It's easier to think of the lock area as another trough.

Because it's the only place on the playfield besides the gumball machine where balls can stay, and there's 5 silver balls anyway, basically the game knows that it isn't going to affect gameplay to leave a ball up there between games.

I would hazard a guess that if you ended up with two locked balls up there at the end of the game that it might kick them both out so that you've got at least 2 balls in the bottom trough.

Nope - even _two_ will stay up there between games. You also can't "steal" locks in a multi-player game - if there aren't any in the trough after a lock shot, you'll see the "WATCH FOR KICKOUT" message on the DMD as one is ejected.

The only mass LOCK eject comes when the machine is rebooted.

I find that odd but yes that is normal. I don't recall my game ever kicking out balls out of the lock between games.

No, this is normal, as expected.

little update on my lock kickout issues. I managed tp fix by removing the spring. The plunger easily returns under its own weight and without the (quite stiff) spring now works perfectly. Maybe a wrong spring was installed and it needs a far less stiff one. But none appears to do the job perfectly.

One possibility is that there is some resistance in the line due to a poor connection, so the coil isn't firing as strong as it should.

Hey all. For those looking for a mini playfield microswitch kit I just tried out the version Twister has put together. I’ve never used the now apparently defunct GLM kit so I can’t really compare it to that kit. Here are my impressions:

Brackets themselves:
Brackets are sturdy, maybe even a touch heavier guage than originals and definitely built sturdier with protection all the way down to just above the PF. They are designed nicely with the mounting holes ovaled to allow for some adjustment. The finish is a nice brushed stainless that closely matches a stock look although the sheen is a bit different. In short they are attractive and strong.

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The switch boards:
He very thoughtfully adhered the nuts to the boards as with as tiny as they are they would be very hard to mount otherwise.

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Wire solder pads are large enough and spaced nicely although I’m a little nervous about the proximity of the surface mount diode, it might be easy to accidentally desolder or overheat it. I almost want to say go ahead and remove the whole MiniPF so you can work on a bench when soldering these up.

The switch boards have two electrically seperate switches with one for your game and the other for any accessories you may want to trigger.

Unfortunately my package was handled rougly in transit and a few of the microswitches were physically damaged. *update* Sasha is sending replacments and probably won’t be shipping the switches pre-mounted anymore to avoid this.

Note that the switches themselves are hole-thru and available on mouser if you ever need to replace just the switch.

Misc:
Included with the kit are nice screws and lock nuts to mount the plastics. Just another nice touch to the kit that I appreciated.

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All in all I’m very happy with them. My only recommendation would be when shipping to ship the switch boards wrapped up away from the brackets so that they don’t get banged up.

I haven’t finished installing yet as I need to replace the switches that broke in shipping but I’m already super extabout the improved look.

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Great review

Hello Ryan,

thanks for your feedback and your review.
I am very sorry about the damaged switches. I have sold 20 kits in europe, your kit was the first with damaged switches. I think in future I dont mount the pcb at bracket for shipping. But dont worry, I will send you spare parts.
The switches are from omrom, it is a company, where you can get the switches worldwide. GLM use also omron switches from the same series, but with a lower tension. I think in the pinball machine, you will never broke the switch, the balls at mini pf have not enough power.

Sascha

Awesome thanks! I figured that was the case with ball speeds up there that they would hold up fine. Great job on these, they really do look fantastic!

One thing I forgot to mention was that everything fit perfectly. Very precisely made and that made installation as easy as possible.

Hopefully my writeup helps anyone on the fence make their decision, I was trying to be as exact and factual about them as possible. However I really am super excited to have these and definitely recommend them to anyone who wants a microswitch kit for their TZ.

I am finally part of the club! Picked up a partial project TZ. one of the things missing was the bridge(ramp) diverter leading to the upper playfield. I ordered the parts I need or so I thought.

There is a pin or something that I still need that goes in the diverter itself. Not sure what it looks like or the part number. Anywhere to get it?

Here is a pic.

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You’re looking for part# 02-4837 and a couple 1/8” e-clips for it. Marco and a few others (I think?) have it for a buck or two.

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/02-4837

http://www.actionpinball.com/parts.php?item=02-4837

Hopefully you’re lucky enough to still need to order something from a place that has it.

But if you’re otherwise going to get hit with $15 shipping on a $1.50 part, let me know - I might have ordered a spare and if I’m right about that, I could drop it in the mail for you. I’m all too familiar with the horrible USA>Canada shipping rates (which is probably why I bought a spare haha).

The e-clips are just standard 1/8” ones you can get at any hardware store. Nothing special about those, thankfully.

Thanks for the write up! I think I will grab one too, looks very nice.

That would be awesome if you have a spare. If not I will have to order one. Thanks!

Hope you don’t have to buy it from Marco’s. their Canadian shipping starts at $32 US.

Last shipment cost by Marco was $180 to my country. Small box, about 10x10x8 inch, not heavy. They shipping calculator is simply unfair, and on top of that I can't pay in USD at checkout, they are converting to my currency (no other option), with over 9% currency uplift... I know it is not mandatory to order from them, just saying this is strange method to generate extra profit.

Surprisingly enough the manual doesn't show any good info for the actual bridge diverter up top (only the coil assembly beneath it).
There might be more things you need than just that missing pin, I'd recommend you check the following link http://www.moll.no/pinball/jsparts/TZ.php, search for "A-16361" and "tick off" all parts that you already have in the tree below. Don't forget to click on the small expand arrows to see all sub-parts.

I know I at least have my original hinge pin, and I think also a new unused one. There wasn’t anything wrong with my original aside from a bit of wear, but I ordered a new one along with the new diverter since I figured I might as well replace everything at once. I’m almost positive I ordered a couple of them and I can’t see myself needing a second new spare any time soon though.

I’ll take a look probably tonight and see what’s there. Only reason I say “probably tonight” is we’re getting a new puppy today so I imagine I should have a chance to look, but we’ll see what the new puppy decides

Take a look at the “Bally Grey Parts Manual” on Planetary Pinball, and/or also I think the Service Bulletin Update for TZ (on ipdb?) - it has the missing illustration/parts list for the diverter listed in it that wasn’t in the manual to make sure you have everything else.

I recently had my diverter wireform snap right off during a game. After looking up the part on various websites and seeing that this $2 item had unreasonable shipping costs attached to it, I decided to form one myself. I went to Lowes and found some 14 gauge steel in the form of picture hangers that you insert into drywall. Using a photo of the correct wireform, I bent it into the proper shape and installed it. An inexpensive solution that works like a charm.

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(This one is actually my first attempt, which wound up being about an inch too short, but you get the idea; the second one was spot on.)

Was described in the manual amendment. See attached.

Manual Amendment.pdf

Thanks. Looked at the manual and looks like I have everything but the hinge pin. I can get the clamps anywhere so that is good.

I appreciate the help. I have no problem ordering the parts but figure if you have a spare I am likely to get it faster from you than them. Trying to get this thing ready for the 17th which is our league night at my place.

Thanks again for your help!

Great Scott! Never seen that manual amendment. One learn something new every day

New to Pinside, but have owned my TZ pinball for 20 years next month! Definitely would like to join the club. In the midst of full teardown and restore, adding LEDs and other upgrades as I go, so no pics at the moment. Reading this list is already adding some interesting upgrades that I need! Also finding that the "gray" parts manual covered TZ was a huge find, in my pursuit of some GI sockets.

I dropped the hinge pin in the mail today and made it before the mail pickup cutoff, so hopefully it doesn’t take 9 days to get an envelope from Saskatchewan to Ontario! I think they estimated 4 business days so it should make it in plenty of time.

I have some TZ stuff. Only interested in continental US buyers right now.

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Piano mod, pop bodies and skirts, camera kits - SOLD

Cliffy for mini playfield, pop bodies, cameras, piano mod - all SOLD

I guess that means shipping to Canada is out of the question?

I am in need of the proximity sensors

Looking to add a gumball machine light and color changing door mod for my TZ.
I need help choosing, I see there is a dazler and also a gumball light kit from pinbits that changes color from white to red.
Any advice on which to purchase also which is the best back glass door color changing mod.
Thanks

I like the pinbits gumball light kit myself.

I was leaning towards the pin bits light as well for the gum ball
what about the door mod

I’m thinking your talking about the backglass door. I would just buy a cheap rgb strip with remote kit from amazon and then cut off all but one segment. Every one I’ve ever gotten remember their last setting on power up so just use the remote to set to a slow color cycle, toss it in the coin box and call it a day.

Rock has the door panel mod Rock914

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1015-rock-custom-pinball/00730-twilight-zone-door-panel-mod

Tearing into my game now for cleanup and maintenance. It's hard not to hurry because we miss playing it! I've enjoyed cleaning up a few WPC games but this one will probably be the furthest I've gone without doing a complete playfield swap.

If anyone has an extra split set of cabinet decals I would be interested in the right hand side head and cabinet.

..

Just a quick plug for Ingo and his replacement clock board. My clock started acting wonky and I decided to replace the clock board. I bought a replacement off of Ebay after I searched at the usual places and couldn't find one. I received the board and it didn't work on my machine. I contacted the seller and was advised that I would need to do a modification to the minute clock hand to make it work properly. I advised that I didn't want to modify the hand as the board was advertised as working. They were good about it and returned my money when I sent the board back.

In comes Ingo to the rescue. After the Ebay issue, I did some more research and found the Ingo board. I ordered one (a white one which looks awesome). He was awesome to work with. Gave me a great deal on it and shipping from Germany it arrived in less than a week. Installed it and it works perfectly. No more ding, ding, ding....CLOCK IS BROKEN error. Very happy with my purchase. Thanks again Ingo.

? My slingshot has 2 different size spacers doesn’t make sense makes the plastic on an angle.

Mine is the same. Probably so ball rolls off.

Is it only the left side one that goes to the rail mount.?

Yes.

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So just to confirm. Left side has the two different sizes ( on a angle) and the right side is all the same size ( not on a angle)

No. Both sides are at an angle. The fronts are star posts and the backs are metal posts that are slightly longer than the star posts. The middle posts are short metal.

Thank you.

Tech issue and question. My sensor proximity boards in the trough and subway are working properly. LED goes on and off when it should. Powerball is not behaving properly in game. It is giving me random powerball mutliballs and does not do anything different when ceramic ball is in play.

Yes I have checked the settings. The only problem with the game is a credit dot for thw gumball diverter for some reason even though it works perfectly fine.

could they be related? Any ideas?

TIA

When the powerball is kicked out of the trough, do you get the Powerball animation on the dmd? Same should happen when the powerball is ejected from the gumball and before kicked out of the slot machine. Those would tell if you the proximity switches are working correctly. If you are going into powerball multiball, the game must think the powerball is in play (powerball inserts should be lit) and right orbit opto is triggered. That opto may be bad which would mean the diverter never activates. When something doesn't get activated over certain number of games, you get a credit dot for it. I'm hardly the expert at this stuff but I would check all switches and optos. Bang around the pf and see if optos trigger. Had that happen on one game. Opto worked fine in testing but triggered on vibrations.

Boards appear to work. LED turns on when Metal ball touches them and stays off when ceramic ball touches them. Diverter is not a switch. it is a coil and works fine. Never had a problem with it so confused my the credit dot.

With boards appearing to be working properly I am confused why the game is not doing what it is supposed to with the powerball.

Because it thinks there is something wrong with the diverter, and therefore is in 'error' mode. All powerball modes are 'simulated'.

Try clearing the error by:
(1) Make sure that A.2 24 is not set to 'Yes', and A.2 26 is not set to 'Yes'.
(2) Going into Gumball Test, let it do a Continuous Mode and let it run for a good 5 minutes and see if any errors are thrown.
(3) If no errors are thrown, then do a factory reset.

I said check the opto. The diverter coil will fire based off of the opto. Everything in the game is controlled by switches/optos. If the powerball does not go back into the gumball machine when in play and the multiball starts randomly, it sounds like switch issues.

I just had this same issue with random Powerball. Both proximity boards would detect the steel balls as it should. What I ended up finding was the white/violet wire in the 4 pin plug on the subway proximity board was pulled loose from the metal part of the idc connector but still appeared connected. Reseated the wire in the connector and has been working fine since.

I am going to try this tonight. I think the setting are ok and I have factory reset too. Have not run the test. will do that and see if that helps. I though the issues may be related. Hopefully that is it. Thanks!

I thought the same thing too but all the switches work as well as the diverter despite the error.

A live & learn moment for me. I am posting so hopefully someone else may avoid the same mistake. I should have started with some simple green or something lighter first to remove the glue residue. Instead I used some liquid goof off and roasted this plastic in about 5 minutes. I was relieved to see that Pinbits has some sort of replacment, and I also picked up their door flasher upgrade while shopping.

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