Flipper Assembly

[AxleMunshine]

Received and installed MMR LE #0221 yesterday evening!
So far, everything seems to be working very well except one thing. Note that I never owedn a pinball but played a lot of Medieval Madness in the days so I know how it feels.
After a few games, I noticed the left flipper felt a bit loose. It was hard to do the damsel. Looked at the flippers under the playfield and the problem was pretty easy to spot: a bracket in the left flipper assembly was missing screws! So the fix will be easy one I get the screws. Starburst will bring some after work this evening to fix this.
I think there's only one screw on the right bracket (instead of 2 in the schematics) and none on the left bracket.

See attached manual page. Screws #14 in the schematic for bracket #13. No screws were on the left flipper bracket, only one on the right flipper bracket (with an added lock washer like #10).


Anyway, no biggie as if it's only that, it's a very small problem. No need to enter a ticket for this as a novice at pinball maintenance like me can easily fix it.


However, I suppose it's something easy to verify during quality control since if you move the loose flipper with your hand, the coil and part of the flipper assembly moves with it, which it wouldn't do if the bracket was well fixed.

[Cam]

Rick
More irrefutable and insurmountable evidence to support my hypothesis that these games are not being play tested!  Please work with the powers that be at Stern to find a college kid that will gladly play test these games in return for free pizza...
Thx
Cam

[Lloyd Olson]

Rick
More irrefutable and insurmountable evidence to support my hypothesis that these games are not being play tested!  Please work with the powers that be at Stern to find a college kid that will gladly play test these games in return for free pizza...
Thx
Cam

Hardly. They are likely buying whole flipper assemblies and installing them in games. After some time the coil stop screws come loose. Same has happened for other manufacturers.

Cure is crank the allen head screw tighter or use split ring lock washers on them.

LTG : )

[AxleMunshine]

So there were 2 screws in the bottom of the machine that probably got loose during handling.
One of these was surely from the flipper assembly, the other wasn't as it was way too long. The other screw I found that waa probably from the flipper assembly was way too short (less than the 1/4"). The one that remained on the right assembly bracket had a lock washer (which is better than in the schematic).

Anyway, I can only assume that only a single screw was put on each bracket instead of two.
In any case, it was a less than 5 minutes fix to put new screws (with lock washers).

It now plays great!

[Jerry71302]

Ok... This is getting friggin ridiculous. I am not an electrician or mechanical guru.  I just want this game.  It better come delivered perfect.  If not...I do not expect to troubleshoot myself.  Unless you want to pay me for assembly and repair of a new game. Otherwise CGC will be getting a bill from a local pinball repair man.  8000+ is a tremendous amount of money to pay for what I am hearing and seeing.  Would it be acceptable from any other company?  NO! It wouldn't be.  I understand some people feel accepting of all these issues and that's fine.  But I and I'm sure others are not ok with this.  Could you say "well then what are you buying it for".  My response to that would be CGC should put a disclaimer regarding ridiculous delays and don't expect things to work perfectly, purchaser may be responsible for multiple technical issues out of the box.   However, I did not get that memo.  Am I ranting?....YES!  Do I have every right to...YES!  Do I still want this game...I really do!   But I do not expect to perform my own inspection and repair out of box.  That is ridiculous!  I appreciate and respect the help that has already been provided by the powers that be, thank you, but considering the number of games and the number of issues for a game that was developed years ago simply does not make sense.  Some have said its not that many.  Well, considering the number I have read about, and we can assume that many have not been reported because some may not know better or go through other routes, there has been a lot based on number of problems/numbers produced.  Some have been pretty major too.  I will be criticized for this rant I'm sure, but if you are accepting of this subpar performance thus far, I hope the next car you buy, you don't have to troubleshoot the transmission and reconnect some loose wires before you can drive it...oh and the brake pedal is a little loose... Just tighten the screws a little.

[AxleMunshine]

From what I've heard from experienced people, it's not unheard of for screws to get loose. Doesn't explain an additional 2 screws missing but it would have worked without those. I must say I'm a total newbie to pinball tech and I could easily find and pinpoint the problem.

I understand you may be worried, but since we've fixed that little problem, the machine plays perfectly and better than any Medieval Madness I've ever played. Totally worth it. After the 1997 release, I must have played Medieval Madness a couple of games per day for a couple of years. So I know the feel and gameplay extremely well and the MMr doesn't deceive me in any way.

[Jerry71302]

Hearing that actually makes me feel a little better.  Of course I fear the worst with what's been commented on thus far.  I just fear to miss something that I have no clue to "check on my own" I fear being one of the customers that don't necessarily know any better.  I'm not a pinball tech expert, but I LOVE pinball for the game, not the mechanics or electronics.  I want to enjoy the game, not trouble shoot.  Do you know what I'm saying?  I understand there can be some issues and no one is perfect.  But once you get to this high end of an item at 8000+.  Almost perfection should be implied.  Especially with the time already invested, on an item that was developed in 1997.  I guess I am more disappointed thus far more than anything else.  I'll wait, I've already waited a year after paying in full to JJP.  But I have a problem waiting forever for something that has to be fixed as soon as I get it. Thanks for the pat on the back though.  Appreciated.   

[jarbyjibbo]

One thing about pinball is that if you don't expect to have to tinker around with a pin then that's probably not a realistic expectation. Even if it arrives in perfect play ready condition (which none from any manufacture ever do), it won't stay that way. Things come loose, wear out, break, etc. guaranteed. The 15 or so pins I have owned have all needed some love even the brand new ones, that's just pinball and that's one of the reasons why I love it 

[Cam]

Hi Lloyd
So it is safe to assume then that there is no torque spec on any of the screws and everything is just hand tightened to whatever level the person inserting the screw feels appropriate... Is that correct?  If so, a lot could be learned from nearly every other mature manufacturing industry...
Thx
Cam

[Lloyd Olson]

I wouldn't assume anything. And I have no idea of the manufacturer of the flipper assemblies or how they assemble them.

I do know if an issue comes up, then PPS/CGC/Stern look into improving it.

They have regular meetings to address issues. I speak with CGC every week day and go over any tech support issues. And there have been very few of them considering 250 games out there.

LTG : )

[grimwasere]

Rick
More irrefutable and insurmountable evidence to support my hypothesis that these games are not being play tested!  Please work with the powers that be at Stern to find a college kid that will gladly play test these games in return for free pizza...
Thx
Cam

Hardly. They are likely buying whole flipper assemblies and installing them in games. After some time the coil stop screws come loose. Same has happened for other manufacturers.

Cure is crank the allen head screw tighter or use split ring lock washers on them.

LTG : )

dont tell us lloyd tell stern surely its their job to crank screws tight and use lock washers?

[Lloyd Olson]

PPS/CGC/Stern are making note of any and all issues.

I'm here to help when an owner has a game and needs to get it going so they can enjoy it.

LTG : )