I decided to test my Death Star and this is what happened when the cycle ended. I can't reproduce it manually, just when it goes off. Is there an adjustment screw for this...I looked, but not seeing it. Could also be the tension on the springs...is this adjustable. Light pressure on the top of the left side snaps it back into place.

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Ha! I have over 500 plays, and decided to go into the service menu to see if the Death Star actually worked.

Does anyone know what "Death Star hold power" is in the service menu? Just hoping that has something to do with how wide it opens...thus closing a little stronger and fixing my problem.

Nevermind. That adjustment has fixed the problem. I think my theory was correct, unless someone else knows the real purpose of this setting. Stern manuals really do suck. Oh well, that is just one of many problems that will arise. Not because it's Star Wars, but because it's pinball. Just roll with it.

I had this exact problem. If you push gently on the top of the left piece, does it snap into alignment? If so, and the it comes out of place when you set off the Death Star, I can help. I thought the "Death Star hold power" in the service menu was the answer, but I realized it was still a problem. I resorted to very slightly modifying the Death Star. The left half has the middle jut that should key into the recess on the right half...but it was catching. That's why it wouldn't close. Take a very sharp blade/single sided razor, and shave off the backside of the top of this jut...hard to explain, easy to do. If you look at the top of this area, it's flat...you are gonna shave less than a mm off the back edge...at about a 45 degree angle. There is no part of thi modification that is visible from the front of the Death Star...in essence, you are shaving off the inside edge. It should then slide into place when the 2 halves come together. Hope this helps

You can see some of the shavings that were pushed towards the Death Star body. This is only done on the inside edge...won't be visible from the outside. DS hold power at 100.

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Code .92. Played a couple great games and my fork ramp is stuck up. Power cycle did nothing. In service menu I test the ramp and nothing. I try to switched between 55, 56, 57 and all times I try it "failed". Lifted the playfield and connections look ok...any ideas.

No, premium. But, LE and premium are mechanically identical and there is no premium troubleshooting thread. Guess Metallica is gonna get some love this weekend, and I'll have to call Stern on Monday. It's just dead-in-the-water. not sure if it's a power thing, or not being triggered through a node board...I think that's node 9.

Another question. When in the service menu and you test a node board...it doesn't seem to do anything. I select the node board and then hit the black button. It makes the "boom" sound, but nothing seems to happen. Am I missing something?

Yup. I'm open to all suggestions. Not afraid of most things...but soldering is difficult for me...too shaky.

I have had the ball drain problem before. I think it's the flat pitch and the extreme leveling side to side...seemed the drained ball didn't "drain" against the other balls. On the rare occasion this happens, a little shake fixes the problem.

I tried to move it by hand. It is frozen...won’t move. The soldering bit was just me sharing a general limitation I have when it comes to fixing my pins. Forks are aligned properly and don’t appear to be binding on anything.

Good to know for my problem...and bummer.

Mine has the same small dings. What welds? I think they thought the targets at the edges would protect the ramps. Not sure how to fix this without messing with the target shots.

Just talked to Chaz from Stern. They have been having problems with the fork ramp. They aren't sure if it's the motor or a board, so he is sending me both and I'm gonna send back my old ones so they can troubleshoot it. Awesome service from Stern!

Starting to worry v0.92 is causing something to overload and cause the fork ramp to fail. Anybody have the fork ramp completely fail prior to update?

Forks are very strong...I don't think the ball hitting the forks is a big problem. I had about 700 plays before v.92 and about 10 after when the fork ramp failed,

I'm supposed to be getting replacement board and motor soon...I think I'll wait to install them, as this is looking more and more like a code problem causing a mechanical problem...was that the node 9 board, or the smaller 9D board?

I would trade out the 9D (small power board that runs the fork ramp) before I tried to trade out the fork ramp. I've seen others have luck with swapping just that board out. But, unless they've fixed the code, all the ones I know of have failed a second time.

I can't get home until late. I am one of the lucky with a dead fork ramp. I also saw that you need to leave the game off 1-2 min. after update and making sure all leds in the backbox shut off (not sure if I did this or not). I'm wondering if the board isn't actually dead, just in a state of not being updated completely, thus not working. I was gonna try reinstall 0.92 and be sure to wait 2+ min before turning the machine back on. Then seeing if the fork ramp works (thus, the board being properly updated). Has anyone tried this?

Thanks for the reply. Makes sense. Hope this gets ironed out soon, I miss playing my star wars with the hyperloop.

Got my replacement 9D board and fork motor. Took 1 week. But now I'm afraid to install them until update code.

I disabled the fork ramp. Is there a way to have the game recognize the Death Star missions, or hyperspace hurry-up? Not sure how this is handled on the pro (I've never played it). Do you just hit the left loop? I guess, I want to know if it's possible for the premium to act like a pro.

Stern just put .89 back on for the prem/le...so I guess we get a downgrade.

So disappointing. I hope the prem/le people get the code update STAT. If I was in the market for a pin...I'd not buy a prem/le Star Wars right now...such a fun game. Until the code is fixed, this is gonna kill sales.

Haven't seen any official recommend...but, if they put .89 back up for Prem/LE, that's what I assume.

I downgraded to v.89...fork ramp didn’t work. I replaced the 9d board...fork and everything else works great (I miss v.92). See the 2 images below of the 9d board. The center right, notice the burn on the board (original)...somethings overloading the board (prob a combo). 1st image is original. 2nd image is new.

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Wow. Sorry about your troubles. Not a pro, but wish I lived closer to help. Sounds like you need a new CPU/main board.

Nope. Just the ones with a fork ramp (premium/le)

No. I called the number on Sterns web site...not 1-800-knockers...and got Chas. It was a little wait on hold, but so worth it. I have been a pinhead for 15 years, but just a low time player. I am not a distro or route operator. He sent me a 9D board and ramp motor immediately, free of charge. I sent the motor and blown out 9D board back for testing (I didn't need the motor, and wasn't looking to keep what I wasn't going to use/need). All this angst against Stern on pinside...much is not to be believed. Nothing but props from me.

That's the first time I've heard that. I have mine at 6.5 degrees (or slightly flatter) and perfectly level side to side.

Can you still backhand the Death Star at that slope? Maybe I'll try it.

I use the Bubble level app for the iPad. Put it on the surface level, and I position the iPad resting on my flippers laying flat. It'll give you side to side and slope. Any surface level app will work though.

4 screws and 3 connectors...about 10 minutes. Take a picture of it hooked up before you disconnect to reconnect correctly.

Are the forks bending, or is it just play in the fork mech...As the ball hits them they move slightly side to side. Has this misalignment caused anyone any problems or failure of the fork ramp?

.92 burns the 9D board out (gives power to the fork ramp motor). That's why Stern took it down and updated to .93. Call Chas at Stern and they will send out a new board (first make sure I'm right about that board. You should see an obvious burn mark in the center right of the board...around D2.

I know it's been discussed before, but I'm having a problem with the hyperloop. At the end of the run, occasionally the diverter is a millisecond to late and launches the ball. The ball then gets wedged between the side and the hyperloop, near the diverter. I think an air ball deflector across the area of the beginning of the diverter would prevent this. Has anyone heard of someone making this. I can rig something, but it won't look nearly as good.

I'm sure you've tried this, but disconnect and reconnect the board to make sure the connectors are seated. Also look at the connectors to make sure a wire hasn't pulled out. (Had a failed led on my Met and it was actually a bent contact in the socket).

I fixed mine when the two sides wouldn't line up after it exploded. Not sure if this is your problem, but see post #69 and the few before it.

Is that red rubber tape? How did you stick it there?

I have that when playing R2D2, completed escape from the Death Star, then hitting the hyperloop when activated. It’s a bug that I hope is fixed with the next release. The game thinks you are choosing destroy the Death Star mission, but the ball is not stopped in the hyperloop. So, the flippers are disabled to let you choose, but the ball finishes he hyperloop and drains.

Looking for a lead. I swapped out the left pop bumper for a plasma pop bumper. It wasn’t visible enough. Moved the plasma to my Met (what a PITA) but looks great. When I reinstalled the original pop bumper, the led pcb didn’t work. I must have done something g to it. I contacted Stern, and they said they are on backorder and to contact a distro. I’ve tried a couple in my area, but they haven’t returned my messages. Anyone with any ideas. Part #511-7670-08.

If you’re having fun...why update?

That’s crazy talk. If you’re really annoyed, try thicker rubber rings on the post.

Happens. This is a complex mech...no matter what pinside says. Pinball is full of variation. If someone doesn’t like that, they can use virtual pin. I like the real stuff. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t. What I love about pinball is the skill, but the randomness...you might just get f#!ked.

Not sure where you mean. The shooter lane after the lockout, or under the apron at the entrance of the trough (as the ball drains). If it’s the shooter lane, try a nudie (I had trouble with the first one, but he modified it and it works great). If under the apron, I haven’t had a problem with mine.

I haven’t done this, but I’ve read others have adjusted a thumbscrew in the bottom side of the deathstar. Look at the manual and it should show this.

Make sure all your magnets are working. Check the connections and use the service menu to help.