(Topic ID: 268194)

Post Snapped Off Inside Playfield - How to Remove?

By bbddpp

3 years ago


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  • 15 posts
  • 9 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 3 years ago by bbddpp
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#1 3 years ago

Small bit of frustration as I tried to take my Tee'd Off Ramp Apart to finally clean under there in the captive ball area and replace the bulb in the hidden pop bumper under the ramp. Still don't know how to get this thing off.

Anyway in doing so I realized there's a thin meal ramp flap held down by 2 posts on either side of it. Looks like there MIGHT be a tiny screw under that metal ramp.

Put a mini wrench at the base of the right side post, turned counter-clockwise (that's the right direction for removal yes?) and the post SNAPPED right off leaving the rest on the playfield.

Help! I've never had this happen before and have no idea how to get the rest out so I can order a replacement post and put it in. Hopefully I can take it out from underneath somehow? I don't want to get near my playfield with a drill. I just know I'll make it worse.

There's another post on the other side of the flap I also need to take off to get this metal flap out of the way that I also need to take off without breaking.

Anyone recognize the part numbers on these posts? One's got a point on the top and the other is hollow. I don't see them listed in the manual.

So frustrating, all because I wanted to get that ramp off to clean. I should have just left it alone. Even worse - The ramp STILL isn't off!

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#2 3 years ago

Just knock the T-nut out.

#3 3 years ago

Take a center punch or something skinny that you can put down the hole from the top of the playfield and tap it with a hammer. It will pop the t-nut right out.

You can then see if you can get the remaining threaded part out or just go to local hardware store and buy a new t-nut

#4 3 years ago

You can easily remove the screw and t-nut under the playfield. Just put a screwdriver or something similar through the top and tap it gently with a hammer. The part under the playfield will pop right out.

#5 3 years ago

Get a small pair of vise-grips and take it out from the back side. Bite hard with the vise-grip on the stump of the broken piece and turn counter clockwise from the back of the playfield

#6 3 years ago

Did this on my Stargate recently, I got some good advice here to heat the screw with a soldering iron from under the playfield to prevent this. Worked great for the rest of the posts I removed. I ended up using a punch and hammer to knock the t-nut out, came out easier than I thought and replaced it with a new one along with the post.

#7 3 years ago

Thanks gang, makes me feel better I can take it out from underneath. I hear they used Loctite on these from another prior owner (thanks BlueManUK) so it makes me feel better that it snapped so easy on me.

Knowing I can use a vise counterclockwise from under to take it out will help. I'll see if I can knock off the t-nut first. Then it's just a quick email to pbresource for a couple new posts and nuts.

Appreciate it gang, you made me feel better on Friday, I can enjoy my beer now.

#8 3 years ago

Nothing to get over, you'll be amazed that such a stressful issue gets popped out in 2 seconds
Now when it's a wood screw broken off it gets a lot dicier.

#9 3 years ago

you guys were right. Fell right out. Part on order, now we wait! Appreciate the moral support.

In the meantime, I can try and figure out the other 28 things I need to remove from the playfield just to get at this pop bumper area under the ramp.

Nice design, Gottlieb.

#10 3 years ago

While I have everyone's kind attention...other than it needing a DEEP cleaning and new rubbers (never been back here before) I need to change the burnt bulb inside the pop bumper -- never saw this before, I figured remove from above like usual. This bulb is not budging! Don't tell me I need to do this from underneath the playfield to get at this bulb! Thoughts? It turns a slight bit but I can't feel any upward ability, do I need to pinch the metal or something to open up the gap? I expected to see a wedge here not what looks to be a bayonet.

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#11 3 years ago

It’s a bayonet bulb. Press down and twist.

#12 3 years ago
Quoted from bbddpp:

While I have everyone's kind attention...other than it needing a DEEP cleaning and new rubbers (never been back here before) I need to change the burnt bulb inside the pop bumper -- never saw this before, I figured remove from above like usual. This bulb is not budging! Don't tell me I need to do this from underneath the playfield to get at this bulb! Thoughts? It turns a slight bit but I can't feel any upward ability, do I need to pinch the metal or something to open up the gap? I expected to see a wedge here not what looks to be a bayonet.
[quoted image]

The bulb can sometimes be a tight fit. Push down a little bit and twist the bulb. Eventually, the tabs on the bulb line up with the openings and you'll be able to remove the bulb. Once in a while, the glass part of the bulb will detach from the metal base. If this happens, make sure to get all the glass out and then use a needle nose pliers to pinch the metal bulb base and use the pliers to turn our the base from the socket.

#13 3 years ago

Thanks guys. I'm going to go try again now. I had been pressing and twisting but when I pulled up it wasn't budging, like it was pinched solid in the metal socker. Hopefully I just need to give it a little more upward coaxing force than normal.

#14 3 years ago
Quoted from bbddpp:

Thanks guys. I'm going to go try again now. I had been pressing and twisting but when I pulled up it wasn't budging, like it was pinched solid in the metal socker.

They can be pain in the asses for sure. Plenty of folks use pliers to tighten the socket once the bulb is in there, so that might be what you;re dealing with

#15 3 years ago

Yeah I got it out - So that's solved too. Thanks guys. It was a bugger, the entire socket with prongs came up out of there before I finally was able to force the bulb out. LED in there now, and cleaning and putting in all new rubber, so should be better than it ever was before back there once I get this new post. Then installing the new tees and this simple, cheap but fun little game will be back in service.

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