They are not difficult to replace. Need a desoldering iron, soldering iron and wire crimpers. You can buy the connector as a kit in which the pins are together on a strip of plastic already. All you have to do is push the pin bank into the holes and solder. Then recrimp on a trifurcon connector which should come with the kit.
Even if you purchased these tools you will still save money over the rottendog. If you have a friend/parent with these tools this will cost you a few bucks.
But the real question is, what is causing the connector to heat up?

On older games you desolder all 8 (or whatever) pins and then remove the whole bank. Sometimes individual pins will fall out. Not sure about the newer boards as I haven't had to redo them. The replacement bank usually comes in a strip of 10 or 20 and you cut off however many pins you need. Just be sure not to force the pins out as you can damage the trace. (Done this ) It is repairable but not pretty. If they don't come out real easy, there is still solder in the hole. I am going to have to redo several banks on one of my Sea Witches.

needlenose on one side of pin, heat up solder side of pin with iron, pull snugly on needlenose till the pin comes out, rinse/repeat on all of them.

Then clean the holes with GET OFF or something like it. and resolder in the new pins in, replace with LED's and never worry about it again.

If the extra pin doesn't get in the way just leave it on. No sence in taking something apart if it don't need to be...

I've decided to redo the ToM connector - I think if you use a solder sucker you can unsolder one at a time and just suck out the solder - right? I guess I'll find out, gonna order that crap today - or check Radioshack but im doubting they will have it

Yeah, you can do these sorts of thing easily with a solder "sucker" pump. Heat up solder and suck all solder out, one pin at a time. I have learned it will help to add some solder before removing the solder. This sounds contradicting but it seems to refresh the solder patch and make the whole lot come out much easier.

When the solder is gone done, the connector pin will easily come out. I would still make sure to heat the pin, then pull it out with some pliers. Be carefull to not apply too much pressure/pull. Circuit board traces are easily damaged! The pin shoudl come out easy, if not it is not hot enough! Take your time!

The "key" pin is normally cut of on the top side of the connector. In other words, you do solder it in to the board (probably for extra strength) then cut it at the top side of the connector plastic to make it key. It's always good to key your connector as well so the next buyer of your game knows which connector it is by key (not having to look up wire colors).

Make sure you get a decent desolder pump, spend at least 20 euros. You don't want the ones that are all plastic. This one is nice (but any antistatic will do!):

oryx_desoldering_pump.jpg

Well i can't confirm its an easy job. It takes practice and its important not to heat up the header to mutch. Get yourself a desent solderstation.

About the design flaw.
I spoke to an amusement mechanic. He told me in the old day thay uses les brighter lamps then that do now. So the simpliest thing you could do is get 47 bulbs and replace your GI lamps with them.

And now about the DE disign you are a victim of

Data East made almost a 1 on 1 copy of the disign Williams made. So to be honest. You are victim of Williams design Even Williams WPC pins have problems with the GI. If you have a problem with burned connectors you should buy a pin from "The Ultimate Design". And thats Gottlieb System 3. The titles Gottlieb made are not that impressive. But from all the brand i maintain (at our local pinball assosiate) the Gottliebs System 3 pins never have problems. Its just : Beep beep and you are ready to go. Bally Williams games are a pain in the ass compaired to the simpel System 3 design.

Robin Wrote: I have learned it will help to add some solder before removing the solder

Very simple reason for this happening. When solder is applied flux is used to create a atmosphere ideal for melting the type of metal being worked with (solder). After the solder is applied the flux is used up there for difficult to remelt due to lack of proper atmosphere conditions.

While adding new solder your adding the proper conditions/atmosphere to melt the metal.

Today's lesson brought to you by the stuff called "solder"!