Lord of the Rings
Stern, 2003
Lord of the Rings Limited Edition
Stern, 2009You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider DCFAN.
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Quoted from skywalker:When i picked up this machine, Its got some mod/fix that hasn't been fitted yet, any info on what this is all about IMG_0772.JPG 92 KB
That is a Stern fix for later run games to keep the ball from bouncing off the sword ball lock area.
Quoted from NightTrain:Has anyone installed a plastic shield over the top of the left ramp due to air balls? My game plays fast as hell and I get air balls there a lot. I was going to try and find a pice of plastic to make a shield there today. Maybe Home Depot would have plastic like that?
Home Depot sells small pieces of LEXAN which is ideal. You can cut it with a fine tooth blade and jigsaw.
Here is some info about what some of us have done.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/tech-lotr-fast-balls-flying-off-legalos-ramp
Quoted from fly:In my collection number 1
As I bought the decals were damaged,
So I made my ownIMG_0034.JPG 109 KB
DSCN3593.JPG 79 KB
DSCN3594.JPG 76 KB
DSCN3592.JPG 79 KB
IMG_0032.JPG 95 KB
IMG_0033.JPG 105 KB
WOW! Impressive. 
Quoted from nicoga3000:Is there a picture of the rubber post fix by chance?
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/tech-question-about-lotr-war-of-the-ents-mode
Quoted from nicoga3000:Also, there is some wear at the back of the shire scoop from flipper huts. Is there a protector for that? Or maybe that's a fix I can do myself somehow?
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=30&pg=1
Quoted from Bantam:I'm looking for the shooter rod that has a clear ball on the end with the gold ring inside it. Does anyone know where I might find one of these? Thank you
http://home.myfairpoint.net/vze8f4tt/tomstwilightzonepinballmachineaccessories/index.html
Quoted from busa32927:Thanks for the info. Got an eBay search for which Gandolf I will need
Gandalf on Shadowfax
ebay.com link: LOTR Aome GANDALF The WHITE on SHADOWFAX Lord of Rings Hobbits
Or the surfing Gandalf
Quoted from T-800:Anyone direct me to the best toy/figurine for the witch-king to add as a mod? I want the version with the metal helm and the big mace. Seen a few different pics of various mods in games that look sweet.
This is the one I used and is from the same toy run as the other LOTR figures:
ebay.com link: Lord Of The Rings Armies Middle Earth Battle Scenes PELENNOR FIELDS w Fell Beast
http://www.amazon.com/Rings-Battle-Scenes-Pelennor-Fields/dp/B0001GBQ8I/ref=sr_1_1
Quoted from Pindufus:2. Left orbit shot bouncing out of Baradur - really fast shots sometimes bounce out instead of landing and staying in the saucer to read the orbit shot. Any suggestions to help keep fast shots stopped in the hole up there in the right corner?
This might sound weird but my machine does this too but only when the playfield gets a little dirty and needs to be cleaned.
Drop dead foam
Quoted from whisper:Can anyone please school me in on the proper way to play ring frenzy for max points, I never really payed much attention to it but cashed it in on 10 mil last night which I've never done before, my highest before that was 6 mil, but before was nothing worth being note worthy , so was hoping some one can tell me exactly what I did to get a 10 mil cash in on ring frenzy? Coz I was super stoked!! Cheers..
I believe it gives more points if you make the same shots three times in a row. Make all the shots that way and then shoot the ring.
Quoted from DadofTwins:Does the progress from a multi ball mode carry to the next time you play it within the same game? If I crossed 4 people in fellowship MB, will they already be lit if I start that mode again and so forth.
yes, they carry over.
ROTK, the sets/levels of four shots completed carry over, but not partially completed sets/levels.
Quoted from mattmarr:You automatically are awarded a mode start with each new ball, no? Does that not apply with TABA?
To have TABA available to start you have to make 3 of the white shots.
Quoted from Jimmyapple:So my question is: if I start the mode, say TTT, and finish/complete it, it is fully lit, not blinking. What has happened is that I have not yet got to DTR and something triggers me to start the TTT mode again. I thought you only had to complete them each once before DTR, didn't know it would "award" you TTT again. It starts blinking and starts the mode without me locking the balls into place. Has this happened to you? Is this an error or a setting. For full disclosure (don't judge as I just got it!) I have it on easy mode. Maybe the answer is to just put back to factory but I wanted to get where I could move along in the game and not play for 10 years before I really got it down Any help would be great.
That sounds like a mystery award to start the multiball. You don't have to complete the multiball goals to get to DTR. You only have to play the three movie multiballs to get to DTR.
I would recommend putting it on factory. I doubt many of us are going to be able to answer about the software behavior for the EASY settings.
Quoted from Archytas:Getting away from the ball times argument currently dominating this thread...
Does anyone know where I can buy a topper for LOTR? I think lasserric(?) used to produce this one but can't find it for sale anymore.I'd like to get something similiar to match my T2 topper, I'm not keen on putting minifigs on top of my game (the last owner did this and it has left nasty patches where the hot glue kept them in place). Or if anyone has one of the above toppers and is willing to ship overseas I'd be greatful.
Thanks!
That is a Matt McKee topper that has long been sold out.
Quoted from hlaj78:That is definitely a laseriffic topper. It is an early one and I purchased it from them. Contact Joe directly to see if he has one lying around.
It is a Matt McKee topper, not Laseriffic.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/wtb-matt-mckee-lotr-topper-1?responsive=0
Quoted from isJ:Sorry.. the wire ring ramp that is right above the orthanc vuk. What should I call that? I took a pic of the ball and it's trajectory. Back and forth it goes until it finally gets out of the loop. I'll figure it out and realign something. Skittles.
Edit: and.. that's not Orthanc is it.
It is the Barad-dur tower (Sauron's tower).
The VUK should not be shooting the ball up to the trail height. You might need to adjust the kicker angle under the playfield.
Quoted from BeaglePuss:I'm almost 100% done with my LOTR restoration, but I'm in need of the three screws that connect Balrog with the bushing.
According to the manual, I need these (currently out of stock at Marco):
http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/237-5976-02
Marco's site mentions these as a possible replacement in the description:
http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/4006-01113-06
My question to you savvy folks is, will these replacements do the trick? If not, can someone point me in the right direction for the appropriate replacement?
Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
The replacements should work fine (cheaper at pinballlife):
Quoted from tu71586:Sorry for this noob-ish question... I have a LOTR with several mods, and I recently purchased a new topper (https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/new-lord-of-the-rings-topper-by-tilttopper#post-3307983). I also have a POTD mod that was hooked up to one of the "extra" three pin power connectors located in the right lower part of the cabinet. I don't see any other three pin power connectors, but I'd like to hook up both my POTD mod and topper.
Am I missing any other three pin power connectors that I can use? If there are no other three pin power connectors that I can use, would something like this work: http://www.dkpinball.com/DKWP/?page_id=925 ? Anyone have any experience with this?
Sorry for the noob-ish question. I know just enough to be dangerous!
You need a splitter.
Here is the 2003 review article from Pinballnews detailing the the ball falls directly into the Shire VUK randomly.
http://www.pinballnews.com/games/lotr/index5.html
From the article: "Once the ball has rolled over the switches, it falls off the mini-playfield, either straight onto the playfield, into the left wireform or into the Mystery VUK".
Also, regarding the article, I would argue that if the ball is falling directly onto the main playfield from the POTD, then the habbitrail is likely not positioned correctly because mine does not do that at all. The ball may bounce out of the Shire occasionally but should not directly fall onto the main playfield.
Quoted from Thrillhouse:Sure am, the dmd shows golem topple off and hang there after the first shot through the ring. The annoying part is that the second shot wont engage the magnet at all. To finish the mode you need a super accurate shot to get through the ring, i have to hit the ramp 5+ time before it goes in. Ive seen this same behavior on a few location games also so i think its a common problem
The magnet does not turn on for the second shot by design.
You may need to align your ramp position to be more accurately centered with the hole.
Quoted from Thrillhouse:Thanks again for the quick replies ill go monkey around in switch tests.
The problem here is i had thought that the magnet is supposed to stay engaged and hold the ball on the first successful shot up the ramp and then kick a second ball out into the shooter lane. You then hit the suspended ball thru the ring to complete the mode.
If you have the setting #35 of the FEATURE ADJUSTMENTS set to one ball, then the first ball will be held for a moment and then released and you continue with that ball to shoot the ring the 2nd time without magnet assistance to destroy the ring.
For the 2-ball setting, after making the four lit shots on the playfield, then you shoot the ball and the ball should be held. A second ball is put into play and you need to knock the ball out of the ring. If the magnet happens to drop the ball out of the front of the ring when being held, then you need to shoot through the ring while keeping both balls in play to destroy the ring.
Quoted from billsfanmd:If you can post link where to buy spinner if we need to replace it
Quoted from Thrillhouse:Same as pinball lifes upgraded coils
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=156
Actually that is the standard coil. This is the upgraded coil:
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1112
It is hard to tell the two apart unless you have them side by side. The upgraded coil is fatter. They have been shipping with the same part number so that does not help tell the difference.
The one on the top is the upgraded coil. My upgraded coil has the markings LOTR on it so if yours does not have that then there is a good chance it is the standard coil. Ignore the ND marking on mine, that is for LEs which do not have the diode on the coil.
Quoted from paynemic:Now I'm officially confused. Should I get upgraded coils then? Maybe the mid-range coils I saw on ebay? Also, one cool makes a very loud buzz when I hold down the button. Problem?
I upgraded my left flipper coil and not the right and have been very happy with the power. The right flipper is a tight shot because of the angle and the palantir target being in the way so that just needs an accurate shot.
Quoted from paynemic:For real! I'm gonna be on it. I'm a little in my own head on this one now though.
It seems weird that a fuse wouldn't blow before a transistor. Isn't that what fuses are for? Are the new transistors more robust?
Make sure you have the correct size fuses for the flippers (3 amp slow blow). The fuses are located near the coils.
Quoted from paynemic:I'm pulling them new from the little box. Ordered from pbl a while ago in a previous order. So I'm pretty darn sure. They say 3A. There is one master coil fuse on the board too, right?
This is from the Simpsons but I believe it should be the same as LOTR:
Quoted from rai:Have been having difficulties lighting Legolas (left ramp)
Seems as if I can rarely lite Legolas, took glass off and hit the left ramp 10+ times after hitting all the other characters, finally was able to light his insert but not sure why it's not easier like other characters?
Is there something to do to qualify this or a setting in the option menu?
Thanks
It sounds like your ramp switch is likely not sensitive enough or is failing.
Quoted from rai:Should one hit light the insert?
What switch seems like there's more than one, I don't know how to adjust.
Probably the switch next to the path of the dead on the wireform (likely switch 40/Left Ramp Made, or switch 39/Left Ramp Enter).
If you mean the white insert then yes one shot the first time.
Quoted from FlippyD:I was playing today and cradling with the left flipper and got into a conversation with someone. After cradling for maybe a minute or two the flipper went dead.
Looks like fuse is blown and to the touch the coils felt extremely hot. I'm assuming that maybe the EOS switch wasn't engaging? First time I've had a blown coil on any machine so this will be a fun learning experience! I'm planning on switching the coil to a medium strength one anyways but definitely need to figure out the cause of the issue first.
This is on an LE too, which I guess has some minor differences in the coils (no diodes I think?)
Thanks for any tips.
Most likely your flipper transistor shorted and the fuse blew. It happens with the original transistors in Sterns of that era.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/tech-lotr-le-flipper-fuse-transistor-failed
Quoted from griffo84:My Gandolf diverter opens but wont close anyone got any ideas?
With the game off see if the gate moves freely by hand. There is adjustment info in the front of the manual.
Quoted from FlippyD:About a month ago my LOTR LE left flipper went dead while cradling. Researching this issue led me to find a common problem with the Q15 and Q16 flipper transistors. Instead of sending it off I've been learning how to do the repair myself - all part of the fun!
Unfortunately I've been really busy and the learning process has been a slow one. Since I don't feel confident enough to do the repair myself yet I decided to get a RottenDog to use for now and have as a backup.
The board arrived and it is a much different looking board than the one in my machine. The LOTR LE power driver board is nearly half the size of the RD board and the metal mounting plate on the back doesn't look like it would line up with the rotten dog board correctly.
Questions: Did I buy the wrong board? It literally says Lord of the Rings on the RD board itself but maybe the LE version is different?
If it's the correct board do I need to change the mounting plate somehow? I'll have to pull the old board out to be sure but it didn't look like the RD board would mount properly.
Thanks for any help or advice!
Here are some pics:
Are the fuse numbers the same between the rottendog and the factory board? I am pretty sure the LOTR LE has a different board and fuse numbers from a standard LOTR.
Quoted from DANGERTERROR:I've been asked to increase the difficulty on LOTR for an upcoming PAPA tourney. Aside from software and outlanes, I could use some creative suggestions to make game times shorter.
Thicker ramp entrance rubbers? Please let me know what you think...
Clean and wax the playfield. Also, set the tilt bob sensitive.
Quoted from JordanB:I replaced my Shire VUK and it's flaking out again less than 3 months later. It's weird because it clicks (adjusted properly) but flat out doesn't register maybe 15% of the time.
I saw in this thread that the diode should be removed from the pinball life replacement. I don't remember if I did this or not when I installed the replacement. Would it have an effect on the longevity/reliability of the switch if left on? Any suggestions on taking care of this once and for all? Thanks!
The diode should not be removed if you have a standard LOTR, only when you have an LE should it be removed.
The microswitches with the fork seem to go bad easily. It is a poor design. When hit by the ball, the fork causes a side-to-side twisting movement on the microswitch casing and that appears to cause the failures inside the switch.
Quoted from chadderack:Not sure what to think of this though
Custom message you can change or turn off.
Quoted from pacman11:The movie multiballs continue over to the next ball until you complete them and destroy the ring or not..
It does save the progress with the caveat that the Return of the King only saves completed sets of the four shots.
Quoted from paynemic:Good clarification. If you finish one or two and then dtr does the incomplete one reset? Or will it continue with progress? Do you have to complete them all in the same dtr cycle to count toward valinor? Because there is no way I'm going to get all three done and then dtr without some continued progress...
You have to win all the movie multiballs, but not in the same cycle leading up to the DTR. You could win Fellowship, then play DTR, then win the other two multiballs (TT and Return of the King) and destroy the ring. Then, if you have also already received 7 gifts from the elves and played There and Back Again you will go to Valinor when DTR is won.
Quoted from paynemic:Ok. That is great clarification. Thanks again. Better get back to it. I'm finally getting pretty consistent beating tt. Still only beat fotr once. Not sure I've ever beat rotk. Any tips on those two miltiballs?
ROTK is the bear of LOTR. During the multiballs try to get good at making shots without needing to look up. It needs to become instinct where to aim and take quick glances to see which shots need to be made. Also, don't use an add-on diverter that shifts the ball away from the shire on the path of the dead, and make sure your path of the dead is level or slightly leaning left to give a fair chance of the ball landing in the shire. It is ideal to get to ROTK three or four times in a good game to have a great chance of winning the multi-ball.
Quoted from Maken:The LOTR flyer shows black flipper rubbers, so I assume they shipped with black?
I want to keep mine as close to factory as possible... but red looks so much better.
Use red Superbands (or any other color Superbands) and it will play fairly similar to the original black rubber.
Quoted from gcmess:Blowing J20 fuze...50 v to the magnet I think. Anyone have any thoughts on this before I tear into it?
Make sure you are using a slow-blow fuse.
Quoted from gcmess:So I dropped an 8A fast blow in F6 just for grins.....and F20 the 5A slo blo went. Is the magnet suppose to fire as soon as the machine is turned on?
If the magnet activates when the game is turned on then you likely either have a shorted transistor or magnet coil.
Also, I would not recommend putting larger fuses in unless there is a service bulletin saying to do so because you may end up damaging your board such as melting traces and blowing transistors.
Quoted from lb1:Thanks for documenting this. This is the blue rubber that's right of the Pippin insert, right?
I don't think you can really prevent any rotation. When the ball hits, even when it's screwed on tight, the whole thing will move a little.
It looks like maybe the bracket holding it got loose and sagged onto the playfield, then scrapped it.
I'd do three things. 1- Tighten the bracket and periodically check it is tight. 2- Add a washer under the ball guide bracket to slightly elevate the assembly. 3- Add a small piece of Mylar under the whole thing, hidden under the rubber assembly. Maybe overkill but you shouldn't have any problem.
I believe Cliffy made a protector for someone for the wear in that area.
EDIT: Here it is:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/lotr-thanks-for-the-fix-cliffy
Quoted from lb1:I have been having some issues with the sword lock. The release often does not work when all three balls are locked. I have put very few plays on the game since rebuilt and the balls are brand new silver jets chromium balls. I'm thinking it could be the balls are already magnetized but it seems awfully quick. Thoughts?
Silverjets get magnetized easily.
Quoted from gcmess:So....any help on why i have 20 volts on the sword lock coil when I turn on the game?
Is it pulling the plunger ball lock post down and holding it there permanently when you turn on the game? If so, then the transistor is likely shorted and needs to be replaced.
Quoted from gcmess:Yeah....I'm thinking it's getting the signal to turn on. This is my second transistor and it's doing the same thing. Pretty sure I'm ruling that out. Only thing in front of the transistor is a diode and a resistor then a chip...U3. But need to find out the variables that tells the chip to send the signal to energize the coil. Oh what fun!
Also, measure the resistance on the coil to see if it is shorted.
Quoted from gcmess:BTW...just wanted to thank you guys for the help. been away from electronics for awhile so trying to follow signal path frustrates the heck out of me....
anyone know of a "game profile/description" somewhere. When my sword lock was working it would let a few balls pass then lock a few etc. Just trying to find a description of how this thing knows what to do and when it does it.
You have to spell lock for a ball to lock. When the ball goes through the inlanes or outlanes it will light the letter if it is not lit already. You can shift the lights to an unlit one as the ball is approaching by pressing the flipper buttons. If lock is not lit then a ball goes through the lock when the ramp shot is made.
Quoted from gcmess:Ok....well that's interesting. Didn't know that. Can tell I'm a rookie.
Can't imagine how hard tracing those signals will be.....
LOTR was my first game. It took me several months to figure out the lock lights and many other of the nuances of the LOTR code. Sadly, I was not playing pinball from about 1988 to 2010.
Quoted from lb1:I'm getting consistent rejects from the left loop -> Barad-Dur shot. Is there something that can help? Foam on the metal deflector?
If you are referring to the saucer in the back right, use drop dead foam. It takes some trial and error to get the foam in the right places for that scoop. It will probably take multiple pieces to place it right.
Quoted from Razorbak86:Agreed.
I can't find this product currently on the Pinball Life website, but Pinbits still sells it.
https://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=131&zenid=de5a2898b03521f0687bb0d733f1bfb0
Wow, you dug up my post from 5 years ago. 
Quoted from Radius118:Had some friends over to play and all of them complained about LOTR being too hard - yes they are beginning players. I think the reason everyone had this opinion is because LOTR doesn't have a ball saver turned on as factory default. All of my other games do, so I think that's where the perception of the game being hard came from.
So I went into the adjustments to try to turn it on but could not find a setting for a general ball saver. Am I just missing something or is it called something else?
It is called freeze time in the settings.
Quoted from Radius118:Ah! Ok.. that explains it.. I will go make the adjustment.
Thanks!
Setting #38 in the Standard adjustments.
Quoted from Spencer:Brought mine home yesterday! Super excited about it . Newbie question, playing just now, I destroyed the ring and the flippers went crazy, it was great! Then the dmd said you still have work to do and the game continued. What did I actually accomplish and what did I still have to do?
Win each movie multiball, start there and back again, collect 7 elf gifts and then destroy the ring to start Valinor. 
Quoted from gcmess:My LOTR came with a headless Sarumen....anybody know where I can get one? Been looking at eBay and Amazon but can't seem to find the right size. May have to go with some other figure....thanks in advance for any help.
This is the set that has the Saruman toy that came with LOTR:
ebay.com link: Play Along Lord Of The Rings Aome Saurmans Chambers Deluxe Action Figure New
Quoted from gcmess:Thanks for the info....probably pick one of these up.
Wow....I was looking at some of these toys....what's the deal with the shipping on these things. I have done a few eBay sales of my own and these shipping prices seem very high. Don't expect an answer but ....what the heck?
I think people up the price on the shipping to get the price they want for the item. The actual shipping cost is likely closer to $6.50.
It is a shoe-box sized item though. The original retail price for that particular toy set was probably around $20-30.
For ebay, when an item is being sold by several people I usually search by lowest price including shipping cost and the buy it now option can be helpful.
Quoted from judremy:I can almost "taste the rainbow". I don't seem to have this problem with my machine, but that may be because I used daylight and warm white LEDs mixed with some oranges and other colors where appropriate. People seem to want to put blue and green into this machine, but outside the path of the dead I don't see a place for green and blue just doesn't fit. Just my opinion.
I have stock incandescent bulbs in my LOTR and I have never experienced dark areas that the ball cannot be clearly seen. If I ever did convert it to LEDs it would definitely be something like warm white retros to keep the foreboding mood and tone of the game.
Quoted from Scot0308:No shots are lit. I know that during fellowship the balrog center insert light should be lit. Also, when i hit balrog the ramp inserts should light up, but nothing. Also, after multi ball ends no inserts light up. This persists even if I start a new mode. It resets after I start a new ball. I searched for fellowship in previous posts and found one post that said they were having the same problem and it turned out to be the rom they were running. Im still running 4.xxx and for them upgrading to 10.xxx resolved the issue. I will order and post whether this resolves my issue.
It does sound like it may be old code.
Quoted from gcmess:FYI....Just got the new switches and guess what....not the correct ones. The leaf spring is way too short to reach the button.
The manual on page 63 says the flipper switches are item 23A part number 180-5160-00. Marco says use part SW-10A-48.
Quoted from Farmboss:I want to ask a probably stupid question. Are there any lane indicators showing which members in the fellowship still need to be picked up? I don't think there are but want to make sure my game is operating right. I have a difficult time remembering and it is hard to read the names on the play field during a game. I not talking about the lights across at the middle of the playfield, but is there a light on each lane.
I think you pretty much have to memorize the character that each shot represents or read the inserts. Merry and Pippen (the two orbits) are really the only ones that are a little hard to remember which is which. Also you need to remember Boromir is the pop bumpers. Obviously, the middle playfield white inserts show which ones of the fellowship have already been gathered.
Quoted from hawknole:I have crystal clear mini post rubbers on my LOTR. I searched pinballife and titan and theirs are not crystal clear. Anybody know where I might find them as I need a few more. Thanks.
Is this it? Superbands clear flipper rubbers are close to crystal clear so I would assume the post sleeves would be as well.
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=3304
Quoted from Delta9:Can somebody post a pic of their right ramp switch i just noticed mine wasn't working and found this i just bought this lotr
You likely broke off the threaded shaft part from the ramp. I was able to fix mine when that happened.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/lotr-sword-ramp-switch-thread-shaft-broken-off
Quoted from Neal_W:Your just missing the small nut there. (regular nut with nylon insert)
It appears your lower threaded shaft part is broken off as well.
Quoted from gcmess:Update....replaced the Q15 transistor and no change. I jumpered the left flipper voltage to the right flipper and I get the same weak flipper so I definitely have a voltage/current drop when firing the left flipper. Just not sure where to look now....any help?
How about the end of stroke switches?
Have you checked the voltage at the coil?
Another thing, switch the left and right fuses. I have heard of fuses that were not completely blown but were failing.
Quoted from gcmess:Looks like a grounding problem...when I jumper the coil to gnd it fires like crazy. So guess I'm back the the transistor. Correct me if I'm wrong but don't they just close the circuit to gnd to fire the flipper when given a signal? bad transistor or gnd on the pwr board? (shaking my head)
Make sure all connectors are seated well on the board, and that none of the wires are pulling out of a connector.
Quoted from fnosm:Looking for the following ramps for my LOTR refurb.
If you are willing to part with one or more of these please let me know.Parts reference:515-7319-00-80
Parts reference:535-9344-00
Parts reference:515-7319-00-80
http://bayareaamusements.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=GS-LOTR515-7319-00-80
Quoted from Pinzap:Maybe it's been covered in this thread before, but does anyone know what causes that flasher to lock on and overheat? I had the same issue with mine shortly after acquiring the game. Luckily, I was shopping the game first before playing and it locked on after turning it on, so I was able to unplug the flahser bulb quickly and only lost the bulb and not the surrounding plastic. I think I had been replacing some of the insert bulbs with LED's and installing OCD LED Board and thought maybe I shorted a wire somewhere, but couldn't find where. I've left the flasher empty for almost a year now, but would like to find the solution if it's a common problem.
You likely have a shorted transistor that needs to be replaced.
Quoted from Da-Shaker:I just got a LOTR and installing a speaker kit. Does anyone know where to buy the ring design that attaches to the speaker grill. The one ring design in each grill. Not the 2 rings looped together.
Quoted from Da-Shaker:What's the full name and identification number for this switch. I need to get a couple too.
I am not sure but suspect he was referring to this one:
Quoted from Jarbyjibbo:As a PSA for anyone looking to replace your lock down bar, please be aware that Stern changed their LDB's mid run in April of 2005. Every site I could find that lists the old part number 500-5757-02-00 as "working for LOTR" and the new part number 500-6882-00-00 as "not working for LOTR". This is potentially inaccurate depending on when your pin was manufactured. I unfortunately found this out the hard way as I trusted the site's description and shipped the new button-less LDB directly to my powdercoater since it is over an hour away from me. Got home almost 2 months later with all of my beautiful new pieces for 4 different games just to find out it's the incorrect LDB for my LOTR. Definitely disappointing given the expense and rarity of the 500-5757-02-00 LDB and to have wasted the effort to have it powder coated.
Please be on the look out if you find yourself in the same boat!!!
I believe you just need to change out your latch mechanism to match your new bar.
Quoted from Jarbyjibbo:Which I definitely thought of, unfortunately I haven't been able to find one anywhere.
Is this not it?
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1285
You could send Terry an e-mail with a picture of the lockdown bar you need to match to see what he has.
Quoted from Jarbyjibbo:"Does NOT fit RollerCoaster Tycoon, The Simpsons Pinball Party, Lord of the Rings, Ripley's Believe It Or Not, The Sopranos, Terminator 3, Elvis, and Elvis Gold. Also does not fit widebody games WWF, Guns-N- Roses, and Batman Forever."
No, the close together tab ldb receivers aren't really made often as replacments. The lock down bars themselves are hardly able to be found. It would need to come off of another game. I've ordered the spread out tab LDB and I'll just have them re powder coat it. I just wanted to save someone else the hassle in case they have a late model LOTR.
I thought the "does not fit" meant the holes of the original game. I would e-mail Terry and see if he has a latch mech that matches the lockbar tabs you have.
Quoted from Jarbyjibbo:No, it means it doesn't fit the original lock down bar that comes with the game. I've already bought the correct LDB now and it's shipped to my PC so I'm good.
It seems that the latch receiver assemblies are very hard to find at this point (part number 500-6509-00). I guess they were already mostly bought up by people that had similar problems that you are having. People have been posting about this problem since around 2012 when powder coating got popular.
Quoted from fnosm:are there any good mods available for the naked bulb behind the Rider at the back right of the PF?
I have not seen any mods for that but note that the bulb should be a red coated flasher bulb rather than a clear flasher.
Quoted from LesManley:It flashes during Escape the Ringwraiths mode to signify you are in the mode.
Is that flasher really supposed to be red or is that a cosmetic choice people are making? I don't think I have ever seen it red before.
My LOTR LE shipped from Stern with the red bulb.
You can see the red bulb in this LOTR original flyer:
http://www.arcadegamesuperstore.com/images/pinball/LOTR-pf.jpg
Quoted from fnosm:In the Manual it calls out that the LOTR has (1) Groove Jewel Plastic Post what I call a star post.
I can't find one on my machine. Where does this go?
I don't believe there is one unless it is under the apron or behind the backboard.
Quoted from Jappie:Hi guys!
I'm looking for a plastic set for my LOTR. Preferrably located in the EU, to save on shipping and custom charges. Not necessarily though.
Anybody who can help me out? Please send me a pm.
Thanks!
Plastics sets are somewhat hard to come by:
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=3663
Quoted from pipes:So, I bought a 2003 LOTR a couple of months ago and decided to do a bit of a restoration job on it....
-Installed full cabinet decals
-Full brass armour
-Re-painted the inside of the cab black
-POTD mod
-Installed Comet LED kit with LED OCD board
-And a few other things
It turned out great! I'm very happy with the result.
There are a few issues however. When I first got the game it would do a ball search on start-up every single time. Also it wouldn't register drains and kick two balls into the shooter lane about 50% of the time. Did some research and found that it could be the optos or another switch on the ball trough that went bad. Anyways, I decided to buy the entire trough assembly from Marco because I have no patience and figured it would be easier to just swap the entire thing out...problem solved. I finally get everything back together a couple of days ago and right off the bat...ball search on start-up. I was thinking that maybe this is what 'older' Sterns did since I only have experience with their newer games. Played a few games and I'd see a message once in a while on the DMD saying that a ball is missing and now I'm getting two balls kicked into the shooter lane from time to time. It's basically the same issue I was having before....nothing has changed. I'll have a game here and there where there are no problems at all so it's not consistent with every game. The one constant though is the ball search on start-up. That happens 100% of the time.
Any thoughts?
Check the wires that connect to the ball trough and see if any of them are damaged or not inserted well into the connectors. Also, go into switch test and see if any of the switches are in the incorrect state.
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:I've been meaning to ask: on the left "sword" ramp; is the balls supposed to smash against the cabinet wall when it goes up the ramp? Mine knocks against the side loudly every time I hit that shot. Am I missing something in this area? A rubber or a post of some sort?
Yes it does do that. I look at it sort of like the ball hitting the glass in WH2O, part of the design.
Quoted from Neal_W:I think he means the right ramp. That is where the sword is.
Mine does not hit the side of the cab when I shoot it up the right ramp from the left flipper, it hits the large switch there and heads down the ramp fairly quietly. If I backhand that shot, I then get a satisfying clunk. It might be that the ramp is tapered, putting spin on one side or the other side of the ball.
I would have to watch a video, but I believe from the left flipper on most LOTRs typically hits the target and then the sidewall of the cabinet because the ramp is angled about 45 degrees to the target. If you have mirror blades they are likely dinged up in the area to the right of the target.
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:All right.. next question.
I have balls that are getting stuck on the switches on the right (sword) ramp.
It’s so frustrating! How do those “ball detect” switches have to be set up? The balls are hitting the switches and getting trapped; even a second/third ball doesn’t carry enough force
To bounce them down. The balls are not touching the white plastic post so it’s definjtely the switch. Help! Lol
Can you post a picture with the balls stuck there? They should be rollover switches with the little round ends.
Quoted from pipes:Pinbits also sells a small plastic wedge that helps to keep the balls from sticking to the ramp. I was having the same problem and haven't had it since installing it.
https://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_48&products_id=463&zenid=4db2cdd9f52941d2b20850bb59a17dd9
Pics here:
https://mrtn.smugmug.com/Photos/Pinball/2010-04-27/i-9FdZDKF
Damn, there's just so many things you need to do to get this game playing properly.
I don't think the ball-lock problem should happen at all if you have the carbon core balls rather than the chrome balls.
Quoted from pipes:I've only used Silverjets in my game. You are probably right. That $4 piece of plastic seems to have done the trick so it's all good.
Yeah. Silverjets don't do well with magnets. I would expect there are other areas where the magnetism causes some problems such as sticking a little in the VUKs and ball trough.
In WOZ, it has been reported by many that Silverjets are unplayable.
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:Looks like my problem is that the switches are actually -bent- I have sort of fixed one but they are too hard to get to, to be able to fix it easily and get it dialed in perfectly. I’ll remember that about the magnetized balls! I just replaced them about 4 days ago, maybe 2 plays on them, so I think that’s unlikely the issue. Plus I can see the switch physically impeding the ball.
The balls get magnetized as soon as they go into the ring one time.
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:What! Wtf this seems like a fairly bad design flaw
It is physics. If you use a ball made of the wrong material such as Silverjets it will become essentially a permanent magnet when it comes in contact with an electromagnet in any pinball game that has such a magnet.
See "permanent magnet":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnet
Quoted from pins4life33:Anybody get hang ups from the ring shot? Any ideas to stop this pretty annoying when you start a mode and it gets stuck.
What is the ball getting hung on? Are the balls magnetized? Also what pitch do you have the game set at?
Quoted from Jarbyjibbo:I don't remember the specifics as far as count (nor the context it came up or if it was even on Pinside or RGP) but cant we net the same thing just by removing a few winds from the original coils? Less winds=stronger coils if I remember correctly. Has anyone with coil issues attempted it?
I believe you have it opposite in that the number of windings/turns is proportional to the field strength meaning that more turns means more strength.
Quoted from LOTR_breath:I have always heard that removing windings will increase the current which will make the magnet stronger. I found this that makes me believe that is correct.
Quote:
More current = more magnetic pull
Ohm's Law ... I = V/R where,
...I = Current
...V = Voltage
...R = Resistance
Holding voltage constant, reducing resistance (with fewer windings), increases current.
There are tradeoffs.
I'm sure a bonafide EE can chime in.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://ChrisHiblerPinball.com/contact/
http://webpages.charter.net/chibler/Pinball/index.htm
http://www.PinWiki.com - The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info
Quoted from LOTR_breath:I have always heard that removing windings will increase the current which will make the magnet stronger. I found this that makes me believe that is correct.
Quote:
More current = more magnetic pull
Ohm's Law ... I = V/R where,
...I = Current
...V = Voltage
...R = Resistance
Holding voltage constant, reducing resistance (with fewer windings), increases current.
There are tradeoffs.
I'm sure a bonafide EE can chime in.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://ChrisHiblerPinball.com/contact/
http://webpages.charter.net/chibler/Pinball/index.htm
http://www.PinWiki.com - The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info
Each wire loop that is wound on top of each other contributes individually to the magnetic field strength. The length of a pinball coil is fixed by the coil bobbin dimensions so the more turns the more they are wrapped over each other. The current and number of turns sort of cancel each other out when removing or adding loops because the current is inversely proportional to the resistance in the wire. Thus adding additional turns does not increase the field by itself since the field from each turn will go down because it is supplied with a fixed voltage and V=IR (R goes up with more turns). The main factor is the concentration of the wire loops in a small length with each combining to provide a magnetic field which only extends a short distance. If you were to have a 100 loops on a 1 inch core/bobbin it would provide a much stronger field along the length of the cool than if you wrapped the same 100 loop wire on a 2 inch core/bobbin. Obviously the wire gauge is a factor in the design of a coil's strength, but does not really help with modifying an existing coil like in this thread.
Quoted from Morhaus:Oh, and not sure if this matters. But it is stuck down low, so the ball just rolls over it. So nothing ever locks even though I know it should.
Check the spring to see if it got stuck in the wrong position in the mech. With the game off you can also move the coil plunger back and forth to see if it is mechanically not working well.
Quoted from jorge5240:Rejoining the club. This time a cc machine. Looking for the best topper. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mike
This one appears to still be available. http://www.tilttopper.com/lord-of-the-rings.html
The Mckee topper has long been sold out but you might be a able to find somebody selling one.
Quoted from hawknole:OK, I need some help please. I replaced my Shire Y switch with a new switch because the metal Y broke off. I was attempting to adjust the old switch as it was not responding. The new switch worked fine for a couple games and then no response. I fiddled with it a little then got some intermittent response and now back to nothing. Bad switch or something else and if so what? I reseated the closest connector as well.
Make sure to not over-tighten the little bolts that hold the switch on the bracket. If they are over-tightened then the internal mechanical parts cannot move properly because the plastic casing of the switch compresses a little and restricts the movement.
Quoted from Spraynard:Woohoo! Got to Valinor for the first time! Caught it on video too. » YouTube video
Funny enough, I got to valinor on the third game after upgrading my coils to the medium strength ones recommended in this thread. On Ball 1! Amazing what a difference it makes. All my previous attempts would stall out because my coils would get weak during a long game.
Of course, tried to do it again the next day with no luck. The stars have to align just perfectly.
Was that your cat crying in the background when the bells were going off? My cat does the same thing when I play LOTR or WOZ.
Quoted from Raegor:Sauron was never in physical form during the lord of the rings era.
He is in the movies even if it is from a story telling perspective:
Quoted from PinballCharlie:Hmm, oh yeah, he isn't in the LotR pinball timeline... But, he does look totally bad-ass nonetheless. Now I am torn on whether or not to add him...
It is a removable mod, so do what you want to make yourself happy.
Quoted from Damien:One more...
probably because of the star posts, oops was looking at the pictures posted above yours, EDIT: don't believe star posts are factory
Quoted from Damien:I think the ones I have are the right ones?
Yes. They appear to be correct. Just make sure they are tight under the playfield.
Quoted from Damien:Could be. I'm going to replace all rubbers, change all bulbs to LED, and a few other things once I get some time.
Another question... Seems the audio levels are all messed up in this game. The soundtrack is much lower than the call outs. I think the MB modes also increase in volume too.
Is this a known issue with this game, or something specific to my machine?
there is a setting to stop the audio from changing levels.
Quoted from Damien:Oh. Where would I find that? And does it sound good using this option?
Under Feature Adjustments, setting #26, set to NO to disable the auto adjusting of volume during particular game situations.
Quoted from FlipsMcgee:SWEET, thanks for that!
Just to confirm, I assume by “NO,” you mean “0,” correct? It’s a 0-10 scale.
Correct. Zero would be off. I have mine set on 1 and it is not annoying like the factory setting was when I got the game NIB.
If the game is adding balls to the multi-ball for what seems to be an extended amount of time then that is often because of a trough opto board problem.
There is usually about 10 seconds of ball save for the multi-balls and then after that only one or two ways to add a ball one time.
Quoted from FlipsMcgee:Well, that is certainly interesting. It happens to me, but only during Fellowship. What’s the fix?
Edit - Looks like replacements can be had for $30. I will tinker with them then replace if need be.
Thanks!
You could try re-flowing the solder points on the opto boards.
Quoted from Damien:Anyone know how many shots roughly need to be made in TTT and ROTK?
ROTK is seven sets of the four lit shots. Completed sets carry over for each time you get to ROTK but partially made sets do not carry over.
Quoted from Raegor:If you have the cave troll feature on you get ball saves during that, but not once the normal multiball/balrog shows up.
Good point. Cave trolls is the initial intro part of fellowship if you have it turned on in the settings, and it is merely a "points grab mode" where the ball is constantly saved until the Fellowship multiball actually starts.
Quoted from PinsOnly:Can someone tell me what bulbs were in the four spots for the path of the dead? Were they Green Incandescent's, Green LED's, Regular bulbs with Green Condoms? Something else? Same question for the ones for the modes above the center ring shot. Oh, and were they the same with the LE as with the Standard edition? Thanks, Dave
All incandescent: green for the path of the dead, clear for the ring modes, and the flasher above the sword ramp should be a red incandescent flasher. These are usually available at pinballlife but the red flasher is out of stock.
Quoted from Damien:Was about to install Pinball Pro speakers, but the instructions call for the connector on the speakers to be plugged into J10.
J10 is 9 pins, and the speaker connector only has 5.
Any know what to do?
Did you get the wrong kit from Pinball Pro? You may have bought the one for SAM games. You need the one for Whitestar games.
Quoted from Pinzap:Yes! My favorite ramp in all of pinball and a perfect shot comes screaming back at you if the game is setup properly. Difficult to get a good pic without disassembly, but hopefully this helps.
Yes, the backwards ramp is one of Gomez's best design features that he has used a couple times.
Quoted from Lamprey:Is anyone still making a left (legolas) ramp air ball protector? Not the one that comes from the factory, but near the path of the dead?
Like this guy:[quoted image]
People made their own. Lexan from home depot or lowes and a jigsaw is what you need.
Quoted from jchybro:Cleaned the trough up and it did better after bit still took a couple times to get a ball to the shooter lane about 1/2 the time. Did some more poking around and found coils were set to soft/low power in the config. Set to normal and Now it works 100%. Always glad when it was something so easy.
If you have any more problems then check to make sure the trough welds are not cracked apart.
Quoted from dung:Does anyone happen to have a list of the figures for the game? I have a set sitting in a box, but i need to figure out if it has everything. It also has a Sauron figure which I do not recall seeing anyone use?
Many people put Sauron next to the right tower.
Quoted from the_one:Got a really cool DMD board cover.[quoted image]
You need a really good ColorDMD. 
Pinbits has a kit that makes the mounting look better.
http://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_48&products_id=441
Quoted from mmuglia:I also need plastic #20 if these are available.
It really should not be that hard for somebody to reproduce this plastic. It only has a little green hatching on it. It is probably the second most common plastic to break in LOTR besides the Arwen plastic.
I do recommend putting a protector in front of it.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/need-advice-on-protecting-lotr
Quoted from LOTR_breath:Let me guess. Broken #20 plastic = PBL special flipper coils?
Don’t think so. That plastic breaks from the ball falling off the path of the dead and bouncing into the vertical plastic which causes cracking around the rivets.
Quoted from ktownhero:When the magnet in my ring catches the ball, it starts to shake and rattle a bit before being released. It's fairly loud like a chattering sound. Is that normal or do I need to adjust something?
normal
Quoted from Adaminski:Trying to think through the problem for root cause, and I wondered how all balls could get magnetized after only a small amount of games. It usually takes a while...
Then I thought - where do the balls hang out a lot? The trough. Google search showed someone else with this problem recently. Some suggestions there, but I would go further and try to find out how the trough gets magnetized, if that is the case.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/lotr-trough-is-magnetized-help
-Adam
I still believe it is likely the wrong balls being used. Carbon core is what should be used. Otherwise the ring magnet will magnetize the balls within a game or two.
Quoted from ktownhero:The Gimli VUK is driving me a little crazy. I don't have issues with the actual kicker power, but the switch. What drives me nuts is it always works perfectly when I go into the diagnostic menu and activate it with my finger or a ball... But then during games -- AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIMES -- it won't register and I have to wait for the ball search to come on.
I cleaned the portion accessible from the top with alcohol, that didn't really help much. I haven't taken the whole thing apart yet, but any advice? Should I just replace or disassemble and clean the switch?
Make sure the little screws that hold the switch on are not tight. Tightening the screws on the switch can compress the black plastic casing of the switch and that causes the mechanical parts inside to bind up.
Quoted from swilson143:I'm happy to join the ranks of the LOTR owners! This thread has been great to learn tips about this machine. I do need your help identifying a missing part already.
In the attached photo you see a yellow bulb socket hanging behind the plastic. It appears that the socket will just clip into the plastic. The manual shows I need a 906 RED bulb there. Is the bulb just sitting there naked? Or is there a red lens it should be sitting inside?
[quoted image]
Yes, it sits there exposed.
Quoted from paynemic:Guys,
I have a couple issues really making my lotr not fun. The big one is my left flipper. During some multiballs it goes dead or won’t hold or is very weak. I think I may have noted a possible reason in the flipper switch. The contact is very different on the left side compared to the right. The left side has little raised parts that look like they make a precarious connection while the right just has flat blades. I will include pictures, if someone could please tell me if this looks normal.
Second, I did see what appeared to be colordmd resets mid game, it briefly flashed “stern lord of the rings” and then went on as usual. No concurrent symptoms. Could this be related to the power drops mentioned in recent posts? Or something else?
All help will be greatly appreciated.
[quoted image][quoted image]
It looks like the gap for the left flipper is very large compared with the right flipper.
Quoted from Maken:Definitely not normal. You should never have to nudge it. It should feed the right flipper.
Sounds like you've got an issue with your guide rail or spot target. Some pics might help. Or slo-mo video if possible.
He needs to adjust the position of the spot ring target. Mine had that problem out of the box. The ball can hit the edge of the target and shift it towards SDTM (between the flippers).
Quoted from EastlakeMGM:The plastic bit that connects to the Gimli VUK assembly popped out. The assembly drawing in the manual doesn't appear to include this part. How is it attached? It looks just like an inch-long whiteish plastic cylinder.
Also, this happened literally 30 minutes after I finalized an order from pinballlife. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This is the replacement:
https://www.pinballlife.com/data-eastsegastern-plunger-with-nylon-extension.html
Quoted from netman63129:I suspect my ring magnet is not working. I've gone into the LOTR features menu and selected ring test. The spinner and both switches are triggering. I've tried both "Grab and Hold" and "Grab and Throw" but the magnet is not grabbing the ball. How are these tests supposed to work? I don't see any obvious loose wires. What else can I check? This is a HUO machine with only a few hundred plays so it seems unlikely that the magnet would have failed.
Make sure the interlock switch is pulled if the coin door is open so you will have coil power. Also check the fuse for the ring magnet.
Quoted from netman63129:Okay, I made sure the coin door was closed and also checked the F20 fuse, which is good, along with all the others. I assume that after spinning the spinner, the magnet should come on and if I manually place the ball in the ring it should grab it...correct? I've tried this using the LOTR test and manually by trying it with the glass off. Is there anything else that I could be missing or should I order a new magnet? If so, where can I get one?
I assume you mean the spinner switch is working in switch test when you say it is triggering when you spin the spinner.
The other things to check are the magnet itself and the magnet transistor Q6.
Quoted from netman63129:Yes, the spinner switch is working. How do you check if a transistor is working? Do you know what the voltage of the magnet is supposed to be? I assume that I can hook it up to a power source and check it that way?
With the game off, Put your meter on ohms and see what the resistance is between the terminals of the magnet. I am guessing it should be around 3 or 4 ohms.
Also, the F20 fuse, take it out and measure it with the ohm setting to make sure it is reading zero if you have not already done so. A visual check will often not show the blown fuse and leaving it in the game to test it with the meter will often result in a false reading of good.
Quoted from netman63129:It appears that the magnet has a connector with two black wires, which was not easy to find. The ohm reading is 3.4 on the two terminals. I assume that means the magnet is good. How do I check the transistor?
I apologize for being a n00b. I've done simple repairs like replacing bulbs and adding mods but this is all new to me
Probably would be good idea to see if the 50 V DC is there next:
Quoted from red-line:Here's a pic. I forgot, they also say "SOLID STATE". When I do a image search and find a pic that says that, it links to the high powered coil, I believe. Can anyone confirm these are high and not medium?[quoted image]
Edit, I believe it is standard coil. After zooming in, It appears that the bobbin has quite a bit of space left on it for wire.
Quoted from Maken:Today was the day, boys.
Almost 5 years after buying LOTR... Valinor!
[quoted image][quoted image]
Congrats. I also finally got to Valinor on Jan. 24.
I have not been playing for score in the last few years, only for Valinor. One thing that hurts me is I am not good about giving in and holding the ball on the flipper to time out modes I don't need to finish like TABA which often causes me to lose a ball.
Quoted from Maken:Congrats.
Definitely smart to time out some modes.
That said, I went for it today, completed TABA for around 60M points. I actually collected all 7 gifts of the elves a second time. The DTR to start Valinor was the third DTR of the game.
I get enough rejects or rollbacks from the center ramp that could go straight down the middle that I usually don’t aggressively try to complete TABA. My game is on tile floor with plastic coasters under the feet so it is very hard to move/slide the front end sideways to avoid such drains if they are coming. It is a bit of a handicap similar to a tight tilt bob.
Quoted from Neal_W:Loosen the front leg bolts a bit, so the cabinet has bit of sway, maybe about 1/8 inch or a little more. Leg bolts should not be too tight.
If you nudge too much, the tilt bob will let you know anyways.
I can nudge no problem, I just don't slide the legs across the floor like some do to avoid the STDM that can't be stopped any other way.
Everything I have ever read or have been told is you want the leg bolts very tight. Wobble in the legs from looseness of the bolts is probably not good for the cabinet.
Quoted from netman63129:I never new DR existed. That is very cool. The problem is I got to the step where you connect ground to Q6 (magnet coil) and it fired. Then I tried it again and nothing. Now none of the coils fire. I checked all the bus fuses on the IO board and they are all good. Is there another general IO fuse or did I fry the board?
Check fuse F6 and also the main fuse in the service outlet box at the front of the game. Turn the power off before doing this.
Quoted from netman63129:F6 and main fuse are good. Game does power up and flippers/balrog work but no other coils. I'm thinking that I need professional help. Replacing IO board is beyond my skill set.
Perhaps, local to you, Borygard could fix your game.
Quoted from paynemic:Well,
I’m pissed. I had a LOTR that I loved ( got to valinor once and dtr multiple times per game). Sold it. Regretted it. Bought another, supposedly in perfect condition. Two months later, still having terrible flipper strength problems. I changed switches. Added medium coils (still seem to get hot/weaker), but I think it’s better. Got to dtr. Hit all the shots. Locked the first ball. Hit a perfect, clean ring shot, both balls went through the ring and down to the right flipper but no dtr!!! I’m completely lost. Any thoughts on that one?
The switch behind the ring is not sensitive enough.
Quoted from dung:What is a matt mckee topper worth these days? Mine came with one, debating letting it go.
I bought one of the last ones I could find from a retailer about 5 years ago and paid about $230 if I remember correctly.
I would think you could get close to $400 from the right buyer that really wants one. There are worse toppers selling in quantity for close to that or more for present/newer games.
Quoted from hollywood:Post a pic? Not sure I know this one.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/wtb-matt-mckee-lotr-topper-1
Quoted from the4Orr:Hey, thanks for your reply. The plastic piece is installed the only way it can be.
Also @neal_w, thought about it and realized that this has been happening since we got the machine and I installed brand new balls in it immediately when we got it. Can the balls get magnetized within the first few games? I took those ones out anyways and put some others I had in and there was no difference, every single ball down the drain. I don't have any of the "cheap" ones so I'll have to buy some of them and try it out. I am now sceptical about magnetization being the issue but until I try it with some of these other balls I won't be able to say for sure. Really frustrating to finally get a machine I have been wanting and not be able to play it. Thanks in advance for your replies! Really appreciate the help.
Might be helpful to post a clear picture so we could see if we see something wrong.
Quoted from DANGERTERROR:Take out the balls, set them on a table and roll one against another and see if they stick. It can absolutely happen in a few games as long as the ring is doing its job.
I have toiled with that sword lock and though all the things already mentioned should be checked and re-checked, the actual lock mech should also be rebuilt AND repositioned. You can bend it freely and shift it on loosened screws. You can def add or remove milliseconds of delay in ball release that way.
Also make sure the switch rollers are super smooth for no rollover delay.
Your palantir target needs to be centered. Having it that far left makes it very difficult to shoot the ring from the right flipper. You will also have to tighten the target under the playfield to reduce the movement from happening again to the side.
Quoted from red-line:Gotcha. I just got the machine a few weeks ago, and figured the target was moved to accommodate the palantir mod. I'll shift it over tonight.
Any ideas on the purpose of the large washer that the ball is resting on in the above pics?
The washer is there to prevent ball traps. I will have to take a look at mine to see what is going on with yours.
Quoted from red-line:Any ideas on the purpose of the large washer that the ball is resting on in the above pics?
Take a look at post #3376. The post with the washer is supposed to be holding the wireform down. I believe yours is on the wrong screw/threads.
Quoted from red-line:Looks great - feel like sharing the info of the guy who made the plastic?
Appears to be Pinbits:
Quoted from PhantomO:No, here...https://www.pinballbulbs.com/products/lord-rings-interactive-army-dead-mod
He was asking about the plastic. The plastic was designed and sold by Pinbits. Either pinballbulbs got it from Pinbits or they copied it exactly.
Quoted from Robertstone0407:My top right tower solenoid isnt working even in test. Double checked wiring and didnt see anything of not. Any suggestions?
Is your diverter working? Check the fuse. I believe it is F21.
Quoted from Damien:When I have War of the Ents running, a shot to the left orbit drops into the tower as it should, but shots to the right orbit just circle around. If I hit the shot three times in a row, it will hit the post and drop in.
Anyone have this issue?
There are posts about adding a post sleeve on the up post diverter to make it so the right orbit shot will work to send the ball under the tower. Mine has worked well since adding the sleeve a few years ago.
Quoted from Damien:Just a regular sized post rubber? Or a thin one, like Titans?
Thanks!
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/tech-question-about-lotr-war-of-the-ents-mode
Quoted from Robertstone0407:So i have a lotr LE and the back right tower isnt working. In test the coil has 60vac on the thicker wire. Doing ohm test i have 4ohms through the coil. I checked wiring from coil to J8 and had continuity. I changed Q7 and tested the transistor prior to install. Tower still does not rock. Im at a loss
Have you checked the diode for the tower? I believe it is under the playfield rather than on the coil.
Quoted from Dr_Gonzo:Couple questions about gift from the elves? How do you change the selection before collecting it? I saw a post somewhere that shots to the shire would change it but I tried yesterday and nothing. Also, I guess you lose your gift if fellowship multiball is ready? I had super ring frenzy lit and fellowship and it started fellowship and I didn't collect gift. This really sucks and I don't see a way around it. When I shot pippen was the last member so I had no choice other than a random bounce into the tower.
When you hit the stand target in the shire it changes the gift available to collect to the next position clockwise.
Quoted from lb1:I see the left ramp right side wire either inside (as in the picture) or outside the stainless ball guide. Mine's inside and I was thinking about moving it outside.
Has anyone tried both and seen the outside setup help with the shot?
[quoted image]
Mine is outside and I am fairly certain that is the way it was when I received it NIB. I don't believe I have ever removed that ramp.
Quoted from Lamprey:When I was shopping mine I, accidently, put it outside and it didn't play right. But, I don't know what it was from the factory.
It might just be playing too fast after shopping it.
Quoted from Lamprey:Crap, how do you do a line through text?
I messed up my post, I meant to say that I did on the inside, in error. And when I did that the ball would hit the end of the wire form and play not right. I moved it to the outside and it plays as I think it should, and which I believe to be the correct way to "mount" the wire form.
No problems. You edited the right way.
Quoted from Daditude: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.
Quoted from CLEllison:The quick dirty guide to Valinor.
1.) Complete 3 regular modes,.collect gift of the elves.
2.) Focus all remaining efforts on completing the 3 movie multi ball modes.
3..) Once all 3 MMB modes completed, collect remaining gift of the elves BEFORE you DTR.
4.) Destroy the ring one last time.
5.) Kind of out of order but DO NOT play TABA... stall ball on flipper and run out the clock
6.) Get to Valinor.
Seriously, I wish I had known this like forever ago. So help me God once I beat LOTR it's getting sold.
Don't forget you also have to collect a 7th gift before destroying the ring to get Valinor. I destroyed the ring one time while having the 7th gift ready to collect and could only sarcastically laugh about it afterwards when I destroyed the ring and Valinor did not start as I was not going to be able to start all of the multiballs again at that point.
Quoted from DudeRegular:Hi all
I am wondering about the barad-dur eject on my game. It always ejects softly and the ball ends up in the ORC lanes. I saw on youtube that the PAPA game always ejected stronger over to the Orcanth tower. Is that what you all see on your games? The coil is nice and clean and I put in a new sleeve as well.
thanks
That video was showing some kind of anomoly. I believe Keith Johnson may have chimed in about that video and the vuk the first time that video was posted on pinside.
Quoted from Digduglus:Suggestions for cleaning and removing tarnish? Brasso?[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
This stuff worked for me on my MM.
You want to take the parts out of the game because the stuff makes a lot of residue.
Quoted from Roon:Hi here's Ronald from the Netherlands. The Helm's Deep light on the right keeps burning while it should be flashing.. Anybody has a clue?
Is it burning all the time or is it only burning when it should be flashing?
If it is on all the time then the transistor is likely shorted and needs to be replaced. If it is on only when it should be flashing then try a different bulb.
Quoted from Lazar:Still getting our pin setup and working as expected. Anyone have any idea why we would get random auto launched balls? There seems to be no reason for it. Appreciated any help, thanks for the support.
Trough opto board problems. Try reflowing the solder on the boards. If that does not work they are not expensive to replace. Pinballlife usually has them.
Quoted from Lazar:Is this the opto trough board?
https://www.pinballlife.com/data-eastsegastern-trough-opto-board-set.html
I believe it is this less expensive one, $13.95: (on page 77 of the LOTR manual)
https://www.pinballlife.com/opto-transmitter-and-receiver-board-set-for-data-eastsegastern.html
Quoted from auspin:Recently got my first pin, a lotr le. I'm really confused with the leveling? I've read up about 6.5 degrees and using a spirit level or the phone app.
My bubble in the shooter won't budge whatever I do though.
As a test.. Even with the front legs raised as high as it goes and the back legs wound all the way down, the bubble is still near the top line? Is my carpet not level?
Should note my pin was nib for 9+ years so perhaps the bubble is broken?
I used the app to set 6.5 and been great. But the bubble us still as shows.
Any advice appreciated.
[quoted image]
I have seen games where the bubble was installed backwards and the bubble would not move regardless of how steep or shallow the playfield was set by the leg levelers because of it.
I have also seen the bubble cylinder pop out of the bracket and give false readings.
Quoted from auspin:Thanks for all your help guys, I used that app and I am happy with it. Out of interest how do I know if the bubble is installed backwards?
Here is an example of a backwards installed level:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/dialed-in-assembly-line-set-up/page/13#post-3856014
Quoted from auspin:My NIB LE has about 250 games on it and I don't think the ring magnet is holding balls anymore.
Did a forum search and suggested it could be the fuse? This is my first ever pinball so new to any kind of troubleshooting.
I opened the backbox and the F7 fuse had some black in it, looks to be blown?
The suggestion seems to be replace with a 5A slow blow fuse on the LE.
Does that sound correct?[quoted image]
Try a 4 amp slow blow again. My NIB LE fuse blew early on (several years ago) and then the replacement fuse has held up ever since. I believe Stern had a bad batch of fuses.
Quoted from jlbintn:update
found the mirror piece at Marco, but I don't think it has the art.
It probably has the art under a protective layer to peel off.
Quoted from chubtoad13:Are other/all modes and multiballs progressive like Fellowship MB?
Meaning, do you start from the beginning on second attempts or do you start where you left off the second time you play each?
The Two Towers multiball starts off where you left off. The ROTK multiball saves the last completed set of 4 shots but does not save partially completed sets.
Quoted from chubtoad13:Thanks!
Do you know if any of the modes continue after There and Back Again?
Yes, TABA does not reset the movie modes
Quoted from Pinkitten:I’m having an issue with my diverter by Orthanc not always closing all the way. It’s not failing fully, so the fuse and connections should be ok, it just struggles to close or open all the way like something is too tight? Anyone see this before?
Inside the cover of the LOTR manual is the adjustment steps to get the diverter to open and close properly.
page2:
https://www.ipdb.org/files/4858/Stern_2003_The_Lord_of_the_Rings_English_Manual_complete.pdf
Quoted from insx:Yes and quite often it bounces back and sits between the right hand post and the tower.
It is a common trap area. Pinbits makes a plastic that prevents ball traps on the right side near the tower:
http://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_48&products_id=491
orthanc (resized).jpgQuoted from lhammer610:And another LOTR issue since I overhauled it: As someone else recently posted, I am now suddenly having problems with a single ball clearing the Sword Lock. I swear the balls are not magnetized, and they are new.
What appears to happen is that as the solenoid lock pulls down, the ball moves back just a little. The solenoid then quickly pops back up and holds the ball. I do not recall it happening that quickly before.
I am wondering if the ball moves back a little when the lock drops, the ball moves off the switch, and then the lock pops quickly back up thinking the ball cleared? I do not see anything wrong with the lock alignment - I did not remove or clean it during the overhaul. I did remove the ramp.
Anyone have this issue where it is not magnetized pinballs?
I thought it was an issue with the switch matrix. I seem to have an awful lot of cold solder connections to switches on the playfield. A wire was off several switches, including the right slingshot lower switch - no solder at all on the switch tab. I had the problem with the sword lock. I re-soldered the disconnected wires and the sword lock seemed to work fine. But last night it was back.
The balls get magnetized within just a few seconds if they are the wrong type of balls.
Quoted from winteriscoming:Were all LE playfields signed by Gary Stern and George Gomez?
The NOS pf I purchased was signed and is an LE pf. What are the differences in pfs between the versions?
I understand LE didn't come with figures, but I'm more interested in knowing if there are going to be challenges swapping hardware from an original pf to an LE.
One thing I notice is there are no holes in the LE pf for the bent rod pieces below the flippers. I'm not entirely sure what the purpose of that part is. Flipper alignment?
[quoted image]
Biff bars were not on the LEs. They are to stop the ball from bouncing back from the apron (sometimes by luck sometimes by bangback saves)
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/lotr-whats-the-purpose-of-these-metal-bars
Quoted from pinballpaully:My LOTRLE is currently not working. Anyone have a recommendation for a repair person in the Washington DC Area?
When you say not working, what is not working? Does it power on at all?
Quoted from pinballpaully:it turns on and it can't locate the balls and the tower just knocks continuosly.
Those sound like they could be pretty easy fixes. Quite often when the game can't find the balls it is a problem with the trough optos or switches.
For the tower, is it the left tower trying to kick a ball out that is not there? If so that would likely be the opto switches malfunctioning below the tower.
Also, make sure the game has exactly 4 balls in the game and none are stuck on the sword lock.
One other thing to check right away, make sure the batteries on the power board are not leaking out.
Quoted from pipes:So, I've noticed lately that the game has been acting a bit strange. I'd be qualifying things without even making the appropriate shots to do so. I did a switch test and found that triggering the palantir standup target (sw29) will also activate the shooter lane (sw16) and the left vuk (sw9). When I test sw16 and sw9 on their own they work fine though....how is this happening? Any thoughts?[quoted image]
My first guess would be a Balrog switch or wiring problem causing the matrix issue.
Quoted from pipes:dcfan Thank you for that video! I checked the wiring and everything looks okay so I figured it had to be something else.
So if I'm understanding it correctly, I should be checking the diodes associated with switches 29, 13, 16, 32, 9 and 25?
That is my understanding as well. One thing to notice is that 13 is closed when balls are in the trough. I believe you could take the balls out of the trough and see if the problem goes away to test this rectangular switch matrix logic.
I also believe switch 32 is normally closed.
Quoted from pipes:I removed and checked all of those diodes and they're all fine. As you suggested, I removed all of the balls from the trough and the problem does go away. As soon as ball #2 goes in the trough and triggers sw13, the issue starts. I notice that for whatever reason the left vuk switch is not affected anymore. What does this mean???
Do me a favor and check your switch matrix to see if it looks exactly like mine when all of the balls are in the ball trough and balrog is in the blocking the ramp position:
IMG_2779[1] (resized).JPGTry disconnecting the balrog wiring connector and see whether the switch matrix problems when certain switches are pressed goes away.
Several threads on Pinside have described switch matrix problems when the balrog wiring gets damaged which seems to be a common problem because of the way the wires are routed and ziptied.
Quoted from Digduglus:Hey folks, shopping my LOTR and a bunch of my clear posts with rubber inserts are cracked. Had no luck finding then online (i dont know the part number). Anyone have a lead or is able to 3d print them? I need about a dozen.
Thanks in advance[quoted image][quoted image]
This?
https://www.pinballlife.com/data-eastsegastern-narrow-plastic-post-1-116-tall.html
Quoted from FatPanda:So after my shop job, I've been getting frequent ball traps from the Golem VUK. Specifically, the ball gets stuck between the post that's to the right of Balrog and that wireform. (The VUK kicks the ball up, but the ball sometimes will bounce off of the wireform, and into that space).
Any solutions to this? I'm pretty sure the wireform is installed correctly from when I took it apart, unless I'm missing a washer or something underneath the mounting points?
Post a picture. Recently someone else posted pictures where the post next to the VUK was on the wrong screw.
Quoted from PhantomO:Does anyone know a way to adjust the timing of rhe sword lock release post? It has started to fire too quickly. I have cleaned it but dont think that will help. Thanks.
It is usually magnetized balls.
Quoted from PhantomO:Ugh, the post is still misfiring during multiball release from the sword lock. This time I got a bad coil message during ball search. I will try replacing the coil.
Are you using carbon core balls?
Quoted from RGAires:Hi, a friend got a lord in general good shape, the ring is quite good actually, although some of the inserts are like this, is not to deep, any way to restore this? magic eraser maybe? the machine is a bit dirty also..[quoted image][quoted image]
It appears the art is not centered with the inserts.
Quoted from PantherCityPins:For me, I’ve had problems getting through the 2 ball multiball part. I can hit the shots, hit the ring and then knock the ball out. I’ve done that a few times. It’s hitting the ring again without draining either ball that I’ve been stuck on.
It sounds like you are destroying the ring but not getting credit for it because the switch behind the ring is not working.
DTR is not a multiball. If the ball that is captured in the ring falls out of the front then it becomes a multiball by error which is a little unfortunate accident that occasionally happens because of the magnet design.
When DTR is set to 2-ball, you shoot the four shots, then shoot one into the ring magnet that is held, then the next ball is put into play from the shooter lane and you shoot that ball to knock the held ball out of the back of the ring/magnet which destroys the ring.
When DTR is set to 1-ball, you shoot the four shots and then shoot through the ring twice to destroy the ring.
Quoted from FatPanda:Is there any reason to set DTR to two ball instead of one ball? Is it just for the cool effect of having a ball float in the ring while you're trying to shoot for it with a second ball?
The game was originally designed for 2-ball, but some had problems and they added the 1-ball option. I would guess the problem with the 2-ball was the fuse blowing but I have not found that to be a problem.
I prefer the 2-ball but when I got the game I played with 1-ball for many years before changing the setting. One added bonus of 2-ball is if you drain the 2nd ball then you do not lose your ball and only the DTR mode ends (the ball in the magnet becomes the ball in play). In 1-ball mode you end the ball if you drain.
Quoted from FatPanda:Good to know. I may have to change this to see what it's like. I'm wondering if balls get magnetized faster if it's being held long and often in DTR? That would be my other concern.
I use carbon core balls and have never had a problem with magnetization.
Quoted from MSLONEKER:That makes sense because it turns off with the opening of the coin door. Do u think it will hurt anything if i keep playing it until i get time to track it down.
Take the bulb out until you fix the problem to avoid melting plastics from the heat. It should be ok to play without the bulb.
Quoted from PantherCityPins:How do you set DTR to one ball? I go into my adjustments menu, select LOTR and I see adjustments for multiple things but nothing for DTR? Do I have an old version of code maybe?
What version of code do you have? It needs to be one of the later ones.
Quoted from PantherCityPins:Another question. I rebuilt my flipper mechs and installed the medium strength coils available. First off, what a huge difference! Geez the ball flies all over the place now. I am getting more shots where the ball flies off the Legolas habitrail too which is an issue I've heard others talk about but never really noticed with my factory coils. I may go check in my settings and see what the coil strength is set to.
Anyhow, from where I have my flippers set I can no longer trap the ball every time from a Shire feed on the left. Is this correct or do I need to adjust my flippers up a little? Where do most people have their flippers set?
I believe the flipper bats should be in line with the ball guides. I use a short straight edge to get it lined up right.
I don't think the ball should stop on the left flipper (when held up) when it comes out of the left VUK.
Quoted from Lamprey:Any idea when that effect triggers?
If I know what/when to look for I can try with and without the GI OCD and see how it changes.
I am fairly certain the lights next to (parallel along the length of) the shooter lane are controlled lamps.
Lamps 64-72 in the lamp matrix.
Quoted from red-line:I turned my game on today and the message "OPEN THE DOOR" was flashing. I opened the door and the game started, but all my high scores are gone. Anybody have my ideas?
Batteries dead or leaking?
Quoted from pinballjj:What is the strategy for qualifying TT mb the second or third time around , had a shot at valinor last night ( 7 elve gifts , all mb completed and taba done) but had to requalify TT again to get to DTR and drained.
to get the K and P , barud dur and then hit the lit palintir , repeat until you get these as " keep letter spotted" rewards ?
To get the K and P you can shoot a legolas or aragorn ramp and shift the KEEP lights with the flipper buttons before the ball gets there.
Quoted from pinballjj:if it goes down one of the e inlanes with the flipper shift it will give a k or p.?
did not know this! thanks
The KEEP lights will shift right (right flipper) and left (left flipper) with each flipper press so you want the E that the ball is approaching to be in the unlit position when the ball gets there.
Quoted from NJNeil:I would greatly appreciate some Pinside guidance. I got adventurous and tried installing a new pinsound board on my LOTR. Unfortunately in the process of removing and reattaching the microprocessor, I accidentally bent off and lost two metal legs from the chip. Now the machine is non-responsive when I turn it on. Seems like I need to get my hands on a new microprocessor. Any guidance where to get this chip? Appreciate any direction as machine us otherwise in fantastic shape.[quoted image][quoted image]
I don’t know if this is the best source but here is one.
https://ksarcade.net/st-ef68b09ep-processor.html
Quoted from Jkush18:So I’m planning on having my main ramps redone. My question is regarding the ramp flaps. The left one is unobtainable? Do LE owners have golden ramp entrance flaps? Will it look odd to have the steel flap against the gold ramp? Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
The LEs did not have gold flaps. Pinballlife has replacement ramps for the center ramp.
Quoted from yyyyyikes:hey, just found this thread - as i've just returned to my lotr after years to fix all of its hundreds of small problems...
was wondering if anyone's had trouble with their pop bumper flashers? none of mine work and i can't remember ever seeing them work...maybe.
could this be a transistor? i've only ever seen transistors blow and things are permanently switched on not off. they seem to be wired correctly.
anyways, hi all.
Check the fuse.
Quoted from Antron77:Just started to take a part the game to replace rubbers and posts. Pulled the playfield up and noticed I had a broken wire all the way at the bottom left next to the right orbit. Wire is white with violet strip. Anyone know what this is for? Doesn't seem to effect gameplay but could have broken when I pulled playfield up.
[quoted image]
I believe the white with violet is the GI lights.
Quoted from Antron77:So weird. I just put everything back together and don't notice anything wrong. All the top bulbs work, all bulbs work for that matter, and I can't see anything wrong with all those other things. I have sodered a few times so I know i can fix it but it would be a PITA with such a tight akward space.
Did you check the row of lights on the backboard under the back box?
Quoted from attyrhodes:Yeah, no changes from when I first set it up a week or two before this. Bubble is touching the top line.
What happens if you place a ball in the ring with the game off?
Quoted from attyrhodes:Not sure, I can try tonight. What should it do?
Place a ball in by hand and see if it is easily falling out or getting hung up.
Quoted from DeathHimself:[quoted image]
When you order, get yourself some 3 amp, 4 amp, 5 amp, and 8 amp slow blow fuses to have handy as you need them when something happens.
Quoted from WizardsCastle:Yes, tower shots is what I meant. Crap, I was at like 40.
As for DTR, I failed the first attempt, but then completed everything, and started DTR (and failed).
But had I finished DTR then, I would have been at Valinor?
Just to make sure you are clear, you have to complete the 3 movie multiballs. Getting to the multiballs is the easy part. Finishing ROTK multiball is the hardest part.
Quoted from Only68s:Here are the plastics that are spoken for:
-38 , -43 , -15, -20, -40, -26, -35
everything else is still available. PM me
30, 51, 41 and 14 are probably the others that are prone to breakage.
15 and 23 are prone to melting if the flasher locks on because of a transistor short happening.
Quoted from Liakos:I was hoping someone can please help me..
My sword lock keeps bopping up and down ..
At one point it said check sword lock switch on menu ..
My tech guy looked at it, everything seemed tight and fine...
No errors on menu..
However sometimes, not always when I lock a ball on sword ramp the stand up thing that pops out to stop the ball starts convulsing..lol
If someone can give me some advice I would sincerely appreciate it
Go into switch test and roll a ball over the three switches on ramp that are near the up-post.
You want to see if the switch test goes from open to closed when the ball goes over them.
Quoted from MrBubbles:I've tried searching through the forum with no immediate luck, maybe someone can help me quickly... I'm having issues with the ball bouncing out of the upper right shot by the upper right tower (i grabbed an image to illustrate it). I feel like I read somewhere there was a good mod/fix for that?[quoted image]
Drop dead foam
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-lord-of-the-rings-journey-begins-members-club?tq=Foam&tu=
Quoted from TylerJac:Hi guys!
Going to see and possibly buy my LOTR pin tm, excited to officially be part of the group! I'm hoping you could give me things to look for before closing the deal, spots for wear, things to lookout for, etc. Asking price is $6,500 which seems quite fair to me and from the pics looks to be in very good condition.
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
Plan on getting a Colordmd since that plasma looks to have problems.
Quoted from RobbyIRL5:New to older Sterns with the fluorescent lightbulb. On my LOTR, every so often the light stops working, and messing with this silver thing I’m pointing at fixes it (like the connection isn’t great). What the heck is this thing and any idea why it would cause the light to stop working?
Should I get an LED backbox light? I think I’ve heard of some options, any suggestions?
Thanks!
[quoted image]
It is the lamp starter, make sure it is fully screwed in clockwise.
Quoted from TheShaft:Looking through my game to try find what is blowing f21, assuming there’s a short somewhere. Noticed the coil on my trough eject is a bit unraveled and is touching the bracket it’s mounted on. Could this be the culprit?
[quoted image]
Yes, short circuit. I would replace the coil.
Supposed to look like this:
https://www.pinballlife.com/stern-090-5044-ot26-1200-coil.html
Quoted from TheShaft:Thank you, I love how fast I can get answers here.
I would consider ordering a new coil sleeve in addition to the coil. They are inexpensive.
When you replace the coil make sure not to reverse the wires when you make the connections on the new coil.
Quoted from TicTacSeth:I put in a red BA9 hoping the burned out bulb was the issue, but still not working … have more stuff to figure out! Haha.
Make sure you are using a 12 volt type.
Quoted from Ed4pin:I have been chasing the black residue which builds up on the playfield. I replaced all the black rubber pieces which dry rot and replaced them with transparent silicone. To do so, I removed most of the playfield pieces, cleaned it all, and waxed the playfield with 100% carnauba wax. I noticed the black residue decreased, but continued to show up on my playfield and silicone. I re-evaluated the playfield. The black painted sidewalls were not losing color so I do not think this is part of the issue. I deducted the only logical cause of this problem is the incandescent bulbs. The heat from the bulbs must be creating soot. I do enjoy the appearance of these bulbs. However, the soot is a huge issue since the soot on the silicone has to be cleaned off every two to three weeks. The worse area is the slingshots. I will keep my box of incandescent bulbs just in case I want to go retro. However, reluctantly I will change out my incandescents to LEDs with an LED board. Input on LED board source is appreciated. I have already replaced some of the bulbs with non-ghosting bulbs. I hope not to replace the ghosting bulbs with regular LEDs since I already spent the money.
I always assumed some of the black is from dust in the environment and the coils/arcing reacting with the dust. It is probably sort of similar to the first time you turn on your house heat in the fall and you smell some slight burning from dust getting charred.
Quoted from pinballplusMN:Hello, I have a customer and the pinballs are becoming magnetized causing issues. Wondering what pinballs LOTR owners typically use to solve the issue? Thanks in advance! JR checking online and cant find them.
Carbon steel pinballs
https://www.pinballlife.com/1-116-pinball-standard-size.html
Quoted from jsitaly42:I have a HUO LOTR with under 800 plays. I've put a couple mods in it. I love the game a ton and wish I got into the hobby when all the mods were more accessible. No chance of finding all of them now like Gandalf on Shadowfax, Balrog whip, POTD, etc. So, I've come to the conclusion my only chance at a fully modded game is to buy someone else's that has all of the mods and sell mine.
SO, is anyone out there looking to part with their fully modded HUO LOTR? I could buy outright or trade mine towards yours if you still want the game but don't care about the mods much anymore. LMK
The Gandalf on Shadowfax is plentiful on eBay for about $20 to $30.
ebay.com link: itm
Quoted from Neal_W:https://www.pinballprices.com/average-prices/lord-of-the-rings-(le)
Looks like 7k/8k have been typical but things are going up up up recently.
I don't think those prices are anywhere near correct because of the inflated prices games are going for these days.
The backglass alone would probably fetch $1000 I would guess.
Quoted from Reznnate:He's asking about the backglass only. But prices on pin-stuff is silly nowadays. I REALLY don't care for the LE backglass but I'm sure someone born yester
Would you pay $1000 for that backglass? I highly doubt it. Besides, Gandalf's junk really harms the price on that thing.
The idea that pinball games are investments and there are tons of rich pinball morons is an anomaly (not the norm) and isn't sustainable.
If you have a broken backglass on an LE then yes I am sure someone would pay that to keep the value of their game up.
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