The Aussie Pinball Arcade
Aussie Pinball Forums => Technical Matters => Pinball Repairs / Problems & Assistance => Topic started by: ROLLERBALL on November 02, 2009, 11:06:27 AM
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Why are old bally drop targets so hard to knock down???
My Centaur,Kiss and Playboy drop targets can take a straight on hard hit from the ball and stay up just to give you the shits....
Dont have that trouble with the old gottlieb targets....
Is there a way to fix the problem??
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This anomaly happened when I rebuilt my Paragon years ago - the three drop targets would find it difficult to drop. Ended up being a combination that caused the problem ;
1 - The rubber ring behind the targets was replaced and it was a lot thicker than the original - so the targets would not travel further back enough to drop
2 - The drop target assembly was mounted too far back - I didn't want the art on the new targets to touch the groove in the playfield.
The fix ;
Stretch the rubber ring so that it is thinner behind the targets and thicker elsewhere !
Loosen the screws holding the drop target bank, push the assembly as far forward - away from the rubber ring and tighten.
Sometimes - after rebuilding and polishing a playfield, the ball hits the targets so hard, the target just "Bounces" back and does not drop.
If this is STILL happening, you need to check that the springs (one for each DT) still have tension. I sometimes replace them if I still have problems.
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Wot Nino saya - plus:
There are design problems with the targets - you can try making the stem more rigid, although I have never done this.
The lip that holds the target up can be filed down to make it shorter - be careful!
Sometimes there is excess slop in the bottom linkage - only real cure is better parts which can be hard to find.
Occasionally hooking the pull-down spring from the other direction thru the target hole can assist (if the spring is twisting the target).
good luck!
Ian
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Wot Nino saya - plus:
There are design problems with the targets - you can try making the stem more rigid, although I have never done this.
The lip that holds the target up can be filed down to make it shorter - be careful!
Sometimes there is excess slop in the bottom linkage - only real cure is better parts which can be hard to find.
Occasionally hooking the pull-down spring from the other direction thru the target hole can assist (if the spring is twisting the target).
good luck!
Ian
So do you think the problem is also that the targets are too flexible - thus absorbing the impact !@#
Filing the lip is interesting - never tried that !
Great advice Ian #*#
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Ah the old "Bally Bricks"
Can't beat those old Stern sweepable drop target banks ^^^
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Paul.....it's because they aren't made by the mighty Gottlieb
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Ah the old "Bally Bricks"
Can't beat those old Stern sweepable drop target banks ^^^
Meteor had that feature - Knock over the "123" targets from right angles - just awesome.
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Yeah it must be a Bally thing as it is only a problem on my 3 old bally's....
All my other machines dont have the same issues...
And yes I think that a solid whack just bounces the target back onto the lip holding it up.....
Still it makes the game a little harder...lol...
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Funny 'cause on Playboy I can remember knocking down all 5 targets in one shot - and did that a few times on Playboys both on location and the one I owned around 1985
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AAah yes but that hitting them on an angle...hit them dead on and they love to stay up..
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Ah the old "Bally Bricks"
Can't beat those old Stern sweepable drop target banks ^^^
My favorite shot on Nugent as well ()
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So do you think the problem is also that the targets are too flexible - thus absorbing the impact !@#
Filing the lip is interesting - never tried that !
Great advice Ian #*#
Yeah - apparently the targets can flex and basically bend backwards without the lip falling off the shelf. I find it hard to believe, but I have noticed that the softer the targets the worse the problem tends to be. The old Stern 'scrabble tile' design are definitely stiffer and drop heaps better.
cheers
Ian