Hey all! I'm about to restore one nasty LOTR pro I just picked up.

Any recommendations...like must haves?

I read if going LED's I need the OCD board. Agreed?

I will do color dmd.

Any must have mods?

Anyone have any mods that they want to sell?

I don't think I will go the full brass treatment.

What about rubber? Clear titans?

Let me know what you think. I know the sky is the limit here but I'm not looking to go high end. Just very nice restored condition!

Thanks!

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Super cool but hard to source! Sad thing is that I sold one when I bought Aaron's stash years ago as I had no need for it then

Watched the video. It looks amazing!

Thanks for the info! I agree that mine should clean up ok. Yours must be purdy with that Kruzman installed!!!!!

Yaman that is a hefty price but it will be so sweet!

Only problem with pinsound, if I do one, I must do all of them

Oh ya lol. Was not called a pro back then!! Cool, some good food for thought there!

Nice options there for sure! I have not tried pinstaduims but cant justify the cost so don't think I will. So many good options. This restore may get pricey

Getting close to finishing up my LOTR. Anyone have any spare mods for sale?

Yes brother. So much appreciated!!! I'm ready when you are!! I pm'd you my email as well

Ahh was that an LE thing? I have checked them out. They look cool. I guess they are hard to get though.

George has the coolest signature!

Do you have the blue square rubber on the left side still? Maybe it has worn off and ball is hitting ball guide?

Maybe remove the apron and the top of the trough (4 screws) and have a look in the trough for any wear? And maybe check the tips of the jump ramp, while shopping mine up I noticed the 2 tips of the jump ramp have a bit of denting (looks like from the ball rejecting the ring and backfiring onto the tips).

Sorry to bring this up again but I have read a lot of threads on this topic and still unsure the way to go regarding upgrading the flipper coils. It sounds like this was a design flaw so not sure about keeping the original coils. Mine is NOT the LE version. Game is HUO and never serviced so coils are original.

I'm still restoring and haven't played a game yet (not on legs) so not sure how flippers are yet.

Either way I will be rebuilding the flippers.

Options:

1. Replace both coils with upgraded coils. (adjust power settings if needed).

2. Replace left coil only. (adjust power settings if needed).

3. Keep originals. (adjust power settings if needed).

Are there any other options and which is the best option. I'm leaning towards number 1.

Also from what I read adjusting the flipper power settings does not seem to do much? Can anyone chime in on that?

Thanks, Mike

Cool. Thanks for the input!

I was just filing off the mushrooming on the tips of my center jump ramp and I noticed that the left fork is bent up a little higher than the right fork. I'm trying to determine if someone bent it up to try and help the ball into the ring or if it is factory. Anyone noticed that on their ramp?

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Right I forgot about the medium ones as an option!

I just took him apart tonight. Yep remove from game, one connector underneath and remove the coder pin on the post and rest is easy. take bracket off the back (2 screws) and you have access to he switch. It may just need adjustment. If you have not seen the switcht then you might not conclude it needs to be replaced just yet.

My 2005 LOTR has factory metal washers under the slings.

Damn, your sling plastic broke even with a lexan washer there?

I literally did this last night! I was going to post it as well so I'm glad you mentioned it. My ramp was skewed to the right and even touching the wireform switch beside it. I think I have a pic actually I will post. I pushed my ramp to the left when tightening to line up the ramp better. I will also bend the tip back down. I guess the previous owners must have bent the left tip up to angle the ball to the right. Nice touch with the yellow bulb! I may try that!

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Haha yes totally! The confusion for LOTR flippers is real. I will start by actually playing my game, when it is on legs, and go from there

Ahh yes if the nubs are worn then new microswitch body time Good luck!

And that is with original coils right?

OK cool thanks! My playfield is reassembled and getting close to playing it!

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I found this plastic on the playfield before I started tearing it apart. I am guessing it goes in the area that I am showing in the photo. Can anyone confirm this for me please.

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Sweet man thanks for chiming in much appreciated.

Thanks guys that makes perfect sense. I saw the two standoffs in that area and thought it was a little strange. And nobody ever really touched this machine so I didn't understand how it could be removed but now I see how it could have popped off the standoffs. I am guessing it is to prevent the ball from getting stuck but if it never gets stuck there and the plastic is going to keep popping off then it is probably causing more problems than it is solving.

Ok next question. I was eyeing up this area during my restoration and wondering about it. It is an odd area of the playfield. It is not protected well from the ball. The ball can clunk around this area where the ball should not really be. The ball is also hitting the switch stack and I'm guessing this is why I found 2 partially severed wires on the connector that feeds through this hole. The ball probably kept bashing the wires into the sharp edge of the metal ramp. Is this just bad design? Do all LOTR's have this design? Mine is a 2005 so if it was going to get revised it would have been done by 2005 I would think. Anyways I just don't like how the ball clunks around in that area. Not sure anything can be done about it though.

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Thanks man! Yes the shorty post is the only real protection for the ball getting in that area. My outer orbit is fine but I don't have the machine on legs and it is not level either (on my pump cart) and not pitched properly so the clunk may reduce when it is all set up BUT I'm sure the severed wires were due to the ball bouncing around in there and hitting the wires against the edge of the ramp. And it seemed that stern tried to take precaution for this connector wire as there was a piece of tape on the wires right beside the severed area. Not sure if the tape was to hold the connector wires out of the way of trouble or to help with some added protection.

Found a pic of the wire in question. It is from the sword ramp and feeds under the right ramp into that trouble area. You can see the piece of tape! The is right where the wires were almost severed!

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Here are the wires close up after fixing it.

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My game is freshly shopped and now am getting some games on it. Trying to destroy the ring.

My friend destroys the ring at 16:40 in this video.

In the very same game I have about 3 failed attempts at 19:20 where the ball goes right through the ring but nothing happens.

I have adjusted and checked my spinner switch and it is good and the ring opto and magnet work just fine. Must the be the switch in behind the back panel right? I adjusted and tested it during my shop job but maybe it needs to be bent down a bit more. What do you think?

I thought factory settings were where you had to knock the ball out of the ring to destroy it (2 shots) but my current settings the ring does not hold the ball so I will have to check my settings as well.

Let me know your thoughts! Thanks!!!

Great thanks. My 3amp fuse blew during that game session last night so I popped in a 4amp. Not sure why it blew. Been good since.

Do most people like it set to number 2 cause of its awesomeness or number 1 so that you dont blow up your fuse?

Right on thanks for all the info! I can see how that switch needs to be just perfect! The back trough is one of the only parts that I did not remove when I shopped it. Looks like a pain in the ass! If I need to replace the microswitch I will do that. I have some switch bodies in stock and would hope to reuse the actuator.

Ahh ok great thanks!

I thought I read that there was a service bulletin or something where it was recommended to up the amperage on that fuse up to five amp or something.

This is regarding the service bulletin I was referencing. Looks like going up to 5 amp is recommended.

Thanks Swapped the switch last night and shortly after destroyed the ring for the 1st time

Thanks!!

I did not have that issue. I was just not hitting the ramp cleanly. Once I replaced my switch, the 1st time I knocked the ball it worked like a charm!

Ever since I changed mine from a 3amp to a 4 amp it has not blown (standard ed) but only played a couple nights on the 4amp but both nights were about 4 hour sessions straight.

Thats wild! Nice job!! Just learning mine. Just destroyed ring this weekend. How do I get there and back again? Is it playing all modes? Haven't done that yet. Had 5 of 6 once.

Ahh cool! Thanks. Haha yep I'm sure that will happen!!

Lots of cool mods there! I will prob have to get the bookcase at least when I do my TAF

That is likley just photo effect. Hard to take a good pic of dmd sometimes but still...color dmd YES!!!!!!!

what are the must have protectors for this machine? I see the cliffy set. (link below).

http://www.passionforpinball.com/lotr/LOTR-Complete-Set001.jpg

I have had mixed results with cliffy protectors.

Any one have any installed for a long time and how are they holding up over time? are they getting beat up? holding up ok?

what other protectors are recommended? where the ball falls from POTD I'm guessing is a good one to get.

Thanks in advance!

Ouch that must have hurt? Anyone else have that insert pop out? Were you cleaning it from the underside?

That must be a beauty!!!!

For sure!!

Who uses the directors cut? I watched Karl's valinor video and he was using it. I asked him why and he said it is because some of the factory settings were dictated by management at the time and directors cut sets the game how Keith intended it to be. He also said that is the reason for the Gary-rog Easter egg (which I never heard of) and now must look up

Right on. I am going to give it a try!

I believe it would be in the installs menu. (no special rom)

Thats purrrrrrdy! Very nice job (you and Kruzman both)