Hazoff, how did you install the blades? Did you shove the playfield over a bit while raised or pull it out completely?

And my BG ramp is definitely wearing right through the factory mylar there due to it being really rough. They also stripped the screws when installing it so I cannot remove it to sand it down properly and even adding felt, etc will now be a hassle.

This ramp is definitely my only complaint with the game, with that and the air balls/bounce outs.

So, what's the best way to get a hold of someone at Stern about this problem, the 1-800-KICKERS number or an email address (if so which one)?

I got my BG ramp off, remove the random post to better access the white plastic and e-clip that raises and lowers ramp by the way. I know that's probably stating the obvious, but I tried to be lazy at first and after I took it out, it was very easy. And as Gweempose mentioned, that sucker can go flying so have a magnet handy or eagle eyes.

Not only was the plastic rough, but the metal blade was as well. I've got damage in two spots, both labeled on the pic. There's a line visible to the right of the number 2, that's the edge of the factory mylar. I'm not sure if number 1 is just chewed up mylar or chewed threw and actual playfield damage.

BGRampDamage.jpg

Yeah, absolutely. All opinions on the game play aside, with what I'm guessing is under 100 games (haven't checked yet) that shouldn't be happening on any game that quickly. Me, I love the game and it will kill me to do so, but until I can get an answer from Stern I'm not playing it further.

I actually am not sure if number 1 was caused by the metal rivets or the rough plastic of the ramp itself. Number 2 was definitely caused by the rough metal blade.

While the felt seems like a good fix, I plan to wait to see what/if Stern does regarding the problem. I don't mind a few work arounds on my BSD that's 20 years old, but a game that was made one month ago that seems crazy.

Edit:
Thanks Ted. lol Hopefully, Stern's solution is slightly better. Even if it's just sending me out a couple new mylars for the area. Yes, I've got some on hand, but I'm of the opinion that if I bought a car and 2 weeks later the door panel falls off because the clips broke because they were installed poorly at the factory, I shouldn't have to make a trip to Pep Boys to put it back together.

Thanks Perry, that's great news. As mentioned should we contact them and if so what's the best way to get a hold of someone?

Edit:
Perry, register it online? Is that in the Warranty section I saw on the site? If so, I'll go do it now. Thanks.

Thanks, I had no idea. Also registered my Met Roadcase I got this summer.

While I'm not quite sure how they didn't notice the BG ramp issues (all of them) prior to building the LE's, from the sound of it they're making a real good effort to make it right as quickly as they can.

They're mainly sending them to the distributors and really don't want to send them out individually. So if you're getting damage, the best way to go is to contact your distributor. I just got off the phone with someone at Stern and that's what I was told.

That and oh yeah and they don't actually have a fix done yet. Awesome.

Edit:
And if you bought from Gio and Steve aka Pinball Refinery, Chas is sending them enough to cover all their LE buyers and they'll be going in the mail as soon as Gio gets them. Stern is a week or two out from finalizing the kit apparently.

And lucky you that isn't just the Mylar, that's damage to the actual playfield. I know because I pulled my Mylar to check and while small there is a horizontal cut into the playfield itself.

I'm thinking we get nothing but at a minimum they should offer 10% off at the Stern online store good on anything. I could save a few bucks on the bloody armor.

I'm pretty sure my BSD doesn't do it like this. Perhaps some at the blade, but not the gouges the LE ramp is creating at the rivets.

Longer blade, slightly shorter ramp would have likely eliminated the major problem as the rivets wouldn't even touch the playfield then. But hell I don't design pinball machines or anything else for that matter, so I don't know, that's just how it looked to me when I pulled mine apart.

Yes, in looking at my BSD, the metal blade is longer so the plastic and rivets don't touch the playfield. The only real fix for TWDLE is a redesigned ramp. Anything else is a patch and we'll see how it impacts game play. I'm fairly certain we'll only get some little odds and ends and not a redesigned piece. Maybe they'll redesign the piece for the Premium and really give people something to bitch about in the other thread. lol

If they copied the piece on BSD, the plastic ramp part would have been designed shorter and the metal longer so that only the blade itself touches the playfield. Eventually from making the shot the blade would cut into the mylar, but it's easier to replace mylar than deal with a gouged playfield.

In the meantime I've got some of the stick on felt coming tomorrow via Amazon. Hopefully the temporary fixes anyone does, doesn't make the Stern fix unusable. That'll be a fun call to have with them to try and get them to send out a brand new ramp flap.

Well, I have a mod I don't suggest anyone try. It's called dropping the pin that attaches the BG ramp to the plastic post that lifts it up and down. My game ate it!!!! I seriously just spent an hour and a half hunting for it and it's nowhere to be found. So now I have no ramp in there and a boxes of goodies to install and no more time. Frustrating. I want my Refinery backbox light kit in (plus speaker lights, plus undercab). Plus I got the Mezel hitchhiker sign. Ugh. And where's my topper Stern!!! Ok rant done.

If anyone knows what those pins are actually called I will order myself a bunch. Apparently my sausage fingers cannot manipulate them very well to get them back into place.

I have the star posts and I'm going to try Hazoff's trick above, that's really clever. Thanks.

Awesome, ordering them in a bit.

Oh and Gweem. Had I done what I'd planned instead of doing it half assed, I'd have tucked a rag behind the white plastic post it attaches to and left my little magnet wand on the playfield in the event I fumbled it. Maybe that would have helped or maybe the game just hates me and beating me up while playing wasn't enough, it doesn't want me playing it at all!

I had the ramp off to dremel the blade smooth. Got that done and I found that stick on felt on amazon so I ordered a piece. It adhered shockingly well and didn't seem to alter how the blade would touch the playfield. A piece 2" wide by just over 1/4" covers side to side, just over the rivets, but is still very thin. So I figured I'd test fit it and play a game and see if that would fix things until the Stern fix comes in.

The game is addictive so I was trying to minimize my down time for it.

Ok, put my ramp back together with the little pin Pat at Stern sent me. My game is now playing pretty smoothly.

So at this point here's what I've done:
1) 2" by just a hair over 1/4" stick on felt, the stuff is holding on extremely well and covers the rivets and hasn't altered the height of the ramp to keep the ball from going up. How long it lasts? Well I don't know yet.
2) Removed factory mylar and added my own. There won't be any way to tell if it's still damaging the playfield with the old piece.
3) Retightened all the upper ramp posts when I was done. This alone allowed me to adjust how the flap met the rest of the ramp and likely made the biggest difference.

The one thing no amount of adjusting will fix though, but I believe the ramp kit Stern is sending out will is the air balls. The ramp is simply too steep. So if you really get a clean shot up it, often the small plastic "guard" is insufficient to stop it from escaping. I'm pretty sure they're including a larger one.

When is the armor getting released? A month ago they said it would be available in the next couple weeks, and then nothing and now the Prison Tower is available ahead of it.

So whatever happened to the Bloody Armor? Start of December Stern shared a pic of it on it's Facebook saying it would be available in a few weeks and then nothing. Anyone have the inside scoop?

Bre is working on my Well Walker now, but until he gets back...
MiniWellWalker.jpg

Can't wait to get Breadfan's outlane posts, but in the mean time, here's my painted Well Walker courtesy of Bre. Pics don't do him (or Sparky) justice.
WellWalker1.jpg

That's actually a good idea, might keep it from coming loose a bit better. So, I'd like to know too.

Oh and since I'm here. Here's some pics of the bloody armor. To me, really made the game, but of course I've got a black and red themed game room (right down to custom M&Ms and gumballs).
LESpend.jpgLESpendFV.jpgCandy.jpg