If it's a NIB Stern ... 10 games!

The linkage gets too much play in it. That’s the biggest culprit. Then you get scratched up plungers and smashed coil stops and gummed up or melted sleeves. Sometimes it’s all of the above sometimes it’s just 1 or 2 of them.

Some people like to buy new things when a little freshening up works just as well.
Sure new flipper parts are needed when holes get blown out or break; but just as often a new sleeve and a spin or 2 on the grinder work just as well.

I would strongly encourage you to buy full rebuild kits now to have them on hand. Installing them can always be done at a later time.

If you want to do things on a budget just replace the sleeve and clean up the EOS switch.

In my opinion if you have EOS switches that are original they should be replaced.

If things are sloppy in the linkage that can make things weaker and need to adjust EOS again.

Again if you want to save money you could buy strips of Bakelite from Steve and cut to size. The pawls usually don’t go bad but when they break you’re in trouble.

If the flippers have been adjusted a lot you can have dimples that are deep in the shaft and make it hard to adjust your bats to the desired angle. You could consider ordering new shoe shafts too, though these rarely need to be replaced.

I personally go heavy on the rebuilds as I have get togethers from time to time and want my flippers on point and don’t want any unexpected break downs.

For Williams machines I throw 90s technology in them.

Push the metal plunger into the coil like it’s flipping. You’re going to push in on the metal part with your hand. Then with your other hand, play with the Bakelite and pawl part (I think I’m spelling it right) by pushing it in even more. If there is little to no movement you are good. If it flips upward a little more you’re probably worn out and want to replace.

If anything you can buy the link and plunger together to save the hassle of punching the pin. Generally those metal plungers don’t go bad unless the assembly came loose and started to rub heavy on the coil bracket or sleeve if the sleeve is anything but nylon/plastic. Based on the name of your games you’re probably ok.

I can’t remember off the top of my head which games used what kits but if you have plastic links instead of the fiber Bakelite odds are you’re fine.

KT-GFLIP03AM

This kit is the instance of plastic. These generally held up well.

The other kit you mention has the fiber and would have more consideration with replacing.

That sounds right. The kit lower on the page extends into the 80s titles more for solid state. I always check IPDB to check the year of the game I’m working on. I’m one of those people who hardly pays attention to what years games were made.

It wouldn’t hurt to look at the detailed breakdown to confirm the part but it sounds like you are on the right track!

I'm always surprised at how well the flipper parts on these games hold up when compared to the System 11 and WPC Williams/Bally games.

My preference, being a reseller, is that I'll pull the flipper assemblies apart, as others have said, I'll clean the EOS, replace if there is anything questionable. Sleeves get replaced because I'm there.

I take a replacement plunger and link and the plunger and link from the game. I move it around a little. I want to find too much slop, any binding, anything that isn't right. I compare the feel of the plunger and link from the game with a new one, and if there isn't any significant difference I'll put the one that came off the game back on.

Stops in theory can wear out, but I don't do too many of these games, and I can't remember actually having a worn out flipper stop in games of this age.

Still, I compare the flipper stop I pull out of the game to a new one. Any question? Replace it.

Reassemble with loctite.

Now, if I were a home user I would absolutely buy a flipper rebuild kit.

First, to compare my (potentially worn) parts to a known good sample.

Second, because... pinballs break. They break a lot. Usually they break in simple ways that are easy to fix, but frequently they break in a way that requires specialty or hard to obtain parts.

If you have all the parts, you can respond to a weak flipper whenever you have an afternoon to do maintenance on your machines.

If you don't have the parts, you'll get started, get parts ordered, and come back later... it'll be increased hassle, and your pinball should be fun!

My friend James told me years ago, maybe even on my first day as a pinball technician, that flippers are the most important part of your game. If you can put money in the game, get the ball into play and the flippers work, even if EVERY OTHER THING on the game was broken, the game would still make money.

Hehe.

Keep your flippers perfect. Keep flipper parts on hand.

It's about the most important part of pinball maintenance.