Star Tech Journal

-..J....-rAR TECH JOURNAL
January 1994
PRINcE·s CORNER
Donald B. Prince
D & R Music
Bozeman, Montana
DATA EAST'S
BALL LAUNCH ASSEMBLY PROBLEMS
SUBJECT
This article applied to any Data
East Pinball with a Ball Launch
Assembly 500-5477-00 or -01. We
ave had on-going problems with
the Ball Launch Assemblies on
our Data East Pinballs since the
introduction of the Star Wars
Pinballs. When the Star Wars
Pinballs first came out, I ques-
tioned their durability in regards
to longevity ( see Prince's Corner:
S*Tl January 1993). The same
can be said for the Lethal
Weapon 3. There is no question
to their money making ability.
These pins are proven money
makers, but they have a couple of
"weak links" in the maintenance
department.
WEAK LINKI
One of the "weak links" is the
vertical up-kicker or VUK. The
plunger assembly on the VUK
eaks, usually in the multi-ball
.10de, when it tries to kick multi-
balls ( also documented in the
S*Tl January 1993 article of
2
The second problem is a result of
the first. If the shooter lane
switch is bent in the "on" posi-
tion, the ball launch assembly
continues to fire until the coil
melts. This sometimes includes
melting the tip of the plunger and
always the coil sleeve. Fixing on
location usually requires (if you
don't have the coil in stock) the
borrowing of the coil, coil sleeve,
and plunger assembly of the
Knocker Assembly, as detailed
in the S*Tl May 1993 article of
Prince's Corner.
PROBLEM
Prince's Corner). A faster kick,
when the VUK switch is made,
would help keep it from kicking
multi-balls.
WEAK LINKII
The other "weak link" is the ball
launch assembly, including the
shooter lane switch. There are
four problems with the ball
launch assembly in all.
PROBLEM 1
The Plunger of the ball launch
assembly hits the shooter lane
switch, which either bends flash
wire or breaks it. Breaking the
switch or bonding so bad that it
breaks when reformed, required
the borrowing of the drain lane
switch as documented in the
S *T J October 1992 article of
Prince's Corner. The solution to
the problem was to replace the
shooter lane switch with another
switch with a different flash wire
(see S*Tl October 1992 article
of Prince's Corner for details).
PROBLEM
3
This problem occurs when the
coil stop breaks off, which is part
of the coil mounting bracket, and
the plunger falls out of the coil.
This sometimes melts down the
coil, since the shooter lane switch
is made and the coil continues to
.. . continued on page 19.
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