(Topic ID: 90719)

Club RBION: The Strange, the unusual, the bizarre!

By chadderack

9 years ago


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plastics needed.pdf (PDF preview)

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#927 3 years ago

I am a bit late to the game, but none-the-less looking forward to joining the club and having a RBION machine! From the pictures I see of the machine I have locked in, it is in pristine condition, flaps, playfield ramps, cabinet, etc. Should be arriving in 12-14 days or so. Has the pyramid mod, but not much else added. I suspect a ColorDMD/Pin2DMD is the first MUST HAVE in my future. (ColorDMD because it's so easy to put in, but it's expensive. Is Pin2DMD still so complicated to install?)

More to follow...

#929 3 years ago
Quoted from timlah79:

Welcome to the RBION club, markharris2000 ! I just picked one up last month from a great seller in OR. You reminded me that I should add some pics and details. The one I bought has not always been HUO only but it has been well taken care of. Has a few minor dings on the outside cabinet but the playfield, mechanics and electronics are pristine. Looking forward to seeing yours!
Mods:
Temples by Basement Arcade
Bigfoot Sign by Basement Arcade
Green powder-coated wireforms
Tiki Idol Mod with LED eyes
ColorDMD
Speaker lights
Speaker acrylics
Welded Scoop
Cliffy Scoop Protector
Cliffy Ball Eject Protector
Backglass Shrunken Head LEDs
LED Strip for Backbox
All LED Bulbs including extra light strips
New Parts (all of which were only replaced as precautionary measures as I'm told):
Vari-target solenoid, head magnet, head and idol optos, display power board, all rubbers and the hole cliffy, all of the radial capacitors on the power board, as well as the display ribbon cable, keyed lock with thumb turn (functional keyed lock included).[quoted image][quoted image]

Too funny. Same game club again! Not much we can do with the software on this one, but the machine is quite amazing as it sits. That said, pinsound is a $350 update that lets us change the audio callouts as desired. Worth $350??? Not sure yet.

#934 3 years ago
Quoted from RonaldRayGun:

Where did you get the apron cards from?

I just had Fedex print those same apron cards on thicker, waterproof stock, about $2 per page. I have the PDF files on my other PC if anyone wants them... just PM me to remind me to post them here.

#935 3 years ago
Quoted from pintuck:

I put a Pinsound Plus in my RBION a while back and after about a week, took it out and put it back to original.
The downloadable OST orchestration is mostly ok, but I found some missing audio chunk pieces and sync issues.
I would only use it if you intend changing things like the annoying baby-ish sound effects and voice calls coming from the idol, otherwise study the OST and fill in the blanks or don't bother. In the end, I lost interest in trying to re-compose the effects and voice calls in Pinsound studio.

I was thinking the same thing... only if I was willing to take the available OST and edit/modify/insert significant new content would it be worth it. Pinsound guys have the OST on their site, which would be the starting point, but the only way $350 spend is worth it is if I have another 100 hours to edit/update the OST, by finding, and ripping and tweaking other Ripley's vintage content.

#936 3 years ago
Quoted from timlah79:

Welcome to the RBION club, markharris2000 ! I just picked one up last month from a great seller in OR. You reminded me that I should add some pics and details. The one I bought has not always been HUO only but it has been well taken care of. Has a few minor dings on the outside cabinet but the playfield, mechanics and electronics are pristine. Looking forward to seeing yours!
Mods:
Temples by Basement Arcade
Bigfoot Sign by Basement Arcade
Green powder-coated wireforms
Tiki Idol Mod with LED eyes
ColorDMD
Speaker lights
Speaker acrylics
Welded Scoop
Cliffy Scoop Protector
Cliffy Ball Eject Protector
Backglass Shrunken Head LEDs
LED Strip for Backbox
All LED Bulbs including extra light strips
New Parts (all of which were only replaced as precautionary measures as I'm told):
Vari-target solenoid, head magnet, head and idol optos, display power board, all rubbers and the hole cliffy, all of the radial capacitors on the power board, as well as the display ribbon cable, keyed lock with thumb turn (functional keyed lock included).[quoted image][quoted image]

The red flippers, green wire ramps and yellow backbox t-molding are killer. Nice machine!

#938 3 years ago
Quoted from CoolCatPinball:

I'd pay for a nice set of apron cards. I've had my Ripleys for years and never got around to the cards. I'm terrible at computer stuff, so I'd happily pay someone.

Tomorrow, let me post the PDF's and you can simply send the two files over to FEDEX locally. I will give the ordering information for their waterproof stock.

Also, MarcoSpec has the clear "ACETATE INSTRUCTION/SCORE CARD COVER 3 X 5-1/2 INCH", CC-75X140 for 99-cents each, next time you place an order

#944 3 years ago

Here are some apron cards for RBION which came from Stern, MrTantrum and PinballBoy. The printing should be done at 5-inches wide and 3.5 inches tall. In the USA, Marco has the acetate clear covering for less than a buck. FEDEXoffice can print the cards for about a dollar a page, on either thick waterproof stock or even thicker 110pound card stock.

RipleysBelieveItOrNotV1 (resized).jpgRipleysBelieveItOrNotV1 (resized).jpgStern_2004_Ripley_s_Believe_It_or_Not_Instruction_Cards_Multi_Language_.pdfStern_2004_Ripley_s_Believe_It_or_Not_Instruction_Cards_Multi_Language_.pdfripleys-01-fixed (resized).jpgripleys-01-fixed (resized).jpg

3 weeks later
#954 3 years ago
Quoted from dantebean:New to Ripley's club and entered back into pinball collecting. Sold all my arcade and pinball machines about 5 years ago to put a nice down payment on a nice house. This Ripley has modded interactive translite LEDs, Color DMD, idol toy, shaker motor, and full led lights. Currently having problems with head optos and may need replaced but other then that, I think I have it where I want it. So glad to be back.
[quoted image]

I am relatively new to RBION club as well, but now have had my hands inside the machine for awhile and know it fluently. Sounds like you have the Pinsound Motion-Control and shaker installed. How does it feel?

Also:
1) check your firmware version as a bunch of changes were still being made all the way up to the last/latest version 3.20 (Which displays on the pyramid at power-up). If you don't have the latest, get it from Matt Morin at Mattsbasementarcade.com
2) check the hold-down bracket of the ball-lock kicker coil near the shooter lane. That comes loose sometimes and is so difficult to replace, it often gets left loose and rattling around. If the bracket is missing the two screws, they are #8 in size and 1/4-inch long. Philips head with a lock washer. Install from underside of playfield, using patience and a magnetic head screwdriver!
3) confirm that switch 41-43 (optos) are generating the right codes as the vari target is depressed. The codes can be found in the manual in Sect 3, chp 2, page 28. You can adjust to assure it steps properly through 2,3,4,5,6 and doesn't lock for position 1 or 7.
4) Take a look under your shrunken head at the magnet post. If badly mushroomed, you have a bigger job ahead of you. if slightly mushroomed, I recommend getting a new post from Marco and replace it NOW! ($13 or so). See page 84 in the manual for a picture and the ordering part number of the post
5) Consider fixing the bulb inside the shrunken head. It usually never gets replaced and is likely burned out. See page 95 for info how to remove the head to replace the bulb. It takes a RED #906 bulb.
6) Check the scoop welds. Look inside the curved part of the scoop and make sure the welds are still solid. If you need a new scoop Mantis sells an updated version.
7) Consider the pyramid temple mod. It's steep at $135, but it changes the whole look of the machine for the theme better. https://backalleycreations.com/collections/ripleys-believe-it-or-not-pinball-mods/products/ripleys-temple-mod-both-temples

Enjoy!!!

#962 3 years ago

Next week I am going to take on replacing a badly mushroomed shrunken head magnetic post. Will pull it from the top. I am going to use the heat method, with a narrow flame propane torch to heat it quickly and to a higher temperature. I also ordered a 1-1/8" wrench socket to get the nut off. My plan is to get a nail-puller from harbor freight and grind the end to snug fit the slot in the end of the post, and then again using the torch heat the post and bracket threads and hopefully screw it out. I have also ordered a new post and bracket from Marco since the threads will have residue of the threadloc and I am sure will cause the same problem down the road. (I have an extra magnetic coil on hand in case the heat deforms/melts the old one). Stay tuned ...

#966 3 years ago

I got a machine in a few weeks ago and it had a bunch of "Tech" alerts at powerup. This was odd since everything seemed to be working, and when I looked into the individual items, each of them were fine. Then I noticed that the game was running 3.00! A little research and found that the latest code was 3.20 and one of the major fixes in the release notes was Alert monitoring was fixed... Seemed like a match made in heaven. Matt Morin Basement Arcade sent me a set of chips and I installed in less than 5 minutes. Rebooted, clean bill of health!!!!

The only issue I see now is the behaviour of the shrunken head magnet seems to have changed. It now feels weaker. Using 3.00 code, it used to throw the ball upward everytime. In the new 3.20 I see it basically just lets go of the ball. Anyone know which beviour is correct or is this adjustable? (I didn't find a setting for it)

#971 3 years ago
Quoted from Stebel:

Follow up on ball plunging.
Tried installing a red spring, it just felt way too stiff. There was zero bounce from the shooter, just a thud.
Then I noticed the plunger tip was no where near hitting the center of the ball. In fact it was rubbing the auto launch mech. After pushing playfield hard to one side and moving the shooter housing as much as possible. The tip was no where near the center of the ball.
2 options, shim the shooter housing or enlarger the hole in the cabinet.
I choose to enlarge the hole in the cabinet. Burr on the end of the drill did the trick. Now the plunger tip hits the center of the ball. Can easily plunger the top rollovers consistently and on a good snappy plunge the ball can loop all the way around to the upper flipper. My slope is 6.5 degrees.
[quoted image][quoted image]

Also remember that the playfield can be (mis-)aligned slightly when lowering it, left to right within the cabinet. That playfield alignment will also affect the dead-center focus of the plunger tip.

#973 3 years ago
Quoted from Stebel:

If I jam the playfield hard to one side or the other I am still pretty centered on the ball. No rub on the auto launch mech. There is a centering clip mounted on the side of the cabinet. It pretty much takes away any misalignment when lowering.

That's great. My machine has just a hint of play side to side.

#977 3 years ago
Quoted from timlah79:

markharris2000 Could this be directly related to the whole plunger nor auto redirecting the ball unexpectedly/not up the intended spinner loop? I'll have to see if my PF has the "give" described here. I will say that when I looked the other day, the manual plunger was hugging the left side of the auto arm. Unsure if its always been that way.

Treat the manual and auto plungers separately, and start with the manual. Do whatever it takes to adjust the mount or the playfield to allow the very tip of the plunger to contact the very center of the ball when it is sitting at rest in the shooter lane. Remember the tip itself is sometimes installed crooked, the playfield *may* have some play left to right, and the mount may have been loosened and reinstalled for a number of reasons and now is affecting dead-center. Once the manual plunger is confirmed to hit properly, it's onto the auto, and that usually starts with a check to see if the two forks are touching the ball at rest. People tend to simply bend the metal forks ever so slightly to assure they both touch at the same time. Start there, then it's onto the ball guide curves if the exit from the shooter lane still hits the upper left post. (I am adjusting that bend/exit this week myself).

#978 3 years ago

A set of apron cards I made up this afternoon

ripley's cards.pdfripley's cards.pdf
#980 3 years ago
Quoted from Markharris2000:

A set of apron cards I made up this afternoon
[quoted image]

This has become addictive. New cards, light and dark. Better FONT for all

ripley's cards-FREEPLAY.pdfripley's cards-FREEPLAY.pdfripley's cards-RULES.pdfripley's cards-RULES.pdf
#982 3 years ago

Yesterday I replaced the shrunken head magnet. It had been mushroomed quite badly, but ironically, the playfield around it was pristine! So to preserve the playfield, I had to get the post out from the top. After searching a bunch of similar posts on various machines with playfield magnets, I realized that the biggest challenge was finding the right tool to be used as a huge screwdriver for the slot in the post. I also ordered a replacement post, just in case.

Enter Harbor Freight Pry Bar Item #60681. $4 steel bar, which could be ground down in 5 minutes to fit the slot perfectly, and with a 15-16 inch swing, enough leverage to break any threadloc or other grime with ease. I used a bench-top grinder and flattened and squared the forks. When ready, I applied some heat to the metal magnet post and bracket using a flexible butane candle lighter. I warmed it so that it was hot to the touch, but did not burn my finger doing so. Then I inserted the prybar that I have ground down into the post slot and slowly nudged the bar clockwise. It started to unscrew after pressure was applied for a few seconds. And once it started, getting it out from the top was short work. I decided to use the new post since I had it in my hand, but also took the old post and ground it on the bench grinder to make it flat and perfect again for the next swap.

Let me emphasize that grinding the prybar to fit the post slot perfectly was the KEY to this whole process! When I was done, the bar was snug and had no play or wobble. The grinding took me 5 minutes and was made easier by having my replacement post in my hand as I used the grinder to keep checking the fit.

IMG_1547 (resized).jpgIMG_1547 (resized).jpgIMG_1548 (resized).jpgIMG_1548 (resized).jpg

1 week later
#984 3 years ago

I am looking for someone that has the installation instructions for the Back Alley TEMPLE MOD kit. For some reason the large temple pyramid in the back left corner is unattached on the left side. Seems wrong. I don't know who installed it, but it seems wrong or missing a fastener. I would like to take a look at the instructions before I dig in too far. Any have them they could send me via PDF?

#987 3 years ago
Quoted from oldskool1969:

The one game I really regret selling and I am so envious of you all
This is truly THE BEST GAME EVER!

I looked for most of 2020 to find a pristine one. Finally got it from a guy in Kansas a few months ago. It’s another Lawlor/Youssi home run for sure!!!

#991 3 years ago

As requested, I made some new variants of the cards including remval of the Free Play text on some of the cards. (I also resized all of them to exactly 2.94" x 5.5" as specified by Stern)

ripley-cards.pdfripley-cards.pdf
#993 3 years ago
Quoted from CoolCatPinball:

I'm also curious about the fix for scratchy sound. Mine has always had that issue.

'Scratchy' sound is hard to diagnose, but the audio section on Whitestar's are mostly bullet-proof... they either work or they don't. See page 133 in the manual. You'll see the speakers are connected to CN4, and there is NOTHING on the board between the amplifer chips U101/U102 and the CN4 connector pins. So that would lead me to think that the speaker(s) or the wiring are at fault. See page 108 for the wiring of the speakers, again CN4, pins 3-4 for the backbox speakers, and 6-7 for the cabinet. Notice the backbox speakers are wired in series using just two wires.

Can you hear sound coming out of each of the two smaller speakers, and the larger cabibet speaker? Where is the 'scratchy' sound coming from?

Lastly, if you mean the buzz/humm when you say 'scratchy', that is an easy R106/R110 fix. R106 is a 10K now, you can easily solder another 10K ACROSS it. And R110 is a 33K now, you can solder another 27K or 33K across it. This essentially halves the values and reduces the AMPlifier gain to about half, reducing the buzz/humm that you hear in the background of everything.

#995 3 years ago
Quoted from Agent_Hero:

The specific diagnosis from a local tech was “the sound circuit needs to be rebuilt” and that it’s common on Whitestar games.
I assumed the yellow wire was bent or something similarly innocuous since it happens infrequently.

Never heard of a sound circuit needing to be "rebuilt". But wiring or the connectors can need to be fixed. It would be really rare for the PCB section to need any work for the sound. Again, chip based amplifiers are usually very binary: They either work or they don't.

Can you describe exactly what you are hearing? From which speaker or speakers? Does it sound all the time, or only when voice or music is playing? Are all three of the speakers producing some kind of sound? How high is your volume set?

#997 3 years ago
Quoted from Agent_Hero:

I'm not sure if any speaker in particular is doing this. It's mostly during the narrator saying clearly "It's time to visit (then muffled/scratchy) North America". Sometimes the shrunken head's dialog will be similarly scratchy. The previous owner kept the volume low, as do I, since lower volume seems to help it be less noticeable. I used to have a TSPP that also had this infrequent issue. I just assumed the flat yellow wires had been pinched from removing and replacing the speaker panel.

Those flat wires are power “grounds” and have little effect on what you are hearing. Are you sure you are getting ANY sound from the back box speakers? I have a hunch you are only hearing the cabinet speaker, which would sound muffled and miss all the crisp sound. See if you hear ANYTHING from the back box speakers. (Put your ear right up to the back box)

1 month later
#1003 2 years ago

Just got a partial set of new plastics for RBION. Most of them appear to be there. These are tough to come by so I grabbed them. I also have a NOS shrunken head!

If you are looking for a piece, drop me a note and we can work something out.

1 week later
#1005 2 years ago
Quoted from timlah79:

Two questions for you RBION owners (see pictures attached):
1. Do you know if this resistor across the back of the sign lamp is stock or is this a modder's work? I bought the game second hand and the person who sold it do me doesn't know either.
2. Has anyone successfully installed a scoop LED? I got the one mezel mods sells (it's a tiny little PCB with an LED mounted on it). I cannot figure out a proper placement that doesn't interfere with the scoop or its switches and actually stays attached. Appreciate any photos if you've installed one.
[quoted image] [quoted image]

Tim, I think the part on the lamp socket is a DIODE ( not a resistor ) and it’s supposed to be there.

#1010 2 years ago

I have a brand new old stock SHRUNKEN HEAD for RBION if anyone is looking. These are like hens teeth to find, and rarely get damaged, but if yours is damaged, here is a brand new one I will sell... PM me.

#1020 2 years ago
Quoted from isJ:

Just joined the club. Have an LED'd game that has terrible flickering and ghosting. Debating LED OCD or just going back to incandescents. Anyone have a great results with one versus the other?

RBION has a vintage feel to it, just like Funhouse, so I left both of these games with tradition incandescent bulbs. To me, it just feels more aligned with the theme.

1 week later
#1050 2 years ago
Quoted from RonaldRayGun:

You can get the latest 3.20 ROM here:
https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/EPROM2162
CPU Release Version 3.20
Changes from CPU V3.10
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- Fixed lock and eject devices to work properly with the Coil Power
setting.
CPU Release Version 3.10
Changes from CPU v3.02
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- Modified Flipper EOS timing to be compatible with newer games.
- Improved broken Shrunken Head compensation.
- Improvements to ToPS tournament system.
- Removed erroneous broken switch messages from Tech Alert.
CPU Release Version 3.02
Changes from CPU v3.01
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- New flipper drivers to increase flipper coil longevity. This was
not a problem with Ripley but was done to be consistent with other
Stern software releases.
- Fixed false broken switch reports on some switches
- Improved compensation for a broken left ramp or left ramp make switch
- Improved rules for Idol to keep the idol lit longer after pops
- Added code to pop bumpers to prevent the looping ball situation on
early production games.
- Fixed "Idol worth 1 million" bug in South America mode.
- Fixed bug when Feature Adjustment #13 was set too high
- Improved speech and lamp effects in some places
- Fixed some speech conflicts at the end of continent modes
CPU Release Version 3.01
Changes from CPU v3.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- More improvements to Bump 'n' Win score selection.
- Fixed some Bozo choreography that was confusing.
- Fixed some screens in Instant Info to show proper information.
- Made some improvements to playfield lamp effects
- Fixed Temple LEDs to show attract mode properly at game over
- Made specials stack on outlanes when more than 2 are lit
CPU Release Version 3.00
Changes from CPU v2.04
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- Modified Bump 'n' Win score computation to be in the correct
range given current tournament scores. Also improved selection
logic to make the game more appealing to casual players.
- Fixed pulse handling for $5 bill acceptors
- Added more extended features for expert players.
- Fixed TEAM SCORES display for 4 players
- Fixed extra ball scoring display for tournament play.
- Some improvements to display and sound choreography.
- More improvements to broken magnet and idol compensation.
CPU Release Version 2.04
Changes from CPU v2.03
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- Fixed ticket dispensing for Chuck E. Cheese games.
- More improvement to broken magnet compensation.
- Made idol extra ball slightly easier to get.
- Lowered range of possible Bump 'n' Win scores
CPU Release Version 2.03
Changes from CPU v2.01
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- Improved compensation for broken Shrunken Head and Idol devices
- Fixed glitch in score auditing table
- Added broken device reporting for the scoop and VUK
- Slight choreography improvements
- Fixed outlane sounds in multiball
CPU Release Version 2.01
Changes from CPU v2.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- Changed points for EB/Special given in tournament
- Fixed ticket dispenser operation
- Fixed jackpot scoring in ripoff
- Fixed locks to handle missing balls properly in tilt situations
- Fixed ? award to correctly reset itself after award
- Fixed million plus to avoid abuse in mulitball
- Fixed choreography at multiball start to sync video/sound
- Fixed eb/special calls for tournament play points
- Fixed some main Multiball jackpot choreography
CPU Release Version 2.00
Changes from CPU v1.01
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- Improved lamp displays, especially around temple awards
- Added time-delayed clear kick from lock at game over
- Major improvements to the final mode, Atlantis.
- Added some overload protection to the idol magnet
- Made ramp rollunder switches more sensitive
- Fixed some Believe It Or Not! award choreography
CPU Release Version 1.01
Changes from CPU v1.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- Fixed diagnostics, especially sound and knocker test
- Improved game speech in many places.
- Fixed "go backwards" in Australia and South America
- Left orbit now lights the temple gate
- Fixed lockup to handle balls that arrive during quick
multiballs.
- Adjusted mode goals slightly.
- Fixed "spinners at max" award from Bozo.
- Added DOUBLE JACKPOTS to some Believe It Or Not! awards
- Fixed status report
- Some improvments to display choreography and sequencing.

My machine was running v3.01 cpu and was reporting half a dozen broken switches. Must have been doing that broken report for 15 years! Yikes. Quick fix... $10 at Matt’s Basement arcade and the V3.20 cpu cleared that all up.!!!

Easy to justify getting the new chip

1 week later
#1056 2 years ago

Just putting this authentic, new/unused NOS RBION Shrunken Head on the classified ads today. $90 + shipping in USA. PM me if interested.

RBION-Shrunken-Head (resized).jpgRBION-Shrunken-Head (resized).jpg

2 weeks later
#1067 2 years ago
Quoted from Black_Knight:

Thanks!
So I'm going with 2 of those and 2 1/2 inch hex spacers with 6-32 thread on top for the lower pieces.[quoted image]

Looks like the post itself is part #14 to me...

#1072 2 years ago

Marco sells the upgrade kit from Stern if your machine is missing the 'new and improved' guide. It's like $6 and is just a tiny piece of stainless steel that fixes that gap.

#1075 2 years ago
Quoted from Mikedenton49:

Hey guys, away from the game but need to solve an issue.
Will someone snap a shot of the area behind the vari target for me? Have an issue where something wasn't put back together correctly as the ball likes to find its way into the target area from behind and getting stuck. Appreciate it.

You can buy the 'fix' mentioned in the service bulletin here:
https://www.marcospecialties.com/control/keywordsearch?SEARCH_STRING=535-9468-00

2 weeks later
#1094 2 years ago
Quoted from Pinkitten:

Clever! I might try something like that. You might want to consider some standup target supports for your tombstone targets. Some tend to lean. There are different versions. Pinball Life has these...
[quoted image]

I swapped all mine and they work perfect!!!! Highly recommend these...

2 months later
#1113 2 years ago

Cleaning out my workbench yesterday and was reminded I purchased a complete set of plastics for RBION a year or so ago, and then sold the machine! One or two may have been used, but I have a bunch. If anyone is looking for a specific piece, PM me and we can work something out at my cost.

2 months later
#1128 2 years ago
Quoted from Flipstream:

So I've got a bit of a mystery with my GI circuit, figured I'd ask here to hopefully save a bit of diagnostic time. As soon as I push a flipper button, most of the GIs go out and F27 is blown.
I've seen the PinWiki info about C32 leaking to ground, except opening the coin door doesn't bring the GI circuit back. Replacing F27 gets the GIs working again until I push the flipper button, although the game works fine outside of the GI failure. Has anyone seen this behavior already? Figured I would ask before I start chasing the feed going into F27.

Sounds like a short to me, likely under the playfield, where a wire from the flipper coil is somehow touching a wire from the GI. It's a tedious investigation, but if you follow everything associated with the flipper coils, you'll likely find a problem with a GI socket touching something it shouldn't be touching that is part of the flipper wiring, etc.

1 week later
#1134 2 years ago

Reminder... if anyone needs a brand new original shrunken head for their machine, I have one I'd sell for what I paid for it a couple of years ago, $65. One hard piece to find... PM me...

2 months later
#1160 2 years ago
Quoted from ArcadeVideo:

A follow-up on the speaker decal idea. I've designed this one, along with some stickers to put on the the tombstone targets. Send me a DM to let me know you're interested in these and I'll get some printed up!
[quoted image]

It looks amazing! Nice work!!!!!!! I wish I still had my Ripley's machine just so I could buy it in a heartbeat!!!!! Ripley's was a really great machine, but ran out of space.

#1164 2 years ago
Quoted from ArcadeVideo:

Thanks! This is a favourite game for me - I'll consider myself lucky to have another machine good enough to replace it in my collection.

One suggestion: Keep an eye on the magnetic post under the shrunken head. It will mushroom over time. It will bloom so much that it starts damaging the playfield. It's worth checking it and replacing it or grinding the top if you have the grinder. The hardest part is removing the post and nut from the bracket under the playfield. Some of them have been Loctited over the years, which will make this all but impossible to fix if the mushroom on top doesn't fit through the playfield hole. The parts are easy to find if needed.

2 weeks later
#1192 2 years ago
Quoted from PinBallPeteFromSD:

Shadow is nailed down in my garage. I picked up a Ripleys a few weeks ago and am loving it. Hard to play, easy to understand. Its not going anywhere soon.

One thing to check is the post under the shrunken head. It mushrooms over time and at some point, becomes really hard to replace without a hassle. The parts are easy, the swap is also easy if the top of the post still fits through the playfield. If not, PM me for some advise how to fix it…

#1195 2 years ago
Quoted from RTS:

Couldn't a dremel be used to slim the post if it is mushroomed?

Lots of variables when the post has mushroomed. The dremel will tear up your playfield unless you push the post UP through the playfield, which means that the nut below can be loosened, which may have loctite applied, or may not budge due to other grime being embedded in the threads. Once you remove the post and bracket and nut, a bench grinder will fix the top of the post right up if you wish to save the post. So the key is checking your machine and see what your variables are. The loctite on the post and bracket and nut is a tough one if your machine has it. Also, the nut takes a 1-1/8 socket wrench which may not be in your toolbox, and if you apply too much pressure, it will rip out of the playfield before the nut loosens. Ugg. (A little heft may be helpful if that is your situation). Finally, the post has a slot which helps with turning it, but only if loctite free. If not, you may be making a tool to fit snuggly in the slot and has enough heft to allow you to turn it.

Like I said, PM if you run into problems...

6 months later
#1247 1 year ago
Quoted from Dozen:

Really Enjoying my Rbion, got it a few weeks ago. New rubbers, Led ,color dmd ,pinstickers ,tv mod, new rule cards,shooter rod, already had lit buttons and speaker grills , I added the globes, fun game, had some friends over the other night and it was definitely the bell of the ball
[quoted image][quoted image]

BackAlley has the temple mod, a bit pricey, but very, very nice!
https://backalleycreations.com/collections/ripleys-believe-it-or-not-pinball-mods

#1250 1 year ago
Quoted from PlanetExpress:

I”m prepping for a full rebuild of my RBION and thinking a TV mod playing clips of the subjects featured in the game would be neat. What do y’all think about a larger (2.8”) TV being added to RBION?
Here is a mock-up I printed to test the size and placement (I’m thinking over the right ramp):
[quoted image][quoted image]

2.8 might be too big. I played with some 1.5 screens which were a bit too small. Grab a 2.0 or 2.1 if you can find one. That said, the idea is perfect for this machine!

1 month later
#1254 1 year ago
Quoted from RonaldRayGun:

The hole for the upper post (above the rollover lanes) has a ledge that the post rubber gets caught up on. Anyone knows a solution for this?
[quoted image]

That looks like the post bracket might be slightly mis-aligned with the playfield hole. The simple fix is usually to slightly loosen the screws on the underside of the playfield that holds the bracket in place, and then visually align the post more centered in the hole, while tightening the screws back down. In most cases it works without any other hassle. In a few cases, you'd need to drill out the bracket holes a hint bigger to allow you more alignment room.

1 month later
#1267 1 year ago

Sounds like a shorted driver/transistor. There are a number of troubleshooting threads for power board driver issues, but be careful not to burn out your coils while you are trying to find the problem (simply disconnect any that are overheating until you resolve the issue)

1 month later
#1281 1 year ago
Quoted from fuzz:

What is the correct flipper switch for the right side?
I ordered one from Marco using the part number in the manual, however it does not match or work the same way.
Ive attached some photos[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

The manual shows the same part number on Page 63 in the manual, parts:

23A Flipper Switch - Self-Cleaning (Left. Flipper) 1 180-5160-00
23B Flipper Sw. (Rt & Upper) - X2 Stack 180-5164-00

But your part looks wrong....

3 weeks later
#1292 1 year ago
Quoted from bajm:

Just joined the club!
[quoted image]

Three items to check soon:
1. The magnetic post under shrunken head. Usually mushrooms and gets more difficult to replace over time. If yours has mushroomed, a number of comments here on easiest way to fix it.
2. The scoop welds. Hard to detect but makes eject inconsistent. I think Mantis still has replacements if needed.
3. The adjustment of the shooter lane ball guide to assure it hits the left orbit with a solid plunge. The shooter lane ball guide may need adjustment inward if the ball doesnt find the left orbit and there is a nut under the playfield that allows the guide to be adjusted.

#1294 1 year ago

And if want to splurge… ColorDMD for $500 or Pin2dmd for $250.

3 weeks later
#1309 11 months ago
Quoted from DropGems:

K new Ripleys owner here. Noob at diagnosing and repairs. Ball not kicking up to shooter lane all of sudden. No errors etc. Suggestions? Thx!

What is the condition of the magnet post under the shrunken head? If it’s mushroomed it might be a good time to swap it before it causes bigger problems.

1 week later
#1314 11 months ago
Quoted from Evets:

Brought home last. Had some questions but found the answers in this thread. No doubt I’ll have some others for tou in the future.
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

It’s a great machine, enjoy! (Also, The post looks like it may need to be swapped…)

#1319 11 months ago
Quoted from Evets:

Yes, it's on my to do list. It sticks up enough that a ball will occasionally get stuck above it, if the magnet releases the locked ball in just the right way. That said, it only seems to happen in the first or second game after I turn the machine on. Hmm... In any case, it will be replaced or fixed.
I also need to sort out the lighting as it has the No-Ghosting LEDs installed, but I do not like them. Does RBION have fading effects? I'll probably revert the machine to incandescent bulbs, or I'll add the LEDOCD product (and have to change out all the LEDs because the NG variety doesn't work with LEDOCD, apparently).
I am really enjoying this pin, even though it highlights all of my weaknesses as a player. Time to finally practice the basic skills so I can control the ball well enough to complete the tasks in the allotted time.

Also, check the ball guide in the shooter ramp that should send the ball across the playfield (right to left) to pickup and enter the top loop. That shooter lane ball guide can be adjusted a bit (nut underneath) and sometimes when out of adjustment it launches the ball and hits the post next to the loop. When properly adjusted, it should be a clean and smooth path from shooter lane (right to left) to top loop (left to right) in one continuous flow.

#1330 11 months ago
Quoted from Evets:

What they said (magnetized ball). I'm having the same problem, and hoping the new pinballs arrive soon. Took the ball out and a paperclip stuck to it. Also, I had occasional problems with the outhole trough as two balls were sticking together and not moving all the way to the end of the slot and registering.
That said, the top of the magnet in my machine is mushroomed a bit/sits proud of the PF surface, so that + magnetization equals problem. New core going in this weekend, I hope.

There are a couple of notes in this thread about replacing the magnet post core. Since it's mushroomed, you need to remove it from the TOP of the playfield. It may be a bit more difficult that you think at first depending on how it was assembled. Refer to Pg 84 in the manual, and use a box wrench on the nut (item #4) and then a tool of some type (I used a prybar that fit) that fits snuggly in the slot (item #3) in the top of the post. Make sure it fits tight in the slot or you'll struggle with getting leverage. I had to add some heat to the nut since it had some loctite added on some of the machines and the heat (a micro torch) loosened the material.

Also, if you have a bench grinder, you can resurface the top of the post, and add a 45-degres bevel to the diameter, but for my $15, I just bought a new one and put the old one away (resurfaced) as a spare.

#1332 11 months ago
Quoted from Evets:

Thanks. Fortunately, I have plenty of tools on hand, including a 1/2 inch flathead socket (post 1196) and others mentioned in magnet removal solutions, so I'm cautiously optimistic. And, like you, I've simply purchased a new core and will "recondition" the old one as a spare. Thanks for the advice. Fingers crossed.

!!! Be careful not to rip the bracket off the playfield if you use the socket alone!!! The bracket is only held to the playfield with 2 or 3 small #8 hex-head 1/2-inch wood screws like everything else, and you may have to put alot of torque on the socket to get the nut off. (I think the nut takes a 1-1/8" socket).

5 months later
#1391 5 months ago
Quoted from Crabspirits:

[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]The "temples" on this game really bothered me, so with a friend's help, I built some new ones.[quoted image]
[quoted image]

Haven't seen that specific temple mod before. I had the original BackAlley temple cast mod on my machine, but had not seen the temple mod you have. It looks nice. Where did it come from?

2 months later
#1420 3 months ago
Quoted from TheNecromancer:

I wonder if there's enough adjustment to raise enough to file the flared edges down?

Yes, if you remove the post (from the top) you have plenty of extra metal to refinish the surface flat with a beveled edge. I did it a couple of years ago. The hardest part is removing the post from below the playfield since it usually is dry tightened and could take a strong twist to get the post started. The post itself has a slot, so use some tool the fits snuggly in the slot.

#1425 3 months ago
Quoted from TheNecromancer:

Thank you, I'll definitely look into 4 new balls for the game when it arrives.

Thanks for the tip on this, I'm slightly confused as I thought that the post could not be removed from the top side?
I believe I saw a post of yours from some time ago with the flat head socket tool you found at Hobo Freight. I'll be there tomorrow anyways, maybe I'll look for your suggested tool as well incase it comes to that.

The post CAN be removed from the top, and must be if badly mushroomed. Under the playfield, you just have to make sure the post is loosened and can be unscrewed out freely. My post was badly mushroomed, so I had to loosen it and pull it from the top. In my case, the threaded post and the nut had some kind of dried grease or grime of some kind, so I used the HF pry bar to break it free using the post slot and a quick snap. It will be more explanatory once you pull the playfield up and take a look.

1 month later
#1435 71 days ago

I was cleaning out my bench and came across a NOS shrunken head ( Stern Part 880-5081-01 ) still in the box. Never been used. PM me if you are interested. My cost was $65 plus shipping.

1 month later
#1477 22 days ago
Quoted from TheNecromancer:

Made a quick video of my Pin2dmd issue. Hoping someone may have some idea on how this could be. It's beyond my skills to figure out. I guess when you buy a Ripley's you have to anticipate the strange, unusual and bizarre problems that accompany it.

Use the connector in the backbox instead of the cabinet connection. Pin2dmd website has the detailed description (https://pin2dmd.com/hardware/) of where to tap into suitable power for a Whitestar, SAM, SPIKE, etc machines.

#1480 17 days ago
Quoted from TheNecromancer:

Wanted to post a few pics of the game after I've got pretty much everything sorted out. Cabinet and playfield look great. I've added a couple small things, the idol, scoop light, penguin, home made shooter rod and of course the pin2dmd.
Pretty happy with the game so far. [quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

Looks like a perfect time to swap the shrunken head magnetic post. It looks like it’s beginning to mushroom, and it would be easier to replace now than later… I posted some details on how to do so previously

#1486 16 days ago
Quoted from TheNecromancer:

I'll look into that Mark, thanks. Is there a best place to go for the part?

PBL and MARCO both have them. $15 or so... OR if you have a grinder, you can remove, re-surface it, and replace it in like 2 minutes with a bit of practice. (Keep as a spare???)

#1488 15 days ago
Quoted from FLASHBALL:

On my friend's RBION the Idol eye, Shrunken head, and Super jackpot optos all show active in switch test when nothing is blocking the transmitter. I've cleaned them with qtip and rubbing alcohol but can't get the active switch to go away.
Anyone seens this before? Sorry Im not very experienced with how Optos work.

Are you sure the transmitters are working? If they are not working, then the receiver "switch" will show as active. It would be unusual for all three to be out, but anythng is possible depending on the age of the machine. Use a DVM to check that the transmitters are getting power. They are pretty low-tech devices and just need power to be present to generate the beam of light.

#1491 12 days ago
Quoted from FLASHBALL:

So the idol magnet I can clearly see the red light in the insert but putting the ball or my hand in between does nothing during switch test. The other two I cant see anything at all. Someone said something about using your phone camera to try and see the beam?
I'm pretty decent with my DVM so I'll check to see if there's voltage present. Are they 5vdc?

You should see 12v going to the board. Also some opto transmitters use UV light, which is largely invisible to the human eye, but clearly visible to a cell phone camera.

1 week later
#1511 2 days ago

Reminder, I still have a NOS shrunken head if anyone needs one. My cost was $75, and you can have it at cost.

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