Hi guys. I have an unusual problem. I just realized that my Bigfoot's head is on backwards. In other words, he is always looking at me - instead of facing away from me. When I hit a shot that activates him, his head spins back behind his back (instead of just turning to look directly at me).

I read somewhere that this is a pretty easy adjustment at a screw on the back of his head. The problem is - the fur. I am very cautious to pull that back as mine is glued down just right. Anyone have any experience with this? Anyone pulled the fur back from the head and able to put it back with no issues?

Thanks PJM. I will poke around back there and try to find recessed screw. Do you happen to have a pic of the head off?

I meant the head itself with screw. Ha.

I am having some strange scoring issues:

I am awarded hazard shots for hitting the 're-light kickback' shots, is this normal? Also sometimes (not always) awarded 'boomerang bend' when I hit boulder garden or spine chiller.

Finally, every time I go into lost mine, I already have been awarded the 'flashlight'. It only takes me two times entering the mine to get the multi ball (map and key award). Is this part of the most recent software? Or maybe a glitch in my game

Since you asked for opinions I will give mine:

Not a fan of the white mountains. I just don't think they match up with the color scheme in the playfield, back glass, cabinet, etc. look too out of place for me. As far as the Bumble: I think the Bigfoot is one of the coolest toys in all of pinball. Why change? Maybe I'm just a bah humbug.

My favorite "tricked out" options are a color dmd and the Bigfoot spotlight mod. The latter seems pretty basic, but once I installed, it really adds a nice effect.

Edit: Also really like the lighting mod that puts GI lights under back mountains.

Yes, that is where I got mine. About $100 bucks but well worth it. Pretty simple install, no soldering.

There is a decent video on line if you google it. Shows the effect.

The picture must have the orientation of the board upside down. This took me a little while to figure out too! I just assumed it was wrong in my machine, but if others had this issue, they must have the picture upside down in their directions...

It was a bit of a tight fit with the wire harness, so I recommend plugging the two connectors onto the new spotlight board before trying to attach to the motor board.

Motor board is in bottom left corner of the machine with the playfield all the way up in service position. This confused me too! Not anywhere near the actual bigfoot motor in the upper pf. Board is small and rectangular. About 3x4 inches.

Once you find it, take the spotlight install directions that are in your hand and turn them upside down. The picture they give you is upside down. That is the orientation of the board in your pin with the playfield in the up service position.

Blackbeard, I wonder if you should adjust your lost mine kickout. Soften it up a little. Mine is pretty consistent and really enhances ability to get to class 6. By no means easy, but sounds like yours is unreasonable hard to get to class 6.

Btw, it is a damn great game. Only game I own, but I bought one pin and one pin only and I made sure I got the one I really wanted!

Cabinet looks really good. Did you re-decal? I'm thinking about it but hear it is colossal work.

Blackbeard - Previous owner of my WH20 touched up the back of backbox and front trim. It is a perfect match IMO. I cant see any transitions. He gave me the "recipe" he used pasted below:

Williams White Water
• Home Depot Evermore Latex High Gloss Enamel
Base3 (HD7113) (Quart)

E Thalo Blue (OZ) 3 (48) 31 (96) 1
KX White (OZ) 0 (48) 10 (96) 1
V Magenta (OZ) 0 (48) 5 (96) 1

I've got blue in the whirlpool. Also have blue flasher plastics over lost mine and back mountain flashers. Finally, have a blue condom instead of a yellow on the insanity falls shot. I agree that a lot of people go overboard with the blue led's. I'm an incandescent guy, and this (IMHO) is the perfect amount of blue.

Hey gang. Need a little help. Installing the boulder protector cliffy's today and noticed there are already some hairline cracks in the boulders near the screw holes. Don't want to make them worse when I tighten back down.

I have heard of other pinsiders doing small repairs with some kind of epoxy or plastic hardener. Any advice on this minor repair would be greatly appreciated!

- Brian

Hello Rafters,

Need some help. The screw that connects the "Insanity Falls" ramp to the playfield - bottom corner of the left inlane - is not biting. In other words, when I try to tighten down the ramp, I can't get the screw to catch and secure. Looks like it is suppose to catch into a tee nut. I have confirmed the tee nut is not spinning, as it is held down with another nut. When I take the screw out - it is a 2 inch phillips head. I am beginning to wonder if it is the wrong screw and is not long enough.

Anyone recently work on this ramp and happen to know if this is the correct screw? Could it be that it should be a 2 1/2 inch? I have found that other screws under the pf have been incorrect on my WH20..

Figured it out. Think it was a metric screw because it was just a hair too short. Just bought a new one and it is a little longer. Fixed the problem.

I felt the same when I cleaned and waxed my PF. It is a fast game with brutal reject shots if you miss the ramps. I think you're fine imo. One caveat I would mention is to make sure your foam behind the lock targets is new and healthy. Those targets take a beating if your flippers are strong, but all seems to be ok if the foam is in place.

Hey guys - anyone have advice on how to adjust the Mine Kickout?

Recently played one on location and the kick out was much softer and easier to control. Mine rockets the thing out and I really can never control it.

Thanks for any help.

I would look at a fabric store. Or an on line fabric store to try for a match. Faux fur is pretty common as a textile.

Also, there are super glues specific to vinyl and fabrics that may work a little better than rubber cement.

My originals are cracked at the lock targets. I have heard the new ramps have thicker plastic that won't crack. Anyone have experience with this? Thinking about buying the new ones.

Guys - need a little help. Can anyone tell me the size and type of screws that hold the upper boulder in place on the metal posts? The boulder right above the 'light hotfoot' white targets? My game seems to have the wrong ones, also some odd-sized washers.

I am trying to install the pinbits boulder protector and it is not fitting. That is when I noticed I have some odd machine screws of differing sizes.

I had good luck with this fabric glue from locktite.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Loctite-1-fl-oz-Vinyl-Fabric-and-Plastic-Adhesive-1360694/202487188

Used it to glue fur back onto back of his head and his hand. I defer to Jamburglar though. He is expert on all things WH20.

Anyone else replace Bigfoot Bluff ramp and have an issue with it fitting correctly? Specifically for me, the metal ramp flap did not sit flush where it attaches to upper pf.

I took a dremel with a grinding bit and smoothed down plastic lip under metal flap. Worked great as the area I thinned down is out of site.

Seems these replacement ramps are durable and beautiful, but the durability comes with the price of not so perfect fitting.

Wow, Jamburglar, really like the look of your game. Where did you send off to get chromed and (if you dont mind) what did it cost?

I am planning my WH20 restore and i really like chromed rails and lockdown bar. But will probably skip the coin door. I am also planning to build up enough courage to do my cabinet decals.

Can you post a pic of the speaker kit? I don't believe I have seen this.

Edit -Yzfguy beat me to it by a few seconds.

I had this same GI line short out. My issue was a pinched wire under one of the metal posts that support the upper playfield. Was a bitch to find, because it was out of sight in service position. Had to pull the entire PF out of cabinet to access it.

If you cant find the obvious short, make sure to look there!

EDIT: Just looked at TheLaw's link to his short - Sounds like he and I had the exact same issue! Must be somewhat common. Check there.

Anyone know if the mirco play fields are back in stock? I can't find on the high class pinballs website. Also I had heard that he was correcting the color error on the hat band in the next production round. Anyone else heard this?

I agree with this. Would be cooler if it was a little subtle. That way, pinheads will get it, but people that dont know pinball would just think it was a weird shirt. I like it.

Politely disagreeing with the people recommending those little rafts and plastic figures to stick in all the corners of the game. I can't help but think those clutter up the playfield and look tacky.

Go with a color DMD - the colors are great during a lot of the water effects images .

I really like the 'Bigfoot spotlight mod' from pinball life. Pretty easy to install, and really seems factory because it is only activated when bigfoot is engaged (diverting ball or during hotfoot). He is such a cool toy, so adding some lighting to him while he is working is great.

To each their own, of course.

Pinbits makes a popular boulder plastic protector.

https://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_72&products_id=548&zenid=855f1255508dba236641bbe687784e7b

I bought them and for some reason it made my mountains not fit under the ramp. I do have replacement boulders, so they may be thicker and that is what is keeping everything from fitting. Someone else use these and like them?

I would sell mine for a fair price.

Allibaster, I really like the way you have lit your game. What did you use to light the mountains along the back? I know it is common to put some light strips under there, but seems alot of people use Red. And the mountains along the left look good too. Let us know how you did yours?

Guys I have a scoring question-

When I’m in the 2 ball whirlpool multi all I know you cannot lock balls in the no way out shot.

But can you still advance towards the light lock by hitting green targets? Or does hitting the green lock targets do nothing? Same question for the hot foot targets during multiball.

The original one in the game is obsolete, but there is a replacement, it is just a little bit smaller. If you are replacing both male and female, you will be fine.

I recently did a FH restore and had to replace the male, and this is where i learned the original is no longer produced.

I believe you can get from Marco and Great Plains. If you cannot find easily i can look through my order history and get you the part number.

Did you use Purple Power on the bigfoot fur? Any issue with it? I am a big fan of purple power but I am a little afraid to use on bigfoot since he is irreplaceable.

FYI, several posts back someone was asking about flue for the bigfoot fur onto the hands. I found a really good fabric glue at Home Depot. Believe it was in same section as gorilla glue, locktight, etc.

I just looked it up and it looks interesting. Anyone have any more pics or video of their game with this installed? Does the lighting run above or under the boulders? Do you need to drill into the back panel to run the wiring? And do you tap into the GI or does it just always stay lit?

I agree I am not a fan of the red boulder lighting. But this one could be the one i am looking for.

FYI here is the ebay link:

ebay.com link: WHITEWATER White Water Pinball Mountain light mod

If you look at serial number sticker inside of cab it shows the voltage. European games are listed at 220 volts. North American games are at 115 or 120 volts. If you're in USA and your sticker shows 220 volts then you have a reimport.

Guys, finally making the jump from incandescents in the GI to LED's. I have the GI OCD board on order and it will arrive next week. My question to you all -

Cool White, Warm White, or Sunlight?

I was thinking warm since the warmer tone will look nice under the boulders. But then I also thought cool may do better with the blues in the playfield art. Wondering if anyone has strong opinions.

I like cool whites with blue condoms in the whirlpool myself...

Guys, question about the upper flipper alignment. Do you have the flipper resting flat against the metal lane? Or do you use the small hole on the upper pf to align the flipper?

I currently have the flipper aligned to the hole/roll pin which has the bat slightly above the ballguide. But it definitely makes the jackpot shot harder.

Wonder if there is a standard to this

I agree. One of the joys of WH20 for me is the sounds and musics and specifically how the music builds as you complete rafts. I think it is a genius level of music creation using only midi technology. The bass lines, "guitar" solos, etc. Our ear gets it is supposed to sound like it is a stringed instrument, but it is distinctly early 90's sound technology.

I think to change that (EndoProdukt's project) would lose some of the game's magic.

If you do chrome I beg you please don’t chrome the coin door.

Either way, you should do a restore thread! I really enjoyed and learned from your funhouse restore. One day I’d like to restore my WH20 too.

I like cool white with the blue condoms in the whirl pool.

I am surprised by this but maybe they have gotten better. I installed a new Whirlpool ramp a few years ago that came from Starship fantasy. I had to grind down the plastic at the lip where the ramp meets the upper playfield. It is behind the steel flap, so you cannot see it. But before I did this I would get some airballs and rejects as the ball past over this.

I would also add that new decals is not necessarily a good thing (your game #2 option). Many people put these on game without sanding and paying attention to detail. You would want to check for curling of the new decals at the legs.

The guy I bought my WH20 had recently replaced those two ramps with new ones and never put any screws back in there. I think he was afraid of screws damaging his new ramps. I have never bothered to put screws in. The game play is totally fine and you would never notice that the two ramps are not physically screwed together. I recommend trying it out with no screws.

guys looking to buy the back box decals (only). Let me know if anyone in the club has some that they dont plan to install or will part with.

Guys, I have a question about the spine chiller ramp protector / metal flap. Does yours look like mine?

The screws that mount it into the plastic do not have nuts behind them so the flap floats around a little. And the spring steel portion has no bend to it (as you can see).

So a decent shot up this ramp can sometimes get rejected or just barely makes it to the upper pf because the whole thing seems to "deaden" the shot.

I have always just kinda dealt with this. But then I began to wonder if mine is not mounted correctly or if the steel is supposed the have a little bend to it so it sits tightly against the wall of the ramp. Or do you at least have nuts underneath the ramp where the metal is mounted to the plastic?

Thanks for any help here.

white water 1 (resized).jpg

white water 2 (resized).jpg

I replaced my Bigfoot ramp and I ended up sanding it down with a dremmel tool. It was a little scary at first but pretty easy to do in total. It is all concealed by the steel ramp flap.

Other option is to sand/modify the playfield itself, which to me was too risky.

But the newer ramps are much thicker than the stock ramps and this Bigfoot one does not sit flush if you dont modify.

Thanks for the replies about Spine Chiller ramp flap. Mine is so old that I think the screws holding it in are not holding it tightly. I may go the route of trying to get a nut underneath so that it sits tighter/ more flush.

I will let others answer your question about the other ramps and their fit because I only replaced the Bigfoot ramp on my game - - the others were in decent shape.

In regards to bending the ramp flaps, this was the route I obsessed over before finally biting the bullet and getting out my dremel to sand it down. I kept thinking that if I could just bend it downward a little more it would sit flush. But because they are so "springy" they are very hard to bend and I didnt want to put a full-on crease in the metal. Trying to bend as a solution became pretty futile.

A good amount of dremel-test fit-dremel-test fit got it done for me. It was definitely nerve-racking because I kept worrying I would sand it too thin to the point of damaging the integrity of the material. But it was years ago and thousands of plays ago so it has held up just fine.

Did you buy from Starship Fantasy? I believe thats where mine came from.

That's a huge bummer it still doesn't fit. Again, I did mine a few years ago so maybe they have changed, but mine definitely did not need to be heated or really torqued on to get it to sit properly. But before dremmeling, my ramp flap definitely did not lay down against the PF so it sounds like a very similar situation. It had a very "harsh" lip that would create alot of reject shots.

Is it possible you are missing a little spacer / shim where it screws into the back? Or could you use some washers to shim it so it fits? I could go check mine and send pics.

Anyone who has a recent shop out with a ton of pics have some they could send to mbeardsley?

First, it is such a blessing that a company is reproducing these ramps. BUT - I hope Starship Fantasy is reading this thread. Does anyone in this thread know them personally? There has to be a better way in their production process to make these a better fit. I hope they are taking notes on some of these issues. Like perhaps their molds DON'T need to be so thick? Or change the thickness at the ramp flap connection points?

I had plans to buy some of the other ramps to replace in WH20, but I may just stick with what I have LOL.

where in your picture did you apply the heat? And for how long?

Congrats. Go pour yourself a stiff drink.

Your question about the screws -

My game had the wrong screws there when I replaced my bigfoot ramp and the previous ramp was cracked and damaged at the contact points.

I never replaced them with any screws.

I recommend you give that a try first. The rigidness of the ramp makes their connection really solid without any. And the only time you use that portion of the ramp is during the Bigfoot Hot Foot mode. You will notice there is no issue with the ball traveling through that transition point cleanly - even without screws.

Jeezus. Bigfoot ramp from hell.

Hey mbeardsley how did you light under your mountains? It looks good.

I am not a huge fan of the strip lighting as I think it stands out versus the regular GI lighting. But your photo makes your setup look pretty natural. Wondering how you did it.

Guys, I have been having a problem with Bigfoot. The motor seems to be getting slower and slower. Sometimes when I power on I get a credit dot and he does not work at all. At other times his head spins very slow and doesn't stop at the appropriate position.

My question - is this an issue with one of the components on the motor board? A capacitor perhaps? Or just an issue with the motor itself?

Thanks to anyone who has experienced this and knows the issue.

in regards to the Whirlpool - I recommend cool white LED’s with the blue condoms. I like the blue but noticed the straight blue led’s just kinda color-puke the area a bit too much for my taste.

But of course make it look the way you like it.