Yes you need to remove the connectors carefully from the PCB's. I am not sure you need to cut any zip ties but you will know once inside. If you don't need to cut a tie then don't.

Make sure you label all the connectors and write what you labeled down on a piece of paper so you know exactly what you disconnected, where it goes and you put them ALL back on. A little extra time disconnecting can potentially save you a lot of time when putting it back together.

You can't label the plugs because you won't be getting the same stuff back. I think stern is just sending people all new populated PFs and not swapping Their used stuff over to a new one. All I can think of is to take a pic of the board with all the plugs still plugged in and take a pick of each plug as you pull it off right near where it came at off the board and maybe label it first. I never did a swap on a Stern.

Take lots of pictures. I swapped a TWD playfield last year and it took a while to disconnect all the connectors- I went slow and took pictures. Also there are a few spots in the base cabinet that will need some connectors disconnected too. Its much easier to put in the replacment and it goes a lot quicker imo.

good luck.

Don't you think Stern would send the replacement playfield first and then you send them the old one?

And if he don't send the old one back...???!..........Joey

My understanding was that warranty repairs like this were billed to the distributer and if you didn't send the part back they would be billed. So I was told when stern replaced the CPU on my Metallica.

I'm in the process of a spiderman playfield swap. I got the box already.

The box came with no instructions. Can anyone chime in on how they went about doing the swap.

Did you have to pull all the connectors off all the boards.

There are many connectors in the cabinet and many wires that go directly from the playfield to the back box.

Did you have to cut the cable ties on the black tubes or just include all the wires?

If you have done a SMVE swap and can help let me know.

Thanks Martin