The Simpsons Pinball Party
Stern, 2003I've just bought a TSPP and as the title sugests the VUK often fails to get the ball onto the mini playfield, the ball seems to make it to the top deflector bracket/one way gate and fall back down. I took the mechanism apart today and all seems well, coil/sleeve etc all look fine. I thought about bending the little deflector bracket up a little to give a better deflection angle but it looks tight under the ramp.
Is this a common problem?
Not sure about TSPP, but every once in a while other pins I have or have had do the same thing.
This rang a bell for me. I had a TSPP that had a one way gate on it instead of a little wire speed bump so to speak. The ball almost never made it to the top.
I had two holes where the little wire was supposed to go, I think I ended up just making one and sticking it in the hole and taking the one way gate off. Worked fine after that.
Do you actually have a one way gate, or do you have the little wire in the play field like in the picture?
Quoted from Kevlar:seems to make it to the top deflector bracket/one way gate and fall back down.
Quoted from jalpert:Do you actually have a one way gate, or do you have the little wire in the play field like in the picture?
I have a one way gate mounted on the front of the deflector. I've fiddled with it and it hasn't improved things. I may try taking it off altogether and see what happens, I don't think it will be missed.
Take the gate off, and install the wire speed bump. I believe this is it:
http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/535-5373-00
My game was a German re-import, maybe the 1 way gate was an international thing but it didn't work at all.
Quoted from jalpert:Take the gate off, and install the wire speed bump. I believe this is it:
http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/535-5373-00
My game was a German re-import, maybe the 1 way gate was an international thing but it didn't work at all.
When TSPP was first in production there were a lot of complaints about the VUK letting the balls fall back down. I believe the final fix was the wire speed bump, and also make sure your machine is running the latest software available. I think they did something where the software will vary the strength of the kick if it starts missing, or something like that.
I have a mid-production game and it has the speed bump and rarely has a problem. Although every once in a great while the ball will miss and have to be re-fired.
Thanks jalpert/Viper/xfassa. Funnily enough there are also extra holes that could be for something like that in the little loop under the TV before the switch. Is that what its for?
What is this part for? is it to stop a ball going back down to the vuk from the mini playfield or is it to slow down a ball entering the playfield?
Quoted from Kevlar:Thanks jalpert/Viper/xfassa. Funnily enough there are also extra holes that could be for something like that in the little loop under the TV before the switch. Is that what its for?
What is this part for? is it to stop a ball going back down to the vuk from the mini playfield or is it to slow down a ball entering the playfield?
It is supposed to prevent the ball from rolling backwards back down the vuk if there were to be a little backspin on it. If the ball is really jumpy it's still possible for the ball to fall back down, or if it doesn't make it over the wire to begin with.
I don't know what shot shot you are talking about, but I do believe the answer is no. 
The VUK lane on the mini is the only place that wire is used.
Quoted from Kevlar:Anyone know if there's supposed to be one of these little wires in the loop below the TV?
Quoted from jalpert:I don't know what shot shot you are talking about, but I do believe the answer is no. The VUK lane on the mini is the only place that wire is used.
In the little loop under the TV, there are 2 holes drilled and marked out in the mini playfield just as there are after the VUK entry onto the playfiled. I'm in work now but when I get a chance I'll snap a photo.
I can tell you that the wire that fits in the oval slot at the VUK is the only place that wire exists on the mini.
it worked for me, remove the gate, tap in the wire, should be good.
Quoted from Kevlar:I just wondered if some were fitted with it there too, mine is marked out for both but has neither. I've ordered one so hopefully my VUK can relax soon instead of working its nuts off :>
My tspp occasionally has the same issue.
How do you adjust the height of the wire ball guide? I'm assuming I should lower it, so the ball gets kicked up over it easier?
Or should I raise it to keep the ball from falling back in?
I'd clean up the VUK first. Take it apart, clean the plunger and replace the coil sleeve.
Quoted from SilverBallz:My tspp occasionally has the same issue.
I did that and put it back together to see if it would help. It's very clean HUO game so it's overall it's in near perfect condition.
Is the vuk kicking straight? Is it hitting the metal at the top and falling back down or not even making it that far?
Quoted from jalpert:Is the vuk kicking straight? Is it hitting the metal at the top and falling back down or not even making it that far?
It think it's kicking straight and strong. It looks like it hits the metal at the top and falls back in. It always hits the top of the metal. eventually, it will pop out to the uppper PF. I always assumed the metal on the top needed to be bent to angle the ball out more, but didn't do it because it is very strong and I thought i could do more harm.
Hey all, digging around to find some info on this issue, relise it's a old thread but someone may be able to add some tips to this issue, just got this pin & my VUK has been rebuilt & works strong, ball every now & then hits the metal deflector & drops down sometimes two attempts before it works, any tips would be helpful, TIA
Quoted from skywalker:Hey all, digging around to find some info on this issue, relise it's a old thread but someone may be able to add some tips to this issue, just got this pin & my VUK has been rebuilt & works strong, ball every now & then hits the metal deflector & drops down sometimes two attempts before it works, any tips would be helpful, TIA
That’s actually normal behavior if it makes it in two attempts. Mine has done this from day one.
The only time mine doesn't make it on the first try is when there are 2 balls in the VUK. It *should* work on the first try, but if it's always making it on the second, that's not TOO bad I guess. Nonetheless, I would heed the advice given earlier... level, pitch, remove gate if there, clean the mech, replace sleeve, lower the wire guide, have latest software, adjust deflector. Hope it works for ya.
I just brought my TSPP home yesterday and my upper left vuk wont make the turn onto the upper playfield. Same symptoms as mentioned here. It take 6-7 tries before it makes it. It has the bar at the bottom to prevent rollBack. But I did notice my bar has two little washers underneath it sandwhiched between the bar and the upper playfield which makes it taller. Is that normal??
Any help would be great.
Quoted from D-Gottlieb:No washers should be there.
My machine shows little to no sign of customization or alteration. I wonder if this was a custom fix attempt from the factory.
That Rollback bar doesn’t seem easy to adjust, remove or replace. And there are no signs of tampering or customization.
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