The speed the drop target comes down shouldn't matter, however sometimes the drop target will become gummed up and just needs to disassembled and cleaned for it to slide easier. Make sure the switch arm is below the plastic tab on the plastic drop target

Drop target assembly (resized).jpg

Also you should have a plastic actuator guide (number 24 on the diagram and also shown with the red arrow), which keeps the switch arm correctly in place

Plastic Guide (resized).JPG

Great. I'll check that out too, I think it's a combination of dirty and the weak spring that caused it to not make it the the whole way down to trip the switch. I latched the spring tighter for now and it's working like a charm.

Diverter help:

Okay, my top left back diverter has been acting weird. I have not hit borg lock in ages, and got the bong, so decided to investigate. The electronics work, but the shaft is hard to move. I lubed it up the best I could but can't actually get it to come apart to clean it properly. I took the coil out, replaced the sleeve, and removed those two weird allen wrench screws from within but even with those out the diverter doesn't turn freely left and right and is meeting resistance. Is there something else that can be done to adjust this? Thanks!

Sounds like the diverter shaft is gummed up with old grease and dust. I know others have ideas... I haven't tackled mine in more than decade ... so don't remember what I did specifically.

Could you try using some WD-40 or soaking it in some petrol to free it up?

WD-40 should never be used on any part of a pinball machine, you just need to take it apart and clean it, when you put it back together, use a tiny bit of PTFE grease to lube the shaft.

You are going to have to remove this mech from the machine to clean it properly; you should only have to take out the coil stop to remove the coil from the mech and just let it hand on the wire harness, then remove the six screws attaching it to the bottom of the playfield and the whole thing will come right out. Once you have it out you will be able to see how it works better, you may have to twist the diverter arm back and forth while pulling it out of the sleeve, but it will come out. Make sure you sure to use a bore brush and the degreaser of your choice to get all the gunk out of the shafts sleeve.

pasted_image (resized).png

Thanks for posting this type of info with pics. Saves a lot of headache and gives confidence in tackling this machine.

My comment was associated with the query on trying to get it apart - if it's gummed up / rusted you may need something to penetrate the joint to help pulling it apart. Once it's disassembled you'd thoroughly clean (and potentially polish depending upon your level of OCD) the item which would remove any residue.

I agree you shouldn't use WD-40 as a lubricant in a machine.

Pretty sure I used a similarly sized "test tube brush" I had lying around to clean the inside of my diverter.
Something like this:
http://Pinball.Click/tubeBrush

I just had to do the same thing with my Borg divertor a couple months ago. The factory “grease” turned to sludge and I cold barely turn it with my hand. Best solution was to pull the mech and then I did use some WD40 to free it up enough to pull the shaft out (man, Pinside innuendo is strong in this post). Once I got it out, I cleaned it with a brush and ran it under hot and soapy water until I got the old crap off. Then dried it and used a light coat of wax on it before putting it back together. It’s been working great ever since.

Worked perfect! I wasn't taking it far enough apart but now it works perfectly. Thanks!

20201130_194738 (resized).jpg

FYI - cannon harness looks to be available from Marco's....I think somebody in this thread was looking for it earlier:

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/H-17067

So I'm back in the middle of restoring STTNG and I'm looking for anyone who custom paints the ships and the cannons? Please and thank you. Looking for suggestions.

modfather does.

Matt @ Back alley creations does an awesome job. That is who did mine

Check out the Hallmark version of the Bird Of Prey, I think it is the best looking. You would have to do a little surgery on it though.

ebay.com link: p

This kind of surgery?
http://pinball-mods.com/oscom/modifications-do-it-yourself-kbop-wingleds-p-1.html

Of course! Nothing but the best, Zitt! I've got your Nebula and Warp Ramp LED mod on my #star_trek_le

If you haven't already done so Pop Caps for Stern may go back in stock in the next few months. The defective caps are at a local anodizing shop to be corrected. Then I'll have to laser etch them. There will be no more than 10sets available and Wait-listers will be in order received.

Of course; if you want the STNG pop caps - I have plenty of stock of those.

Funny after Manny65’s post I got a check switch 57 top drop target message on my recently acquired sttng. Checked it out and saw the micro switch lever arm longer than it shouldve been and stuck above the rotating pin not allowing the plastic to drop down. And as a bonus the plastic guide looks to be installed upside down, lots of wins there lol! Thanks for adding that manual reference pic saved me from turning pages and a possible paper cut . Back in business

CFCD8545-B18C-4B66-8899-5D1109265170 (resized).jpeg

That fresh wax smell

129113050_809662309824011_5030102313030200705_n (resized).jpg

I need to replace the GI header pin on my driver board. Any other maintenance I should do to help bullet proof while the board is out of the game? For example, any grounding mods or capacitors that should be replaced?

Read section 3.1... the "tie back" mod.

https://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation

Hi guys,

Just finishing some details on the ships and canons, some gi leds and long path ahead for this restoration.

07AC4177-07DD-4803-96DA-C0E176CAAEBF.jpeg1EE5FE11-E3A1-46E3-96A3-91BF321D0E22.jpeg218F4D9F-BDD0-4FDD-817E-13C2F52096D4.jpeg6E4A12AD-F908-4C61-9C63-40B9C7601ABE.jpeg

Hey folks, im in reassembly and have one odd short post. Any idea where it goes?

20201204_164222 (resized).jpg

A mock up of the el wire on the main ramp

7E9BE0C5-17CA-416E-8205-DBE15EED7979.jpeg

If you like it ... congrats.
For me; all that blingy chrome/candy on ships/cannons looks ... wrong.
To each his own tho.

The cannons would look fine on T2 but I agree they seem out of place on this game. The EL wire could look pretty cool but it would REALLY be cool it it were chase-lights that follow the ball on launch!! Make it so!

Exactly! I thought about the same thing for the Tron ramps.

I don't believe its supposed to be there; one think I did during my restore is verification of every part in every assembly and found several part discrepancies that I corrected.

1694 .2 02-4659-1 post-#10 (3/8 deep ms top) 16

pasted_image (resized).png

Could be, except there are only 16 posts in this machine and they are all supposed to be the same. The only thing I can say with 100% certainty is my machine had 16 identical posts before I started my restoration, I verified the game is supposed to have 16 identical posts, and it had 16 identical posts after my restoration. As with any game that I didn't own from NIB, I suspect that anything that broke prior to my ownership was slapped together with whatever was available at the time in order to get it back on the line.

Trying to rebuild an old TNG that is missing a few boards. 2 boards I need are the power driver board and the fliptronics board. Specifically worrying about the 12v drop, because I do intend to put a color DMD and a few mods, what would be a better board to get, a refurbed original, or a Rottendog replacement?

Thanks!

--john

You should buy the least expensive board and run a separate 12v power supply in the machine. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MAC9MO6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title

On mine the power supply AC is connected at the switch so it powers on with the game. Runs my Pinsound and ColorDMD. Just connect the power supply ground to the ground of the machine. All will be well and you don't have to worry about resets or flaky optos.

Thanks so much for the guidance. Honestly they are both about the same price, so was wondering what the group thinks. As for the second power supply, that honestly sounds like a great idea. Where would that be wired to? I thought anything wired to the service outlet keeps power when the switch is off?

Yes that's why I specified "wired to the power switch"

I took the cover off the metal box where the switch is. Soldered 2 more wires and ran them out of the box to the PS.

As far as the boards many will say stick with original if you can. Personally I don't care. Whatever runs the game flawlessly. I have a Rottendog driver board in my Dr Who and it runs fine. Also runs on a Rottendog MPU too as the original was hacked and flaky.

AHHHHH I missed that, you're right.

You're on the money though about the separate power supply, that makes total sense. Thanks so much again! A lot to learn about this game.

1

I'd actually love to know if the rottendogs provide a little more 12v power than the stock. Anyone?

True story... after owning a STTNG for years, and spending countless hours getting it "perfect", I (stupidly) traded it for a late model (Spike 2) Stern about 8 weeks ago.

Well, the Stern is nice - cool screen, deep code, sweet light show...but it just didn't have the "charm" that STTNG has. I missed it immediately and was sad to have done the trade.

However, sometimes, fate smiles upon you. Received a call from the new STTNG owner who needed cash for GnR and he offered me right of first refusal. So, I immediately drove 5 hours each way AGAIN to buy her back (still have the Stern in the lineup).

Happy to say my absence from the club was brief and that now I am here to stay!

We're Trekkies (TNG to be exact) so it can never leave.. like ever... lol.

I'm curious to know what you originally traded for??? Bueller? Bueller??

It did but I can't remember exactly. My Dr who had low unregulated 12v(below 12) so did the caps and bridge replacement which brought it up a notch(above 12). Then I tried the Rottendog and it was slightly higher voltage. Keep in mind the Rottendog was brand spanking new. But like I said I don't remember the exact numbers.

So am I ...

... maybe a Jurassic Park??

Let's just say that I justified it in my mind because I was swapping a Steve Ritchie title for a Steve Ritchie title.

I'm not a fan of Rottendog boards, even though I'm running one right now. They are gone now so future support is gone as well, mine had to go back twice for issues that were manufacturing related.

Not sure what the feedback is on these guys, but they are licensed replacements.

https://pinballbasement.com/collections/wpc89-boards

You know I saw that, but those aren’t new boards add those? Just looking at all the options.

reach out to dumass ...he makes replacement boards with all socketed IC's with some other improvements as well...but he may be backed up a bit...

Here's a couple I put together ,but he sells them completed too...and he does have a power driver board

20201118_144909 (resized).jpg

Well thank you sir!