Star Tech Journal
Issue: 1996-May - Vol 18 Issue 3 - Page 12
STAR*TEcH
Journal
CID
May 1996
I REM GRAND SUMMIT HILL CLIMBER MODIFICATIONS
Todd Erickson
Summit Amusement
ST. Paul, Minnesota
REDEMPTION MODIFICATIONS
SOITWARE
Hill Climbers have proven to be a
unique redemption game. They
are an update of the 1930's Pikes
Peak. To Maintain steady earn-
ings like the original game did for
30 plus years, a few modifications
must be made.
New software payout tables are
available from Summit Amuse-
ment at 612/645-9024, St. Paul,
MN. The game should either be
a one or a two ball game. It can
run up to five balls. After you
perform the mentioned changes,
the ticket dispenser and coin
mech cause more service than the
actual game.
RAMPS
The incline ramps may have an
excessively trimmed back edge.
This can cause the ball to get lost
inside the mechanism. This can
be cured by inserting a 7 /8" piece
of wood with liquid nails.
Using an IMONEX coin mech
will eliminate over 80% of coin
problems.
STEERING
TICKEf DISPENSER
The steering wheel must be at-
tached with lock washers and
Loc-Tite. Hitting the stop will
loosen the bolts, eventually.
Deltronics is getting serious com-
petition from Entropy. They now
have new metal guides for the
tickets to help eliminate jams.
The plastic guide is now metal!
No more repeat sales from infe-
rior plastic parts.
BULB
The incandescent bulb must be
replaced with a fluorescent.
Shock will burn out the original
bulb.
CAMS
The only remaining maintenance
that must be done is greasing the
cams with Moly grease about
every 90 days.
This can be done in a few min-
utes by removing the back and
using an acid brush.
COIN MECH
REDEMPTION ALTERNATIVES
A lot of low priced redemption
equipment is available for the
operator. Mini-redemption will
become a major factor in the
next few years. Instead of a 1 cent
ticket, a Hill Climber was set up
with a five cent ticket and placed
in a northern campground. The
tickets were redeemed by the lo-
cation for pop and candy. The
end result was a game paying for
itself in less than one summer.
What an excellent use for many
redemption games! Expanding
the redemption base to many
non-redemption areas will help
the operator hold income in a soft
market.
STAR TECH
JOURNAL'S
I
WEBSITE ExPANDS
ARTICLE INDEX
Looking for a tech article or game
fix? Sprucing up an "Oldie but
Goodie" for that resort location?
Want a troubleshooting checklist
or build a PCB tester? If it's been
covered in Star Techjourna4 you'll
be able to look up the title at S'J]s
website on the internet.
In fact, while you're there, just
make a copy of the volume in-
dexes that interest you. Print 'em
out and hang 'em up in the shop.
Point your internet web browser
to: www.cyberenet.net/~startech •
Besides an index by volume .,,
(year), contents of each service
manual can also be found here.
Journal
CID
May 1996
I REM GRAND SUMMIT HILL CLIMBER MODIFICATIONS
Todd Erickson
Summit Amusement
ST. Paul, Minnesota
REDEMPTION MODIFICATIONS
SOITWARE
Hill Climbers have proven to be a
unique redemption game. They
are an update of the 1930's Pikes
Peak. To Maintain steady earn-
ings like the original game did for
30 plus years, a few modifications
must be made.
New software payout tables are
available from Summit Amuse-
ment at 612/645-9024, St. Paul,
MN. The game should either be
a one or a two ball game. It can
run up to five balls. After you
perform the mentioned changes,
the ticket dispenser and coin
mech cause more service than the
actual game.
RAMPS
The incline ramps may have an
excessively trimmed back edge.
This can cause the ball to get lost
inside the mechanism. This can
be cured by inserting a 7 /8" piece
of wood with liquid nails.
Using an IMONEX coin mech
will eliminate over 80% of coin
problems.
STEERING
TICKEf DISPENSER
The steering wheel must be at-
tached with lock washers and
Loc-Tite. Hitting the stop will
loosen the bolts, eventually.
Deltronics is getting serious com-
petition from Entropy. They now
have new metal guides for the
tickets to help eliminate jams.
The plastic guide is now metal!
No more repeat sales from infe-
rior plastic parts.
BULB
The incandescent bulb must be
replaced with a fluorescent.
Shock will burn out the original
bulb.
CAMS
The only remaining maintenance
that must be done is greasing the
cams with Moly grease about
every 90 days.
This can be done in a few min-
utes by removing the back and
using an acid brush.
COIN MECH
REDEMPTION ALTERNATIVES
A lot of low priced redemption
equipment is available for the
operator. Mini-redemption will
become a major factor in the
next few years. Instead of a 1 cent
ticket, a Hill Climber was set up
with a five cent ticket and placed
in a northern campground. The
tickets were redeemed by the lo-
cation for pop and candy. The
end result was a game paying for
itself in less than one summer.
What an excellent use for many
redemption games! Expanding
the redemption base to many
non-redemption areas will help
the operator hold income in a soft
market.
STAR TECH
JOURNAL'S
I
WEBSITE ExPANDS
ARTICLE INDEX
Looking for a tech article or game
fix? Sprucing up an "Oldie but
Goodie" for that resort location?
Want a troubleshooting checklist
or build a PCB tester? If it's been
covered in Star Techjourna4 you'll
be able to look up the title at S'J]s
website on the internet.
In fact, while you're there, just
make a copy of the volume in-
dexes that interest you. Print 'em
out and hang 'em up in the shop.
Point your internet web browser
to: www.cyberenet.net/~startech •
Besides an index by volume .,,
(year), contents of each service
manual can also be found here.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).