Looks like you need to get cliffy to make some protectors if they do not already exist.

Huh. So my sense that Tron felt like a cheap plastic-y game wasn't just my imagination! Stern quality has been plummeting in the past couple of years. Weren't the introduction of useless pf "support pegs" enough of a clue?

Spidey had the exact same problem. Are you new here?

Even at the weird angle, that first pic shows it was going to happen sooner or later. The post doesn't stick out enough to prevent the ball from hitting the side of the ramp. Is that an LE, or does the LE have more ramp protectors? They were added for BSM. You had to order thru Stern though.

5k plays is a lot for that new of a game. If that game was on location, you'd be happy if that was the only damage. Sucks that the replacement ramps are expensive, but that's the nature of the beast when you buy a popular title. The home buyers went all in for Tron and Stern and parts suppliers have noticed.

-phish

New to Pinside? Relatively. New to pinball? Well, been playing for less than half a century so yeah, I guess I am. :shrug:

Seriously, the OP said he had trashed ramps in 8 months, didn't mention 5000 plays. Still, this looks like an obvious place to include ramp entrance protectors--they used to be pretty standard with many plastic ramps. And there's no reason to charge huge $$$ for plastic ramps in a recent game, except for pure greed. They don't cost that much to make and the molds are current, as well as there being lots of new stock.

And I don't know any of the local SMs on location that have had smashed ramps--maybe the ops all installed protectors?

Even when the Williams tables were new, the ramps would crack all the time.

Nothing new here.

Games like Funhouse, BoP etc have ramp entrances that look just like this with no protection from the factory, then Williams got smart and started including them. You'd think there would be a lessons learned file somewhere. In the meantime, paging Mr Cliffy!

I worry about this everytime the ball bounces around in a missed ramp shot on our game, Cliffy does need to make a protector soon.

Don't know what to tell you man.. this has been happening ever since pinball ramps have been in existence, as others have said. Get over it?

Yea I agree this is a problem that has existed for decades with ramps. That said, some innovation from today's pinball manufactures to protect the ramps in the future would really be nice.

I'm already on the case. I had to wait for a local buddy to let me borrow his game to work off of. It should arrive in my shop this weekend... if the rain stops a bit

Got to love Cliffy always quick to help the pinball community out with his protectors!! To the rescue yet again.

Yay! Really sad that Stern refuses to provide common protectors for their cheap plastic ramps. (Does AC/DC also have this problem?) Or maybe it's part of their plan, along with charging big bucks for replacements.

Cliffy,

The rain is killing me too. Heck I didn't know you needed one for measuring. I was gone all last weeked, would have just tossed you the keys my garage I can only hope the rain here translates (transmorgifies?) into some good Lake Tahoe snow. Put me down for some Tron protection as well.

Trust me, they know exactly what they are doing ...

RBION came with protectors for the plastic ramps.

Put me down for one Cliff!

That would be e colfax and chambers!

My SM has protectors on all but one side of one of the ramps. I got the Cliffy for that one missing protector.

Hopefully the competition from JJP will force Stern to take care of these little annoying details for future games.

Me too!

Godspeed dear Cliffy!

Maybe Cliffy is involved with the lack of ramp protectors from Stern??? Cliffy, are you paying stern to keep you busy?

Cliffy, I'd take a set as well!

My buddy just dropped of his Tron LE (the one he won at PPE last year) 10 minutes ago. I can't promise anything other than I'll be putting my best effort into this. Hang tight gentlemen and, indeed, hoist a few and wish me luck tomorrow. Do nah forrget the wearrin o' the grreen!

Cliffy I have a set of pro ramps not being used if you need them. I actually bought the LE ramps and put them in my pro to make hanging the EL wire easier. I call it the "Lazy and not wanting to drill my fingers open method"

Very generous of you but lets see how I make out with this LE first. Stay tuned and thanks!

I had some spare stock protectors from a STTNG and used automotive double sided tape to stick them on. Note these are "temporary" til we get some fitted ones from Cliff.

Also Cliff's slot protectors work real nice too.

ramp1.jpg ramp2.jpg slot1.jpg slot2.jpg

As soon as the cliffys are ready, I'll be ordering.