UPDATE: POSSIBLY BAD IDEA. READ THREAD.

I have noticed a few people say that the post to the right of the trunk breaks often due to a ball getting wedged between the post and the trunk as it is rotating. Certainly, my machine exhibited that problem: the post was pushed out, stripping the playfield threads in the process.

This modification adds an extra post to help prevent a ball from lodging between the trunk and the existing post. This mod is reversible.

First: fix the post. This post ( http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1435 ) is a bolted version to replace the wood screw version that originally came with the machine. Drill through the playfield and bolt this on:

pbl_02-4660.jpg

Second: add another post. Take out this bolt, which screws into a tee nut on the playfield:

IMG_20130410_204025_689.jpg

Replace the bolt with an 8-32 1.5" bolt and screw it through the tee nut all the way through the top of the playfield, creating an extra playfield post:

IMG_20130410_204252_480.jpg

Dress up with your choice of rubbers to conceal the screw threads. Perhaps someone can find a better dress-up than the multiple rings that I used. I was not able to find a sleeve that was sufficiently slim.

IMG_20130410_204546_020.jpg

This extra post fills in a gap that exists between the existing post and the trunk when the trunk is rotated 45 degrees from a normal position.

How does the ball typically get stuck at that location in the first place? Is it that the ball is near the trunk while the trunk is rotating counter-clockwise (when viewed from top)?

If so, I can see this mod being a bad idea.

However, this mod would seem to help if the trunk were rotating clockwise.

Is this an argument for removing the existing post to the right of the trunk? The ball could get stuck behind the stand-up, but at least parts would not break.

What about a metal piece at a slight angle behind the target attached with a round headed screw in the post hole?...

Can you sketch or better describe what you mean?

Although this gave me an idea - what about putting a rubber ring around the existing post and this "mod" post? (Red line could be a proposed rubber ring.)

I guess I'm still having trouble visualizing how a ball gets stuck with a double-post.

IMG_20130410_204546_020_1.jpg