Fixing and Tuning WPC Flippers

Note: This page is a work in progress. Please help get it to a completed state by adding any useful information to it.

Fixing up the flippers is an important part of making any game play well. If the flippers feel a bit lifeless, it is time to tune them up.

The most common problem is wear on the flipper link. You can test this by moving the link under the playfield, and looking for play before the flipper arm moves. Replacing the link is all that most tuneups need.

One of the most useful tools for working on flippers is a 3/8" Gearwrench. This wrench has a ratcheting head, which makes it much easier to crank down the flipper bat clamp. You will also need a Philips head screwdriver, a XXX hex wrench, and a small adjustable wrench.

Remove the Flippers

Loosen the flipper clamp nut with your 3/8" wrench. If you are lucky, you will have a locking head on the other end of the shaft. If not, you will need an Allen key to stop it turning. Once the flipper is loose, you can pull it out from the top of the playfield.

Now, loosen and remove the sockect head screws at the rear of the coil. The stop will come off, and you will be able to slide the coil off of the mechanism. If the coil does not slide easily, it has distorted and needs to be replaced.

Next, remove the two screws holding in the EOS switch. The mechanism is now mostly disconnected from the game.

Now you can remove the eight screws that hold the flipper plate to the playfield. The plate will come away.

Inspect and replace if necessary the nylon flipper bushing. The bushing is held in place by three screws that screw into the plate, and locknuts that screw to the protruding threads.

Replace the coil stop, plunger, flipper link, and flipper clamp as necessary.

If the EOS switch (stll hanging inside the game) looks bad, replace that too.

What Goes Wrong?

Modern solid state flippers should feel a little loose and very fast, sending the ball around the playfield at speed and allowing you to trap and hold the ball. If the flippers are sluggish, the game may be off level.

Plunger Manufacturing Problems

Roll Pins Fall Out At time of writing (May 2011) there are a bunch of new plungers in the supply chain that have loose roll pins. These fall out after some moderate number of games. A dab of superglue might be good insurance.

Plungers are too long