(Topic ID: 61509)

Rebuilt my first set of flippers last night!

By Switch

10 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 14 posts
  • 9 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 10 years ago by Baiter
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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    #1 10 years ago

    Holy cow! Completely rebuilt all three flippers in my high speed following all your guys advice from my other thread and wow what a difference. Even though I only had time to play about two games on it last night I could instantly tell a difference. I was able to make consistent shots, post passing was insanely better (I was actually able to do it), just overall changed the entire way the game played. Can't wait for my other parts to arrive so I can freshen up the JP. For anyone else new to this hobby rebuild your flippers. It seems to me the single best thing you can do to drastically improve the way a game plays.

    #2 10 years ago

    Nice job doing the rebuild. I'm about to do one of the JP's I just picked up - I'm going to try using the Williams parts on it to see how it goes (I think on the Wiki or in Clay's guide I recall reading that the feel of the flippers is different with the WMS parts and minor adjustments are needed).

    My first flipper rebuild didn't go so well. Gottlieb Torch. I didn't know anything about anything. I didn't know what an EOS was for. Did a nice job melting the coil sleeve around the plunger so it wouldn't move any more. Nice learning experience for me!

    #3 10 years ago

    Nothing better than rebuilt flippers!

    #4 10 years ago

    Excellent. I agree that ever game should have fresh rebuilt flippers to play at it's best.

    When you do the JP flippers keep in mind the EOS switches in DE are:

    1. Normally Closed (unlike B/W fliptronics which are NO); the HS EOS are NC as well
    2. Low-power signal switches
    3. The upper right flipper has no EOS at all

    Also consider replacing the cabinet flipper button switches on HS as well - they are tungsten-contact leaf switches that carry the full flipper current through them, and are an important part of a clean circuit.

    Good job.

    RussMyers

    Quoted from Switch:

    Holy cow! Completely rebuilt all three flippers in my High Speed following all your guys advice from my other thread and wow what a difference. Even though I only had time to play about two games on it last night I could instantly tell a difference. I was able to make consistent shots, post passing was insanely better (I was actually able to do it), just overall changed the entire way the game played. Can't wait for my other parts to arrive so I can freshen up the JP. For anyone else new to this hobby rebuild your flippers. It seems to me the single best thing you can do to drastically improve the way a game plays.

    #5 10 years ago

    I personally prefer to use the DE parts on DE games, but the B/W parts will work and are much cheaper.

    Keep in mind that the DE flipper plates require the DE nylon flipper bushings (B/W ones won't work) and the coil stops have a different size and threading to mount to the plates, IIRC.

    RM

    Quoted from rad:

    Nice job doing the rebuild. I'm about to do one of the JP's I just picked up - I'm going to try using the Williams parts on it to see how it goes (I think on the Wiki or in Clay's guide I recall reading that the feel of the flippers is different with the WMS parts and minor adjustments are needed).
    My first flipper rebuild didn't go so well. Gottlieb Torch. I didn't know anything about anything. I didn't know what an EOS was for. Did a nice job melting the coil sleeve around the plunger so it wouldn't move any more. Nice learning experience for me!

    #6 10 years ago

    Switch...I was thinking of rebuilding the flippers on my WCS but am a bit nervous to tackle that job. How long did it take you to rebuild yours?

    What resources did you use to learn how to do it? Were there videos?

    Congrats on getting it done.

    Ed

    #7 10 years ago

    Russ - thanks for the tips/insights.

    Quoted from RussMyers:

    I personally prefer to use the DE parts on DE games, but the B/W parts will work and are much cheaper.
    Keep in mind that the DE flipper plates require the DE nylon flipper bushings (B/W ones won't work) and the coil stops have a different size and threading to mount to the plates, IIRC.
    RM

    #8 10 years ago
    Quoted from eharan:

    Switch...I was thinking of rebuilding the flippers on my WCS but am a bit nervous to tackle that job. How long did it take you to rebuild yours?
    What resources did you use to learn how to do it? Were there videos?
    Congrats on getting it done.
    Ed

    Read all of:

    VID's Guide to Upgrading/Rebuilding Flippers
    http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-upgradingrebuilding-flippers

    RussMyers

    #9 10 years ago

    There are youtube vids too.

    RM

    #10 10 years ago

    Thanks Russ...great resources.

    I look forward to trying it out!

    #11 10 years ago

    I'm possibly picking up a heavily routed System 11 this weekend (how routed? The flippers are different colors and shapes) and I don't even need to see it to know a flipper rebuild is gonna be first on my list. Haven't done it before, looking forward to getting my hands dirty.

    #12 10 years ago

    I told you to do that a month ago when I delivered the game!

    #13 10 years ago

    Good job. Your game is happier. And you learned more about it should anything else come up.

    LTG : )

    #14 10 years ago

    Half of all pins I've played suffer from weak flippers.

    I've found it's rare to need to do any more than replace the coil sleeve and clean the grime. Throw the whole assembled mechanism into an ultrasonic cleaner with a 50/50 water and Krud Kutter mix and the whole effort is 10 minutes per flipper. It's the same result as a new mech (WAY more expensive), or even disassembling and cleaning by hand (takes time but it's not bad). They key is to get rid of every spec of dirt, oil, and grease, leaving no residue.

    The flat plastic elbow is the only other part that might need replacement, but it takes many years of play for that part to wear to the point where it restricts movement.

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