Data East pinball - how to raise and secure the playfield?

RussMyers

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Data East pinball - how to raise and secure the playfield?

Just got my first Data East pinball - TFTC - how to raise and secure the playfield?

This seems to be different from my Bally/Williams WPC machines, which slide out and lock and then can be raised to fix, or rested against the backbox.

Thanks,

RussM
 
My DE Time Machine just tilts back I think, been awhile since I had to work on it. It doesn't slide out at all. There should most likely be a prop rod that holds the playfield, you also may be able to rest it against the head...

BTW great game, it's the first game that really got me hooked on pinball :)
 
The manual says:

Raise the playfield and support it, by connecting the strap located in the rear of the cabinet, to the eyebolt on the playfield, or the stay arm on the right side of the cabinet.
 
THere are several versions of the Data East Playfield support, and it is different from the WPC games. I believe that the one that is in the TFTC, is the same as the ones that I have. There are two pivot posts on the playfield that ride on two rails, one on each side of the cabinet. These pivots allow the playfield to be tilted up, and rested on the prop rod that is inside the cabinet. If the playfield is then tilted up to vertical, there is a short ruber bungie that is bolted to the bottom of the cabinet, the hook end will be close to a eyebolt that is on the playfield, and that will hold the playfield in the full upright position. Some Data East machines have rests that can be placed on the lock bar tray, once the lock bar is removed. Lift the playfield and pull forward until the rests can set in the depression left by removing the lock bar. If you pull the playfield further forward, the back edges of the playfield will rest in the rails on the sides of the cabinet. the playfield can be pulled forward until it hits the lips on the end of these rails, and then leaned up and back against the backbox. There is no locking when it is in this position and it can come crashing down if not strapped to the head.

Hope this helps.

Mike
 
Yeah, its scary and a crap design compared to Bally/Williams.

Agreed. Dangerous both to the tech and the machine, and a PITA to work on.

I wonder why DE didn't just copy that from Williams, they way they copied everything else?

That being said, I am loving my TFTC. Very, very fun machine to play.

RM
 
If I don't need to go full vertical with the playfield, I will just lift the front of the playfield strait up and use the prop rod. It doesn't give you very much clearance though. There is also NO supports to rest the playfield on the lockdown bar mount on mine.
To get to the back of the playfield you CAN pull the playfield forward until the mounts hit the front end of their rails. Then lift the playfield up and towards you. The back edge of the playfield wood has metal sliders that will ride the rails to the front end again, at which point you can safely rest the playfield against the backbox bally/williams style. Just make sure the back edge of the playfield is firmly against the rail stops even if you have to reach back there and pull it to them, because if the back edge were to slide back there's nothing to save you or your machine. Hope this makes sense, it's difficult to explain. Not nearly as smooth as williams mech.
 
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