Lord of the Rings
Stern, 2003
Lord of the Rings Limited Edition
Stern, 2009Quoted from Neal_W:Slightly loosening the screws that support the middle of the ramp gives it a little wobble/flex, which absorbs some of the speed and helps somewhat.
Thanks for the tip. I'm going to reinstall the OG coils and see how it plays. I was having the right flipper flutter occasionally, and thought that maybe it was the coil, but it turns out it was the flipper switch. Now that it's sorted out, I'll have to see how the OG coil plays.
Quoted from FatPanda:One issue is that a left ramp shot will often send the ball flying, sometimes into the shire, sometimes into the left outlane. Any remedies to this?
Check out the following thread for the LOTR Habitrail mod. I believe he still makes them:
Quoted from AUKraut:Check out the following thread for the LOTR Habitrail mod. I believe he still makes them:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/lotr-habitrail-mod
The ball is flying out quite early in the ramp, next to the PotD as it's going uphill. I also have the plastic airball deflector mounted right there, with the inscription cut into it.
Quoted from CLEllison:I have the shaker from pinball life. It uses the exact same setup as the LOTR LE. Aka game code based. I don't see much point of using anything else in a game it was literally designed for and works perfectly. My .02
I obviously have something wrong with mine as I can't feel the shaker over the (external) subwoofer. If I turn it off and try really hard I can tell it is on but only barely. I might look into the pinsound set up since I already have the pinsound board in there. I was actually quite disappointed since I was used to the level of shake in my other pins ie: electrocuting sparky in Met, destroying a castle on MMR, storage facility multiball in GB, asteroid video mode in SW, etc. My LOTR shakes nothing like any of those.
I might have to try something like this if the old coils are lose power and I have to install the new coils
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/tech-lotr-fast-balls-flying-off-legalos-ramp
about halfway down.
Quoted from FatPanda:I saw the link to his ebay post in another thread. I'll reinstall the original coils for now, and look into getting these some time down the road since it appears that he's away per his ebay posting.
Welcome to the club!
I would recommend going through this thread from the beginning, there is a lot of useful information in it including (for example) a conversation about coils that was just had again very recently with links and everything. Would have saved you some time and money buying coils that you couldn't use.
Quoted from FatPanda:The ball is flying out quite early in the ramp, next to the PotD as it's going uphill. I also have the plastic airball deflector mounted right there, with the inscription cut into it.
Ahh, now I understand, had that issue as well. Just cut a piece of clear acrylic in quarter-circle form with a hole to mount it to the path of the dead. On mine it doubles as a place to mount the missing Legolas minifigure. If you zoom in the on attached pic of my LOTR you can see it.
LOTR2.jpgIn the thread linked above, they make a point that I had not considered. Installing the Arwen protector under the center ramp support holds the center of the ramp up, deforming the ramp. Correcting for that should help! (Tuck the ramp support under the Arwen protector or raise up the bottom end of the ramp with washers, etc.)
Quoted from pipes:Does anyone actually find that the PBL coils work well? By that I mean - non-destructive.
Add me to the list of people that bought and removed them within a week for the mid-power coils. I still debate even going back to the stock coils (LE) because even the mid-power ones make the Gimli shot fly through the back too often and cause Legolas airballs
Quoted from AUKraut:Ahh, now I understand, had that issue as well. Just cut a piece of clear acrylic in quarter-circle form with a hole to mount it to the path of the dead. On mine it doubles as a place to mount the missing Legolas minifigure. If you zoom in the on attached pic of my LOTR you can see it.[quoted image]
This worked for me. I cut a rectangular piece of plastic and mounted it using the existing screw under the POTD.
Quoted from AUKraut:Ahh, now I understand, had that issue as well. Just cut a piece of clear acrylic in quarter-circle form with a hole to mount it to the path of the dead. On mine it doubles as a place to mount the missing Legolas minifigure. If you zoom in the on attached pic of my LOTR you can see it.[quoted image]
Nice side art blades, where did you get that from?
Quoted from MrSmiley:Nice side art blades, where did you get that from?
Here on Pinside:
I second these they look amazing! Wish they were the same material as the rest of the blades out there though. Would make me less anxious lifting the pf.
Quoted from Jarbyjibbo:I second these they look amazing! Wish they were the same material as the rest of the blades out there though. Would make me less anxious lifting the pf.
Agreed, they look fantastic but the material is the least durable of all the art blades I've tried. The blade protectors sold by PinballLife are a MUST when lifting the playfield on this pin.
Quoted from FatPanda:The ball is flying out quite early in the ramp, next to the PotD as it's going uphill. I also have the plastic airball deflector mounted right there, with the inscription cut into it.
I cant believe the speed the ball generates when it hits legolas cleanly. It flies off the rail here and usually enda up in the sam shot. It hits Sam like a missle.
20191028_192132 (resized).jpgQuoted from MSLONEKER:I cant believe the speed the ball generates when it hits legolas cleanly. It flies off the rail here and usually enda up in the sam shot. It hits Sam like a missle.[quoted image]
Which is why a lot of LOTR owners have put in that piece of acrylic on the Legolas ramp, as the clear plastic at the back of the Sam VUK will break.
Try slightly bending the top rail/wire of the habitatrail up. The wire on the outside of the curve- the left side. It needs to be slightly above the center line of the pinball. It gets bent down sometimes.
Quoted from ryan1234:Try slightly bending the top rail/wire of the habitatrail up. The wire on the outside of the curve- the left side. It needs to be slightly above the center line of the pinball. It gets bent down sometimes.
Ok tried it. It was a little low. We'll see if it fixes. Thx for advice
I made a deflector and mounted using the bottom right post on the PotD and it seems to have solve the airball issues. Still playing on the high power coils for right now and no airballs after a few games. I like the speed of the high power coils, but I'm afraid it'll break things lol. I also installed the post mod to the left of the ring ramp. It fits very tight with a rubber sleeve installed!
Got my powder coating back and am very happy with how it came out. Gold with a sparkly top coat. Now I can play this thing finally! I need to do that little piece of plastic over the left wire form to stop the ball jump. Looks like it just attaches to the single point under the POTD. Are you guys adding a second mount point to avoid rotation?
-Jim
2019-10-24 15.31.51 (resized).jpg2019-10-24 15.32.25 (resized).jpg2019-10-25 23.18.55 (resized).jpgQuoted from jim5six:Got my powder coating back and am very happy with how it came out.
Ooooooooh, thats purty!
Quoted from jim5six:Got my powder coating back and am very happy with how it came out. Gold with a sparkly top coat. Now I can play this thing finally! I need to do that little piece of plastic over the left wire form to stop the ball jump. Looks like it just attaches to the single point under the POTD. Are you guys adding a second mount point to avoid rotation?
-Jim[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
I didnt add a second mount point. I had to find a screw that was 1/4" longer too, and snuggled it tight. Is holding up well so far without any rotation.
My game also had gold powdercoat trim, no sparkles, and I would rather have black, tbh. Gold just isnt my thing.
Quoted from FatPanda:I didnt add a second mount point. I had to find a screw that was 1/4" longer too, and snuggled it tight. Is holding up well so far without any rotation.
My game also had gold powdercoat trim, no sparkles, and I would rather have black, tbh. Gold just isnt my thing.
I will trade you my black!
Quoted from FatPanda:My game also had gold powdercoat trim, no sparkles, and I would rather have black, tbh. Gold just isnt my thing.
This is the first time I've done custom powder coat so i figured i should go all out! 
Normally I would agree with you.
-Jim
Quoted from MrSmiley:LotR runs the Stern Whitestar boardset which does not yet offer upgrades via USB. So in order to update code you need to physically swap the Game as well as Display ROM (behind the DMD) with a ROM that has the latest code on it. You can either buy or burn the ROM yourself.
Marco or any other pinball shop will do. Be aware you need both Game and Display ROM, latest version is 10.0 or 10.02 Game ROM if you want to run a shaker motor. If you are going for 10.02 you need an additional PAL chip.
Game Rom 10.0: https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/EPROM1871
Display 10.0: https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/EPROM1873
So i replaced the eproms and tunred it on. The lights all light. I have no display and the flasher lights just blink off and on. What do u all suggest. I have a color dmd. All the chips are orientated correctly and all their legs are seated.
Quoted from MSLONEKER:So i replaced the eproms and tunred it on. The lights all light. I have no display and the flasher lights just blink off and on. What do u all suggest. I have a color dmd. All the chips are orientated correctly and all their legs are seated.
What all exactly did you replace? Definitely didn't put them in upside own and realize it and switch it over? You can definitely smoke them quickly by flipping the power on with them the wrong direction (don't ask me how I know that, it was dark and I wasn't paying close enough attention).
I replaced the code eprom and the display rom. Batteties as well. I reset game too. I double checked the orientation they are good.
Quoted from MSLONEKER:So i replaced the eproms and tunred it on. The lights all light. I have no display and the flasher lights just blink off and on. What do u all suggest. I have a color dmd. All the chips are orientated correctly and all their legs are seated.
Any Chance one of the legs is bent underneath the IC instead of being in the socket?
Quoted from Pin_Guy:Any Chance one of the legs is bent underneath the IC instead of being in the socket?
Double checked. Even took them back out and reseated. Do i have to push the reset button as i turn it back on or something.
I assume that you are using the notch for orientation? Have you tried to put the originals back in to see if it will boot up?
Quoted from Jarbyjibbo:I assume that you are using the notch for orientation? Have you tried to put the originals back in to see if it will boot up?
Put the old ones back in and it does the exact same thing. Lights on and the g.i relay does not close but just clicks. I tried pushing the reset button but it does not reset.
Quoted from MSLONEKER:Holy cow. Im stupid. Got the chips switched. Its working now
Crisis averted 
Quoted from Lermods:I can’t recall, but what are the code-based triggers? Balrog hits I believe, what else?
Many mode based triggers. A "few" examples:
March of the Ents. Succesful shots and completion of mode.
Shot to baldur
Balrog
DTR completion
Basically every mode utilizes the shaker in some fashion making it superior as it's not based solely on a switch.
For games that weren't originally offered with a shaker the other product is a fantastic option.
Quoted from Jarbyjibbo:Crisis averted
Thx for the applause. I just assumed the chip marked 10.0 was the code. And the other marked 10 was the video. Oh but no!!!! Man i thought i had turned it into $6000 brick.
Quoted from MSLONEKER:Man i thought i had turned it into $6000 brick.
If it makes you feel better, HAD you actually bricked it, it would have probably only been a $4,000 brick at that point 
Quoted from MSLONEKER:I replaced the code eprom and the display rom. Batteties as well. I reset game too. I double checked the orientation they are good.
I assume you mean batteries... get NVRAM...
Quoted from Raegor:I assume you mean batteries... get NVRAM...
Now's a good time as any since everything has already been reset to default ... The game RAM is socketed and you can find NVRAM cheaper than good batteries at this point; there is literally no reason not to do this.
Quoted from Pin_Guy:Now's a good time as any since everything has already been reset to default ... The game RAM is socketed and you can find NVRAM cheaper than good batteries at this point; there is literally no reason not to do this.
Thx for suggestion. Just bought the nvram. No more battery worries.
Flipper question. Watched some videos today about getting good. All about flipper technique. He was showing light taps make the flippers move just a little. My lotr is all or nothing. There is no light tapping, there nothing until it engages then its a full slap.
Quoted from MSLONEKER:Flipper question. Watched some videos today about getting good. All about flipper technique. He was showing light taps make the flippers move just a little. My lotr is all or nothing. There is no light tapping, there nothing until it engages then its a full slap.
Tap passing is for older solid states and Em's. Modern games are extremely difficult to tap pass on, but I have seen a few players who could pull it off rarely.
Quoted from MSLONEKER:Flipper question. Watched some videos today about getting good. All about flipper technique. He was showing light taps make the flippers move just a little. My lotr is all or nothing. There is no light tapping, there nothing until it engages then its a full slap.
Do you have the upgraded flipper coils? I have no problem doing post transfers, or micro-flips on other machines, but find it impossible to do on LOTR. I have the medium strength coils. Any time I try a post transfer on LOTR, the ball goes flying.
Quoted from MSLONEKER:Flipper question. Watched some videos today about getting good. All about flipper technique. He was showing light taps make the flippers move just a little. My lotr is all or nothing. There is no light tapping, there nothing until it engages then its a full slap.
This is not going to help you get better at all games, but for this game, the Legolas and Aragorn ramps are so easy to make, I just ramp pass these; if you get good at performing ramp combos with these two shots you will score very well on this machine.
Quoted from red-line:Do you have the upgraded flipper coils? I have no problem doing post transfers, or micro-flips on other machines, but find it impossible to do on LOTR. I have the medium strength coils. Any time I try a post transfer on LOTR, the ball goes flying.
I find it very difficult to do post passes on my lotr as well,something with the geometry it seems , have the medium coils but had the same problem with the stock coils
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