LOTR - Balls not launching properly? - help!?

[pukerslaker]

Hi there,
I have just been playing my LOTR pahcinko, and all of a sudden, the speed at which the balls were being launched dropped dramatically. If i turn the knob fully, the balls will enter the playfield, but only just. Usually a full turn would have them bouncing of the very top pin. This obviously effects the gameplay.

I really dont know where to start with fixing this. Have any of you experience of this fault?

cheers

Puker

[slotter]

Open up the front glass and then open up the lower tray door by pushing the lever. My guess is you have several balls in the shooter (instead of a single one) slowing it down.

[pukerslaker]

I didnt realise thats how i opened the lower section - cheers. Unfortunately, the shoot is clear - so its not whats causing the lack of power. The knob itself feels a bit looser. I have removed it, and have found the wire spring. Do you know if this could be effecting it? Would a new (tighter) spring make any difference?

[arbycoffee]

the spring doesn't make any difference, it is to make the wheel go back to stop positon. you shooter is out of adjustment. on the back side is a adjustment screw that makes it shoot harder.

[pukerslaker]

Thanks Arby, an adjustment screw makes sense, but depsite scanning the back, I cannot see where it is. I have snapped a pic of actual machine. Could you possibly desribe which section of the machine I should be looking at, if you know it for this machine (just the general area?)

[arbycoffee]

It is on the shooter"s board

Attachment 1548

I will try to find where I put my LOTR and shoot a beter Picture. I in the stacks some where.

[pukerslaker]

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I have taken a close up pic of the area you mention. The board itslef appears to be circuits only (and nothing i can manipulate). Do I need to looking at the mechanism to the right of the board?
thanks for the help once again.

[arbycoffee]

A is the connector to the shooters grip in front

B is the motor to shoot the balls

I don'r see a adjustment screw in the picture.

Following what Slotter said, open the lower shooters tray door and look to see if there is anything that has come loose around the shooting arm.

Attachment 1552

[pukerslaker]

I have had success and just wanted to post on the board in case others have the same prob in teh future. Basically, the strength of the shot can be controlled by simply adjusting the spring around the motor. There are five notches, mine was on 3, but by moving it onto 4, the power was restored. I have snapped another pic just to show where.

[slotter]

Any idea why it changed from shooting fine to all at once losing power? Do you think the spring might have slipped at that time?

[arbycoffee]

Very Cool Beans

[pukerslaker]

Any idea why it changed from shooting fine to all at once losing power? Do you think the spring might have slipped at that time?

I'm guessing the vibrations could have caused it tp ping outr over time? Funnily enough my Indiana Jones pinball had a problem over the weekend which when i tracked it down, was due to something simply becoming 'unhitched' (pinball's usually require re-soldering, or coils/switches being replaced, so i was very happy!). Luckily all my toys are back on track now...touch wood!