The actuator arm doesn’t engage the switch. I’ve checked it several times and did again after it broke again. The arm hits the actuator slightly but the microswitch doesn’t click until the target falls and hits the part where it bends down.
I tried it with the arm straighter years ago but was having more issues where the “slop” in the lifting arm of the solenoid would occasionally trigger it.
I went ahead and ordered new plunger, coil stop, sleeve, and drop targets and will rebuild the bottom section. I did check the spring tonight (didn’t have much spare time) and it’s not as strong as a flipper spring. With the playfield all the way up it barely has enough force to pull the target down. At halfway up on the arm, it pulls it all the way but not “fast”. With the playfield down it drops without issue but doesn’t seem like it has much force. It definitely seems like the upward motion is the more violent action. It’s enough to wedge the split target over the center guide. When I manually move the coil plunger up, it hits the stop well before the bottom of the target makes contact with the post and is enough to engage the pin to hold it up. I can manually pick the arm up higher and make a bit of contact with the top due to the rotational slop in the hinge and the plunger. I still think that is the likely culprit.
Hopefully the new stop/plunger/sleeve takes care of it.