I am trying to figure out the correct setup for the RBION plunge. On both my machine and in the Pinball Arcade version, full plunge just hits a post and the ball dribbles back down to the flippers. Is this how its supposed to work or should it go around the left orbit to the lanes? It seems like that would make the most sense, but the adjustment nut for the shooter lane is over almost as far as it will go.

Any thoughts or ideas or there?

I could move it the other direction, then it would go to the area that mixes up the temple numbers instead which might be alright too. I suppose I just want it "correct" though.

Ok, thank you all. I'll work on it tonight.

OK, so I checked all this out. The bottom adjustment is all the way as far as it will go. Not in the channel, but you can tell just pressing on it that it isn't going any further.

When I check on the top of the playfield, you can see this adjuster will not go any further as it is hitting the metal post next to it.

To try the the pitch adjustment, just to test, I had it pitched way way higher than it normally would be using my new lift table. The feet were about 4 inches off the ground and full plunge still reliably hit the red post (the dirty black spot pictured, its not even close to making the spinner lane with a full plunge. You can make the spinner lane without a full plunge, however there is then no chance of reaching the multiplier lanes as it is far too weak.

I am not sure what else to try other taking the area apart and bending the metal ball guide (which just mentally seems like something that shouldn't be done). It looks like it is as far is it should go though (lines up with the gate) Here are some pics.

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I thought removing the washer (or using a smaller one) could work too, but I found that what was really keeping it from going further wasn't the washer, it was the post on the top of the playfield. Even though there is more play in the slot below the playfield, it even if there were no nuts in the way, it doesn't go over any further due to the ball guide hitting the post on the top of the playfield.

See below.

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I think my issue is trajectory moreso than strength. Unless even with the ball guide directing the ball somehow the position of the plunger can change the ball trajectory.

Maybe I will try that as well. It really seems the limiting factor of that adjustment is the edge of the post topside more so than its corresponding nut bottomside.

Maybe it needs to be shaved up top. Even still once that's done, there isn't a whole lot of play between the ball guide and the door of the passive ball stop.

Of course that will involve removing that whole right ramp to get at, not looking forward to that.

This all seems more like a design issue than an adjustment issue. It shouldn't be this hard to get the ball aimed to where it is supposed to be going.

What I am referring to in this post is visible in the last picture I posted just above.

I also emailed PLD, not sure if he will respond, but figured its worth a shot.

What I find somewhat telling is that the Pinball Arcade version suffers from this same issue.

I am trying to get another one of these ball guides from Stern to shave down. so that it can fit better.

Haha... talk about a part tease. I thought I was getting somewhere with them and it just fell flat.

Me : Hi there, I am taking a long shot here. I am looking for a metal ball guide for the shooter lane of a Ripley's Believe it or Not. Any chance you guys have one lying around in an old pile of parts? I didn't see this for sale on any 3rd party websites. This is the ball guide that is adjustable under the playfield. Thank you!

Stern : Hi Richard,
Do you have the rail part number? Look on page 65 in your manual. I not sure which one you want
Best regards

Me : Hello, this is the part number
#27 Metal Rail #1 Shooter Lane Right 535-9319-00

Stern : Hi Richard,
Sorry but we don’t have these. Maybe you can repair the old one.

I was hoping to have an extra to experiment on...

So.... I trimmed the tab that was hitting the post so it could go over further. Sadly now in that position, when shooting the ball it gets stuck in the shooter lane due to the space between the sides closing in too much.

I just put it back in the complete opposite direction for the moment so now the full plunge most of the time goes to the temple code mix up lane instead. It's not perfect, but it will do for the moment until I figure out how the heck to make this work how it's supposed to.

Maybe the guide rail can be bent a little bit before the 45 degree turn to keep the spacing open enough to allow the ball through. Not sure. I just didn't feel like taking it all apart again yesterday.