(Topic ID: 68889)

tech: Bally Centaur drop target assembly (solved!)

By mof

10 years ago



Topic Stats

  • 6 posts
  • 4 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 2 years ago by SJ23
  • Topic is favorited by 3 Pinsiders

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#1 10 years ago

(solved!)

FIVE hours later, both drop target assemblies have been cleaned and installed with new targets. Everything works overall. Targets were working fine before the clean/reassembly.

Here's the problem. It's a Bally target assembly adjustment issue I gather. When the machine resets the targets they sometimes (1/5 times roughly, and it can be any of the four targets) go too far up vertically, and the little metal levers come out of the slots. Once this happens, a ball strike will not drop them. I have to use may hand to wiggle it back to where it belongs.

I see that there's a horizontal bracket at the very bottom of the target assembly that adjusts with 4 hex screws (1/4" play in it at least) I am wondering what this adjustment is for? I've tried it in a few positions to see if it fixes it. No dice yet.

Fact review:
1) O-R-B-S (any of the four) can get loaded up to high vertically
2) It happens 1/5 times roughly
3) It was working fine before the cleaning and install of new targets
4) all the switches work (not part of the issue)

thanks!
-mof
201311-orBs.jpg201311-orBs.jpg

#2 10 years ago
Quoted from mof:

FIVE hours later, both drop target assemblies have been cleaned and installed with new targets. Everything works overall. Targets were working fine before the clean/reassembly.
Here's the problem. It's a Bally target assembly adjustment issue I gather. When the machine resets the targets they sometimes (1/5 times roughly, and it can be any of the four targets) go too far up vertically, and the little metal levers come out of the slots. Once this happens, a ball strike will not drop them. I have to use may hand to wiggle it back to where it belongs.
I see that there's a horizontal bracket at the very bottom of the target assembly that adjusts with 4 hex screws (1/4" play in it at least) I am wondering what this adjustment is for? I've tried it in a few positions to see if it fixes it. No dice yet.
Fact review:
1) O-R-B-S (any of the four) can get loaded up to high vertically
2) It happens 1/5 times roughly
3) It was working fine before the cleaning and install of new targets
4) all the switches work (not part of the issue)
thanks!
-mof

201311-orBs.jpg 511 KB

I have seen these "Viagra" targets from time to time on rebuilt target banks. Usually, when a bad reset occurs it might be 1/250 vs 1/5. Could you take some pics of the drop target carriage under the playfield? It might help determine the cause. By the way, I have probably rebuilt several dozen Bally drop target banks and it is easy to put the bank back together incorrectly. Not saying that is what happened here, but it is certainly possible.

That horizontal bracket is supposed to help level the targets with the playfield surface. Comes in handy on some drop target banks. Keeps balls from getting stuck on top of a target by raising the dropped target slightly higher than the playfield surface. Not all Bally drop target banks have this feature.

#3 10 years ago
Quoted from BrianBannon:

That horizontal bracket is supposed to help level the targets with the playfield surface. Comes in handy on some drop target banks. Keeps balls from getting stuck on top of a target by raising the dropped target slightly higher than the playfield surface. Not all Bally drop target banks have this feature.

I think you nailed it. I re-read the guide here: http://www.davesclassicarcade.com/centaur/centaur.html#drop_targets -- and I realize that I did have the bottom-most bracket 1/8" off-target by putting it inside the bigger bracket. I'll test now, and see if it's 100% corrected, I expect so.

Case Closed !
-mof

8 years later
#4 2 years ago

Currently having this issue after replacing targets. Anyone have a link to a detailed guide? The one posted above is bad now. Thanks in advance!

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#5 2 years ago
Quoted from SJ23:

Currently having this issue after replacing targets. Anyone have a link to a detailed guide? The one posted above is bad now. Thanks in advance!
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

https://web.archive.org/web/20110520125203/http://davesclassicarcade.com/centaur/centaur.html

#6 2 years ago

Thank you for the help. Got it fixed! Leaving this picture here in case someone else needs it like I did.

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