(Topic ID: 194873)

Slingshots a little sloppy

By phillyfan64

6 years ago


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#1 6 years ago

Is there a trick to improve how much 'zip' slingshots have? On my Mata Hari I think the slingshots could be stronger. If the ball hits dead center on the slingshots, they work pretty well. If the ball hits off center on the slingshots, they seem kind of weak and sloppy to me. I've played plenty of other games where the slingshots were much better. They seemed tighter and had more punch. I've replaced the rubber. I do have the correct 2 1/2" size on there. I've cleaned the coil plungers and replaced the sleeves. I've adjusted the leaf switch blades but the switches look like they've seen better days. Would replaced the switches help? Any other suggestions? Thanks.

#2 6 years ago

New switches wouldn't hurt if yours are all bent to heck.

Try and get them flat and straight. Front long one just resting on the rubber ring. Not away from it, not pushing it. The shorter rear one should be close enough so the slightest ball hit triggers it, yet vibration doesn't.

I'd try and fix them up better before replacing.

LTG : )

#3 6 years ago
Quoted from LTG:

New switches wouldn't hurt if yours are all bent to heck.
Try and get them flat and straight. Front long one just resting on the rubber ring. Not away from it, not pushing it. The shorter rear one should be close enough so the slightest ball hit triggers it, yet vibration doesn't.
I'd try and fix them up better before replacing.
LTG : )

Thanks LTG. I just tried adjusting them. I definitely had the longer blade too far forward. They might be a little better. The blades have been bent up quite a bit. There's seems to be a fine line between a slight trigger and having it machine gun. I do have new switches that I bought a while back. I never put them on because I think the longer blade is a little shorter than the original switches. Not sure how well they will work.

#4 6 years ago

I'm getting quite a bit of machine gunning. I think the blades are just worn out and have too much play in them. I think I'm going to replace the switches.

#5 6 years ago
Quoted from phillyfan64:

I'm getting quite a bit of machine gunning. I think the blades are just worn out and have too much play in them. I think I'm going to replace the switches.

Are they playing faster though ? If they are, then "machine gunning" means your close. Just slightly tweak them and try again. You want them as sensitive as possible without the machine gunning.

#6 6 years ago
Quoted from SUPERBEE:

Are they playing faster though ? If they are, then "machine gunning" means your close. Just slightly tweak them and try again. You want them as sensitive as possible without the machine gunning.

They did seem a little better. I should mention that I had added capacitors a few months ago because it seemed like they were "missing' quite a bit. The capacitors definitely seemed to fix that issue but can they be the cause of the machine gunning? I opened the contacts up quite a bit and they are still machine gunning.

#7 6 years ago
Quoted from phillyfan64:

Is there a trick to improve how much 'zip' slingshots have? On my Mata Hari I think the slingshots could be stronger. If the ball hits dead center on the slingshots, they work pretty well. If the ball hits off center on the slingshots, they seem kind of weak and sloppy to me.

How sloppy is the pivot on the sling arm? Those can get very loose and have a lot of side slop in them, reducing the strength and accuracy of the sling action on the ball.

Alan

#8 6 years ago
Quoted from P2K:

How sloppy is the pivot on the sling arm? Those can get very loose and have a lot of side slop in them, reducing the strength and accuracy of the sling action on the ball.
Alan

I'll have to check that tonight but you may be on to something. I know that when it hits in the center it sounds like a good clean tight hit. But when it hits off center it sounds like more of a thud if that makes sense. I have not tried to replace the pivot arm. I did try replacing the plunger and link but it seems the new links are thicker. Maybe too thick because when I put the clips on, it seemed to bind up the plunger a little. I put the old plunger and links back on. But I do have new sleeves.

#9 6 years ago

Binding plungers will certainly affect the kick.
The machine gunning isn't always attributed to the contacts being to close. Make sure the outer leaf of the switch is tight against the rubber and then adjust the gap from there. If the outer leaf is not tight against the rubber, it can "bounce back and forth against the other leaf causing the machine gunning.

#10 6 years ago
Quoted from phillyfan64:

They did seem a little better. I should mention that I had added capacitors a few months ago because it seemed like they were "missing' quite a bit. The capacitors definitely seemed to fix that issue but can they be the cause of the machine gunning? I opened the contacts up quite a bit and they are still machine gunning.

Not sure, but I think Bally slings never have caps on the switches.

#11 6 years ago
Quoted from jj44114:

Not sure, but I think Bally slings never have caps on the switches.

I don't think they did. I've read two schools of thought on them. They definitely helped missed scoring on my pop bumpers. I was having the same problems with the slingshots so I added them. Definitely helped.

#12 6 years ago
Quoted from SUPERBEE:

Binding plungers will certainly affect the kick.
The machine gunning isn't always attributed to the contacts being to close. Make sure the outer leaf of the switch is tight against the rubber and then adjust the gap from there. If the outer leaf is not tight against the rubber, it can "bounce back and forth against the other leaf causing the machine gunning.

I will try readjusting them. I probably should have just left them alone but after recently playing an Eight Ball Deluxe with really powerful slingshots I thought I could make mine better.

#13 6 years ago
Quoted from P2K:

How sloppy is the pivot on the sling arm? Those can get very loose and have a lot of side slop in them, reducing the strength and accuracy of the sling action on the ball.
Alan

I checked them tonight. They seem pretty loose. I may order some new ones. I did get the machine gunning to settle down for the most part.

#14 6 years ago

vid1900 posted this picture on another thread about slingshots causing the ball to hit the glass due to a loose pivot arm. This assembly is out of stock everywhere. Would this work in it's place?

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1821
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=2830

cd19de8e686f69c3c94e1b2a349f694ba5130868 (resized).jpgcd19de8e686f69c3c94e1b2a349f694ba5130868 (resized).jpg

#15 6 years ago

You can swap a Williams sling for Bally.

The williams is reinforced at the pivot, so it will last much longer than your ever-expanding Bally joint.

The Williams mounting holes into the playfield are slightly different, so make sure that when you mount the new one, that the arm is not hitting the playfield when extended (like a MMr).

You can put a drop of white glue in the old holes, then tap in a bamboo sheshKbob skewer. Cut off excess with your wire cutters. Don't wait for glue to dry, just drill your new holes and go.

#16 6 years ago
Quoted from phillyfan64:

vid1900 posted this picture on another thread about slingshots causing the ball to hit the glass due to a loose pivot arm. This assembly is out of stock everywhere. Would this work in it's place?
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1821
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=2830

Yes, it should work if carefully located on the playfield so there's no binding or over extension of the arm.

The problem with the original Bally arm is it's pressed together with a giant rivet. After heavy use, the hole in the arm becomes egg shaped and is sloppy. If a person could find an appropriate sized shoulder screw, you could drill out the old rivet and replace it with a shoulder screw and nylock nut to repair the arm assembly.

#17 6 years ago

Thanks for the info guys. Today I just finished replacing all 4 leaf switches on the sling shots. Doesn't really help the sluggishness but the machine gunning is stopped. I did not reinstall the capacitors. With the new blades I don't think I will need them. The old switches were really bent up so I'm glad I changed them out. Anyway maybe I am expecting too much and this is how the slingshots are on 70's Bally games. It's just I've played games with much better slings. I will look into the Williams slings.

#18 6 years ago

Just pull out the slingshot mechs and examine them.

There should be no play (side to side motion) as you move the arm through it's range of motion.

The arm should freely move, and not be gummy.

If the arm is gummy, soak it in Turpentine for a half hour until all the grease dissolves.

Re-oil the pivot point with 1/2 a drop of Zoom Oil. Wipe off ALL excess oil.

(this is one of the few things we oil in a pinball game).

#19 6 years ago
Quoted from vid1900:

Just pull out the slingshot mechs and examine them.
There should be no play (side to side motion) as you move the arm through it's range of motion.
The arm should freely move, and not be gummy.
If the arm is gummy, soak it in Turpentine for a half hour until all the grease dissolves.
Re-oil the pivot point with 1/2 a drop of Zoom Oil. Wipe off ALL excess oil.
(this is one of the few things we oil in a pinball game).

Thanks. I just took it apart. Doesn't seem gummy. Moves freely but there's definitely some side to side movement. I just ordered the Williams parts.

#20 6 years ago

Slings missing a few scores here and there even with the new switches. That's why I had added the caps on the old switches. I don't want to add them here. Hopefully the tighter sling arms will make the scoring register better.

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