I checked Marco for lord of the rings posts. Is this it?

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/530-5332-03

fyi...aligning it didn't work for me. I believe my wireform isn't as rigid after 15 years of use and has more play/bounce. The zip tie removes the bounce and works great. Hopefully it will be of use to others that may be bitten by this...

The threads on the top of that post are trashed. Just replace the post. I'm not sure if that washer even belongs there. The post that Neal_W linked above does appear to be the correct post.

PS, one of the rare instances that Marco is less $ than PBL. LOL

Yes, that is the post. I didn't realize it was so bad, or I would have ordered some with my last PBL order. I did order the upgraded left ring ramp post. That puppy isn't going to bend.

I'm cleaning, waxing, checking screws & connections, and replacing all rubbers in an attempt to get my LOTR ready to volunteer for our local pinball/arcade show (deadline 5/15 if I want other volunteers to pick it up), and my wife wants me to get the Precious back up and running. So, I'm going to try and make it work for now, and order some replacement hardware on my next order.

Thanks for the help!

Hey Adam,

Since you have your machine pulled apart, you might want to inspect/protect the wires to the right of the sword ramp. After 15 years, the sword switch wires were cut and the ramp gate were beaten pretty badly.

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Thanks for the heads-up. A previous owner took care of the sword ramp wires. I will reinforce the ramp gate wires with some shrink wrap.

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Hey, isn't it awesome when you have a long first ball almost getting to DTR and think hell yeah! Then lose the 2nd and 3rd in a matter of seconds!?

Fuuuuuuuuu...

Speaking of the sword ramp, I recently picked up my LOTR and noticed sometimes when returning round the right orbit it looked like it changed direction and then went STDM. So I removed the glass today and took a closer look and I noticed there was an orange wire hanging in the orbit, does anyone know what this is supposed to be attached to (probably needs re-soldering)? But I'm not sure where. Maybe it's the orange wire from Adaminski picture above. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

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It's either the "ramp enter" switch or the "sword enter" switch. Go into switch test mode and see which are/aren't firing properly. Based on my photo above, it looks like the "ramp enter" switch is severed.

Haha, yup that's pinball!

I have had so many games like that on LOTR, I'm surprised I haven't flipped the machine over!

The worst for me was getting within 1 shot of starting Valinor, but the weak flippers wouldn't make the shot up the ramp

I didn't play pinball for a month after that!

Yes, like snaroff , I expect that the orange wire is for the Aragorn sword ramp gate switch - the gate that is triggered upon entering the ramp. Re-solder to the bottom of the switch as in my photo. This is assuming that nobody randomly switched wire colors on a repair, and that the connector under the machine is plugged in correctly. Might be good to make connection without soldering (alligator clips are helpful), and use switch test mode in diagnostics. Dig down in menus until you find switch test grid. Manually move a couple switches so you can see how the switch test mode works, then move the ones in question.

When re-soldering, make sure you don't melt the switch.

-Adam

My LOTR sound went out.
All help is appreciated.

It was working fine and just stopped during a game. No voices or sounds all the sudden.
There was no pop, it just stopped.

All fuses checked good. I reseated connections and they seem fine. The ribbons and wires were moved, so they should be the issue.

Any ideas??

Don't forget to try the forum search function. It can be pretty useful since most things have been covered before.

Here you go:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/lotr-sound-now-gone

There were a couple of posts i found via the thread search function. Unfortunately, they don't seem to address my issue.

Likely the same U8 surface mount chip that others have had fail as in the thread listed two posts above.

I've owned my LOTR for a couple of months now and it has this really annoying issue the previous owner didn't experience. Mainly the left flipper (but on occasion the right one has shown the same symptoms) just dies on me.

I press the flipper button and nothing, no flip, I push it again and no flip and then push it frantically as I'm about to drain and it comes back to life and works fine. This naturally happens at the worst time, time to seek some help.

I'm not seeing anything wrong with the EOS switch on the flipper mech or the flipper switch either. Every register's fine in test... this can happen within minutes of turning the game on so I don't think it is a coil over heating, when it starts flipping again it comes back at full strength, it just dies on me... any thoughts?

Thanks Adam and @snaroff. After further inspection it is both wires have come off! I haven't noticed anything during game play so I'm not sure what the gate triggers as far as scoring or anything else, but I guess it's time to get the soldering iron out and get it fixed!

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Happened to me a few times.

I went through all the basics. Cleaned contacts, checked eos. Finally had to order a replacement (updated?) flipper switch. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable than me can enlighten is both on the differences from stock. But I haven’t had the problem again since then.

LOTR is going to be the subject of the next PINCOMBO Pinball Comic Book for Proanoia.com and GameOfDepth.com . We teamed up with pinstadium and installed a sweet set of Pinstadiums at the LOTR machine at the East Lake Taproom and Brewery in MPLS, MN. One of the Bartenders said it was like playing a whole new machine. The lightning flashes hit off the side blade lightening art are gorgeous. and you can see the Blue of Frodo’s Eyes!

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Looking for some advice.
Looking at a LOTR to buy from a non pinhead
Only machine they own and made a claim it has only been played 15-20 times ever
If anyone can take a moment,was wondering how exactly I could be completely sure of that during inspection.
Obviously the game will be in nice shape and I will ask if they have a receipt as they also say they bought the game “long time ago for the basement”
What would a good price on this game stock and in that kind of condition
I have to pay a friend to help and we are in the middle of negotiations
I hate asking here just looking for specifics on this particular game since I’ve never owned one but always have wanted to
Thanks

Post pics on here of the shooter lane, cabinet on all sides, details underneath the playfield, boards, playfield, and translite.

The shooter lane, area around the flippers, and the area around the coils underneath the playfield usually tell the tale. There is no way to 100% know for sure...but you xan make an educated guess.

FWIW, i very highly doubt it only has 15-20 plays.

Good price 5k. Probably more like 5.5-6k in today's market. I would assume original rubbers so it's going to need a shop job and don't forget to check the batteries.

Hi fellow owners! I'm looking for a NOS or good used right ramp (515-7319-00-80) for my game. Please shoot me a PM if you can help me. Much appreciated!

Pinside lists LOTR on the high end at $6,240. If the machine is as nice as one with 20 games on it would be it would be worth pretty much every dollar of that high end if not more.

With only 20 games on it my expectations would be that you should be able to run your finger across the playfield, ramps, flipper rubbers and not get any black coil dust on your finger. I would expect zero ball trails around the orbits or on the Aragon ramp, I would expect the Arwin plastic to not be broken and all the holes, shire, gimile, to perfect and not show wear.

Also check the boards and make sure the batteries haven’t leaked.

I should probably just do this... was thinking the small disc cap on the flipper switch may be dried out and starting to fail but I don’t even know if that’s a thing

Thank you
I will run my finger across these areas and check for dust
I appreciate the responses
I have bought some games and am pretty good at looking at them but when the claim is virtually no plays or very low I just don’t want to get home and see the hole in the back had a little wear on it
Also,I would like to be fair and honest with the couple,bit want to be fair to myself if all those things check out
Thanks again

Buy on condition not claims regarding quantity of games played since that can always be manipulated. If a 15 year old game looks like it's got 300 plays on it, you'll be able to tell. I can tell you from someone who has owned his LOTR from 2004 and only has about 500 plays on it, they are out there.... and I would expect a mint for it too (not that I would ever sell it).

Pay exactly what it's worth to you and no more. Then you can enjoy it with no regrets.

Hey there,

Got mine not long ago and have a question, probably missing something.

Regarding the skill shot, how do you chose between one and another? On my machineI see it going very fastr from top light to bottom and I always end up with the right orbit skill shot.
Would be nice to know how to solve this

The three lights that cycle will stop on whichever one is lit when the ball leaves the switch position at the bottom of the shooter lane (next to the plunger). So you have two options... either 1) plunge at the exact time you need to select the skill shot you want, or 2) do what I do and just bump the plunger with the palm of your hand just enough to make the ball leave that switch when your option is lit. This will lock in that light and allow you to take your time plunging.

Pinzap pretty much nailed it on the skill shot. The other thing to verify is to check which version of ROMs are installed on your LOTR. When I first got my LOTR I had many issues with the skill shots either freezing or running very fast, which were fixed when I installed the V10 ROMs.

Edit: nevernimd, you guys beat me to it.

The total plays audit count is reset when the battery is replaced. As mentioned above, condition is key. Maybe the playfield was replaced to make it look like a nice HUO pin. Seems like inside the cabinet would be super clean inside, as well as the lockdown bar, with only a few plays.

Give it some plays, to see if it plays like new, and everything works fine. A nice working LOTR with no cabinet wear, nice PF, and no board hacks is very desirable in any lineup.

Thanks for the feedbacks!

I have now understoof what's happening but still unsure on what to do to solve it
=> as soon as the ball is kicked from the feeder VUK into the shooter lane, the shooter switch is hit, thus blocking the skill shot on "lane".

Any idea on how I can manage that?

Maybe the switch is failing and sending a blip-blip signal, or maybe a wire is loose, causing the same issue. Try the 'active switch test' and see how it looks. (I think that is the switch test where the switch shows lit as long as you hold it.)

Also, it may just need to be adjusted a little, so it does not double blip.

Went to the switch test as a start actually, not activating until I push it, as expected.
The double signal is an idea, will have a closer look tomorrow

From a collecting standpoint,Is it that big a deal to have a LOTR with Gandalf on the white horse?
The one i am looking at does not have that figure
Thanks

This is the game that had been played “maybe 20 30 times”

No, I don't think it is a big deal. Nobody says or asks which Gandalf is included when selling LOTR. Also the 500 LOTR LEs that were made a few years after the standard, don't have any figures.

The 'armies of middle earth' figures used in the standard were widely sold, and you can buy an NOS Gandalf and other figures from amazon or ebay.

Looks kinda chewed to me

No way that's 20 or 30 plays. Look at the shire vuk. It's pretty beat up in that area. Got a broken plastic on the left sling. The ring lights in the center look pretty bad or at least dirty. Also missing the metal piece by the sword lock where the ball is trapped by the wire ball guide. Hard to see, but Gandolf appears to be missing too. Metal sword ramp also shows wear from ball travel. I'd even have a tough time calling this one huo.

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Thanks,that’s what I was seeing
This is the first picture I got sent to me
I think I will pass he is firm on 5 grand

In my experience non pinball people don’t want to hear that stuff

In addition to the comments already made, Arwen plastic looks cracked, inside walls are scuffed from raising the playfield (likely quite a few times), and Palantir target black from LOTS of hits..."20 to 30 plays" a day on location for a few years maybe is more accurate

How the hell does the top of the PF rail in the shire have that much wear. That has to have been routed.

Go find yourself one of these

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That game is beat to shit. It could be made decent with a lot of TLC. Probably has well over 10k plays on it.

Zero way that is 20 or fewer plays. On the other hand, 5k is probably what it is worth...in fact...that may still be low for it.