

MWM

Hayfarmer

Pinside+ Frequent

5y 163K 15,924 5

You can put less angle on the machine and slow it down but that's boring. Sure wakes ya up when not expecting it

#10 3 years ago

Monk

Pinside member

7y 93,800 1,911 21

Just wait until that ball is sitting on top of the drop targets when they reset. I get it often on my GOT.

#11 3 years ago

EJN

newbieinKC

Inactive member

Kansas City, MO

5y 31,300 228 1

Didn't think I had to worry too much. I started checking out the problem by noting what the ball hit last. Seems to be no correlation. I remember playing Whirlwind and getting lots of glass strikes that were probably caused by "english" on the pinball. The darn things are so shiny, it is very difficult to detect spin.

#12 3 years ago

BOB

bobukcat

Pinside member

9y 99,550 5,463

Quoted from Monk:
Just wait until that ball is sitting on top of the drop targets when they reset. I get it often on my GOT.

The best one I've seen is if a ball is on top of one of the Trolls when it pops up on MM. I learned to not play test MM very long without the glass on, it really launches that sucker. The Hobbit is probably even worse since it has all those pop-ups.

#13 3 years ago

KOZ

KozMckPinball

Pinside member

7y 85,300 4,082 3

Quoted from bobukcat:
The best one I've seen is if a ball is on top of one of the Trolls when it pops up on MM. I learned to not play test MM very long without the glass on, it really launches that sucker. The Hobbit is probably even worse since it has all those pop-ups.

The ole Troll Catapult.

#14 3 years ago

CAT

DCFAN

Pinside+ Frequent

Chantilly, VA

12y 148K 12,776 34

OP
Quoted from newbieinKC:
Total newbie question; I apologize. Maybe once or twice per game, the pinball on my ~1980 Bally machine will strike the glass with the ball. Not a huge deal, but I am wondering what is the most likely cause: flipper alignment/rubber, playfield smoothness, or is it just something that happens occasionally due to spin on the ball when I hit it with the flipper? It doesn't seem to happen on the same spot on the playfield, but it is always on a firm/fast shot. I replaced all of the rubber components fairly recently and everything at least seems to be adjusted properly.

Make sure the flipper rubbers are not pushed down too low. They can lift up on the ball if the ball is hitting towards the top of the rubber.

#15 3 years ago

MWM

Hayfarmer

Pinside+ Frequent

5y 163K 15,924 5

Put in a super ball. I'm getting glass hits on joker poker now

#16 3 years ago

AEG

Pinmasher

Inactive member

Hutchinson, MN

5y 49,800 183

F-14 Jagov kicker is a fun one to bang the glass!

#17 3 years ago

MDF

frenchmarky

Pinside member

Moreno Valley, CA

5y 79,800 3,109 7 30

Only one of my games it is consistent to distraction is my '51 Poker Face. Balls flipped at the gobble holes hit the glass all the time and that's with the old, small low-power AC flippers. So might want to see if it is happening on your game when the ball is hit towards kickout holes, if it has any. If that's it I think you're stuck with it. What game are you having the issue with?

#18 3 years ago

MAR

Mrjamma

Pinside member

Gate City, VA

11y 39,650 524 26

It's pinball, it happens. On some games, there will be a specific shot that can do this. On other games, it can be caused by misaligned targets, flipper rubber position, etc.
Not much to worry about.

#19 3 years ago

TIM

ralphwiggum

YouBentMyWookie

Sullivan, WI

12y 108K 5,445 6

My favorite thing about Whitewater was the ball slapping the glass on the way down the left ramp.

#20 3 years ago

SDS

whthrs166

Pinside member

Arvada, CO

10y 93,050 4,526 12

Quoted from bobukcat:
The best one I've seen is if a ball is on top of one of the Trolls when it pops up on MM. I learned to not play test MM very long without the glass on, it really launches that sucker. The Hobbit is probably even worse since it has all those pop-ups.

MM is pretty dramatic, but Champion Pub is the loudest one I have ever heard. You have to hit the ball right at the boxer's fist just before he throws a punch. BANG! I thought the glass would jump off the game!

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