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Stern Playfield Service Gripe (worst design for service ac..

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Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Is it just me or is the service access to Stern PFs an absolute
nightmare?

Im talking about what one has to do to pull the playfield out and raise
it up to access the underside.
Seems like you have to...

1) pull playfield up using apron.

2) pull playfield forward and allow it to rest on the front of the
cabinet.

3) Grab service handles pulling PF forward and lift it up and out onto
the service rails.

4) Tip playfield back to back box

Here's where I'm missing something (I hope!)

To put the playfield back:

1) Lower PF from back box and slide PF towards back of pin too allow
service handles to rest on front of Cabinet.

2) Move to side of pin

3) with right arm reach down behind back of backboard and grasp the
underside of the PF

4) with left arm grab nearest service handle.

5) lift the whole PF up and over the "Stop tabs" on the service rails

6) Pray and hope that you dont...a)slip a disc b)loose a finger c)loose
an arm d)loose your lunch

7) finally slide PF into position and have a beer.

I MUST be doing something wrong....but I can find nothing in the
literature that shows an easier way.

Is this the live I must live with my new LOTR?

Please HELP ME!!!!

Add a reply

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Well I've done it quite a few times doing tweaks on my LOTR and it
never seemed like a big deal but I'm 6-1 and 260 lbs and have no
problem hefting stuff like this around. The lifting of the rear of the
playfield seems to be the only tough or 'non-Williams' part here. But
I'm used to moving older SS and EM playfields around for 20 years too
which don't have the fancy locking mechs like Williams games either.
Try moving a Black hole playfield around with one arm and get back to
me ; ) Maybe these Sterns could use some kind of curved metal
bracket at the point that it meets those lock tabs, so that when in
upright position the playfield is held there, but at the point the
front rails are resting on the front of the cabinet, they they allow
you to push the playfield back as the brackets will then slide over the
stops? Then again if it was that simple I doubt Williams would have
come up with the locks... and they may have a patent on them by the
way.
Frenchy

Reply to frenchy

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

That's pretty much SOP for the Sterns, unfortunately. I would hope
they'd come up with a new mechanism that doesn't infringe on
Williams/Bally.

On 6 Sep 2005 08:37:37 -0700, skbrothers@comcast.net wrote:

>Is it just me or is the service access to Stern PFs an absolute
>nightmare?
>
>Im talking about what one has to do to pull the playfield out and raise
>it up to access the underside.
>Seems like you have to...
>
>1) pull playfield up using apron.
>
>2) pull playfield forward and allow it to rest on the front of the
>cabinet.
>
>3) Grab service handles pulling PF forward and lift it up and out onto
>the service rails.
>
>4) Tip playfield back to back box
>
>Here's where I'm missing something (I hope!)
>
>To put the playfield back:
>
>1) Lower PF from back box and slide PF towards back of pin too allow
>service handles to rest on front of Cabinet.
>
>2) Move to side of pin
>
>3) with right arm reach down behind back of backboard and grasp the
>underside of the PF
>
>4) with left arm grab nearest service handle.
>
>5) lift the whole PF up and over the "Stop tabs" on the service rails
>
>6) Pray and hope that you dont...a)slip a disc b)loose a finger c)loose
>an arm d)loose your lunch
>
>7) finally slide PF into position and have a beer.
>
>I MUST be doing something wrong....but I can find nothing in the
>literature that shows an easier way.
>
>Is this the live I must live with my new LOTR?
>
>Please HELP ME!!!!

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Actually Frenchy, I overdramatisized point 6 a bit for "Effect"

I'm 6' 1" and 190lbs so I can handle the PF without too much trouble.

It just seems that I had it way too easy with my WIlliams PF access.

Wanted to be sure that I wasnt missing something...unfortunately it
looks as though I am not

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

<<I'm 6' 1" and 190lbs so I can handle the PF without too much trouble.
>>

Then I guess my extra 70 pounds of blubber is of no advantage ; )
Frenchy

Reply to frenchy

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I think they are supposed to work similar to the old DE games. Believe
it or not you just jam the playfield back and it kind of jumps over the
bump! For your personal game you might prefer to stick with the
back-straining method, but the slam jam works OK actually as long as
you have the playfield at a low angle, that is as low as you can get
without hitting the rails on the bottom of the playfield to the lock
down bar area. Try it, you'll hate it! Or perhaps just consider it a
"shock test"-DNO-
skbroth...@comcast.net wrote:
> Is it just me or is the service access to Stern PFs an absolute
> nightmare?
>
> Im talking about what one has to do to pull the playfield out and raise
> it up to access the underside.
> Seems like you have to...
>
> 1) pull playfield up using apron.
>
> 2) pull playfield forward and allow it to rest on the front of the
> cabinet.
>
> 3) Grab service handles pulling PF forward and lift it up and out onto
> the service rails.
>
> 4) Tip playfield back to back box
>
> Here's where I'm missing something (I hope!)
>
> To put the playfield back:
>
> 1) Lower PF from back box and slide PF towards back of pin too allow
> service handles to rest on front of Cabinet.
>
> 2) Move to side of pin
>
> 3) with right arm reach down behind back of backboard and grasp the
> underside of the PF
>
> 4) with left arm grab nearest service handle.
>
> 5) lift the whole PF up and over the "Stop tabs" on the service rails
>
> 6) Pray and hope that you dont...a)slip a disc b)loose a finger c)loose
> an arm d)loose your lunch
>
> 7) finally slide PF into position and have a beer.
>
> I MUST be doing something wrong....but I can find nothing in the
> literature that shows an easier way.
>
> Is this the live I must live with my new LOTR?
>
> Please HELP ME!!!!

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Yep, just force it past that stopping point as DNO said. Works fine,
just slide it back a little faster and it goes right over.

Also I seem to recall being able to tilt the playfield just a bit to
one side or the other using the service handles and 'walk' the
playfield past that point. Don't have a Stern currently so I can't
verify that method.

Al

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

>To put the playfield back:

>1) Lower PF from back box and slide PF towards >back of pin too allow
>service handles to rest on front of Cabinet.

Yes, with the notches inside the cabinet, resting on the flat parts.

>2) Move to side of pin

No. Squat down in front of the game and grab the two supports. Pull
them straight down firmly, while giving slight pressure toward cabinet
head. The playfield will slide in "like buttah"! Catch it by the apron
to keep it from freefalling into place. That's how I doozit. Fellas,
quit beatin up yer games! They get enough abuse from normal play.

-cody
CARGPB#4

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

cody, I'm not sure I get your method. Do you mean to slide platfield
back to the stop (or bump), then apply down force to the front of the
playfield(by pulling from underneath on rails) hence raising the rear
of the PF over and back? If so, doesn't this end up damaging the rails
and the lockdown area where i guess it kind of pivots? the slide and
bump method only effects machines in the rear slide area that is
designed for that anyway. But like I said, I'm not sure I'm
understanding fully, and I have no Stern nearby to check.-DNO-

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Let's just hope STERN doesn't decide to cut costs and go back to the
SEGA days of hinged lift-up only.

Reply to john

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

While the front rails are resting on the front of the cabinet, lift the
playfield by the vertical bars on the front rails, to just clear the
cabinet (i.e. just lift it about an inch), then simply give the
playfield a shove towards the back of the machine, and it will hop over
the stops. I just tried it with success....Frenchy

Reply to frenchy

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Correction, before you shove the playfield, pull it towards you a
couple of inches to give you some 'runway' for the shove...Frenchy

Reply to frenchy

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

>cody, I'm not sure I get your method. Do you mean to slide platfield
>back to the stop (or bump), then apply down force to the front of the
>playfield(by pulling from underneath on rails) hence raising the rear
>of the PF over and back? If so, doesn't this end up damaging the rails
>and the lockdown area where i guess it kind of pivots?

Yes. I haven't noticed any wear on mine. Kind of hard to tell with the
lockbar on.

>the slide and
>bump method only effects machines in the rear slide area that is
>designed for that anyway. But like I said, I'm not sure I'm
>understanding fully, and I have no Stern nearby to check.-DNO-

I just do not like hammering the playfield into stops.

-cody
CARGPB#4

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

LOL stern cut cost omg that mean they might make the ac cord shorter,
hell wire is 10cents a foot,Or maybe leave out the spare parts bag?

Reply to Anonymous

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