runpatboyrun - Pinball Medics has both rebuild kits and full assemblies, and they have a Montreal location you may be able to pick up at. Regardless, their shipping is lightning fast.

I've already rebuild with a kit I purchased from them. It's time to upgrade!
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I did a flipper rebuild on my Bally X's & O's including the flipper switches as they were badly pitted. I'm getting some sticking of the flippers on the right side. While investigating, I noticed that the flipper switch itself on that side seems to be sticking. I cleaned with alcohol but still happening. Can the flipper switch itself magnetize somehow? I widened the gap a little to see if that would help, but still happening. It seems to start after a few minutes of play, so it builds up over time.

No, but the arc can weld them together. You can file a 'crown' onto one of the switches to prevent this. (or both but I usually just do one).

You can also add a capacitor to the switch to reduce the arc.

They should have WPC mechs/parts as well if that’s what you’re looking for.

OK, sounds like adding a capacitor is easy enough. Just solder between the two tabs, right? Never done this before, what capacitor do I need? I'm about to place an order with PBResource, so easy to add. There are a ton of things on that page! Any idea which I can use?

http://www.pbresource.com/eleccomp.html

.1 uf @ 500v (or higher) ceramic disc capacitor

based on earlier posts. I think that's what german games have on them to reduce the sparking.

I've never had to do anything other than shape the contact though. (assuming you don't have something else like something hanging on the PF causing interference)

Greetings - Possible to get some insight on my Fathom flipper issue? I am trying to wrap my head around how the two flippers on the right work off of one switch. The normally open and normally closed comments in the schem... Maybe this is easier than I am making it out and a problem between the floor and the machine (me). I am sort of a noob at these circuits and the fine tweak experience is what I lack. Everything is new including the coils.

Lower right flipper works perfect. Upper right is weak and sometimes doesn't kick at all.
All 3 coil windings appear terminated to the solder post and diodes check out. Wiring looks ok as far as I can tell, 85 is black/white on both etc.

Some switch adjustment opinions welcomed. I agree with all Vids comments on the linears IE heavy, sloppy minimal/tangent contact on plungers etc. Will convert them on my PF swap. Just trying to gain a little more insight on this 2 flipper/one switch scenario.

Pics are under power lower right powered, unpowered - upper right powered, unpowered

Thanks

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Use sandpaper to clean the outer switch on the lower right flipper. That switch provides power to the upper flipper. New high power switches (big contacts) can often be oxidized, causing resistance. Can't see the oxidation, but if you measure resistance across the closed contacts, you can measure it. Should be less than 1 ohm resistance. If more than 1 ohm, sand until it's under 1 ohm. 400 or 600 grit works fine on new switches.

Also make sure the switch contacts are meeting evenly when closed. Contacts look a little off in pics, but may be ok once switch is closed.

My first time rebuilding flippers... Doing it on my recently acquired LOTR, because I wasn't sure of the condition of it. Glad I tore it all down as it was dirty and some things (bushings, eos switch) needed replacing. But the plunger/link assemblies and stops actually seem in great shape, not many miles on them in my novice view. I went ahead and used all the new parts from my rebuild kit, but should I hang on to these for a future pin/rebuild? They are slightly different make, but seem equivalent.

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Very common for the EOS bracket to break on Stern's, so yeah, hang on to the old parts.

Stern links often wear where the bushing goes. Can't see the wear looking at it, but can feel the excessive play caused by the wear by wiggling the parts back and forth. Once disassembled, you can see the wear in the link hole.

I have a box of old flipper parts just in case something is out of stock or shipping takes too long.

I generally buy plunger/links, coil stops, EOS, sleeves, and bushings in bulk its much cheaper than buying kits.

Make sure the link has the metal insert washer in it. I've changed out many loose plungers that were metal on plastic. These are also something to have on hand because they are easy to drop when installing.

Thanks. I attached a meter to the upper EOS and although it looked like it was making a good connection, the tension on the switch was extremely light. When the lower flipper actuated, the vibration caused the upper EOS to open early/intermittently. I tweaked the upper (then all the EOS switches) to be more under tension preload and it's all good now. I see why some of the later switches have an additional metal backer leaf on them now as Vid pointed out earlier. Live and learn

I just rebuilt the flippers on my ID4, but now the left flipper seems awfully loose. If I try to dead bounce off the left flipper, the ball will hit the flipper and just lose all momentum and roll down the flipper into the drain. It's like the flipper is a shock absorber or something because there is so much loose play in it. I have rebuilt many flippers before but never had this issue.

Anyone else have this issue before?

Maybe it is binding up at the bushing, or the return spring is too weak to bring it back to fully down position. Did you replace both in the rebuild?

Posting some pictures of what my new Motordome’s old lower two flipper mechs are like. Pretty amazing to me that the right one hasn’t busted off (missing screw, loose, spring shot). Will be following the early Vid guide on upgrading these. Now to call Steve and not get yelled at…

Left Flipper
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Right Flipper
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Right EOS Switches
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Right Flipper
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Left Flipper
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Upper Right Flipper
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Upper Left Flipper (raised)
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Does the flipper build for the 6803 Bally (Motordome) need a capacitor to increase the life of the switch? Also, what do you put on the crank so it's not metal on metal contact? Electrical tape? Is that to avoid wearing the metal switch, or to avoid electrical currents? Thank you

Is there something preformed, like I'm seeing on other switches. Or do you have a link to your favorite material? Sorry, I'm really not sure if I'm supposed to be using Glad here, haha. I was thinking heat-shrink tubing for wires, but it's too small.

Is the nylon and the washer in the correct place and direction? They’re hidden in a lot of photos.

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Look away, I’m hideous! (old coil)

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I don’t even want to think about all the things wrong with that coil. Saying “replace” over and over is like word bleach

The flanged end of the sleeve goes towards the coil stop

I've heard both ways on the spring washer. I put them on the coil stop, reasoning being that when the flipper fires, the coil gets pulled away from the coil stop, so seems like you'd want a solid connection on the other end?

This way with the washer would mimic how it was originally installed, taking into account Vid’s improvements. Is that acceptable?

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This might be overkill, but if the washer has a slight bend to it, do you want the bend facing the coil or the metal? I was thinking the coil, so the metal takes the sharp edges and not the nylon of the coil.

Thank you all for the help and posts, especially you Vid. Finally made one of the modified Bally flippers. Utilized some stainless steel hinges to make the L brackets so they’d be strong and snug, and trimmed some stainless steel machine screws so the switches wouldn’t short out on the crank screws that stick out pretty far. Going the Molex route for reconnecting the wires (much easier for a newbie solderer). Actually enjoyed the soldering part of the process. The annoying part was realizing I needed a vice to enjoy those manly minutes in the garage Vid talked about Thanks again for the Flitz recommendation - cleaned things up nicely

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Did the second flipper. Read about Loctite 242 / Blue. Utilized that, including removing the first flipper to reassemble and apply it to the screws. Having the Molex made removal of the first flipper a breeze Now onto the third and fourth flipper assemblies

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Replacing a bunch of the parts on all four flippers on a Paragon I just picked up. I’m discovering the holes are slightly smaller on all the bushings from PBR, and the screws don’t go through them. Can I just drill them out slightly?? Could this affect pawl placement somehow? Thanks…

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I just did a flipper rebuild on my EBDse, replaced everything but the coil. There was no 'wavy washer' in place prior so there was a bit of play in the coil. I installed a wavy washer with the rebuild and now the coil seems out of alignment just enough to make the flipper stay up when the button is released. a quick tap on the other flipper, or on the side of the machine and it's pulled back down again. What the heck shoudl I do. is it important which direction the 'wave' is facing on the washer or some orientation issue there? I even tried a tighter spring and it helped a bit but the sucker still sticks.

Turns out, yes I can!

I always just screw right into them. I figure the extra friction will act like a nylon lock nut and prevent the screws coming loose again

Working on a Paragon flipper rebuild, and replacing the EOS and secondary switches on the two bottom flippers. The replacement switches are wider than the ones they are replacing, and now the mounting screws aren’t long enough - even after removing the little metal piece that sits under the screw heads. What options might I have here? Feedback welcomed. Thank you!

Transplant the new blades to the old stack.

Thanks! I didn’t realize that the bakelite came apart that easily! Rather than use the old stack, I removed a few of the spacers, and ended up with the exact same switch stack thicknesses without using the old ones. Thankfully there were multiple thin segments rather than larger single segments, so it was simple to do. And the extra length of tubing through the stack was easily trimmable with an exacto knife. Now all is well.

Keep all the spacers from switch stacks for the next time you may need them.

Yah, I learned awhile back to never throw any parts away, that could someday be useful.