Fish Tales massive airballs

herbertsmart

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Donor 2011, 2018
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Any Fish Tales owners out there have a problem with consistant airballs on their machines? Especially right after launching a ball, the first hit with the left flipper is causing airballs about 75%-90% of the time? What should I check and adjust to correct this?
 
First of all, congrats on the Fish Tales! Sweet game!

Second, are you saying the ball is getting air right off of a left flipper hit?! :eek: Usually it's after hitting something else, like a ramp or a drop target.
 
Thanks Ed! (be sure to keep me posted if/when you start the 2nd round of the KLOV pin league)

Yep, I think it is actually getting air right off the flipper. Off the flipper it usually hits against the top glass and then lands somewhere on or near the criss-cross ramp? Is the playfield pitch to steep, are the flipper rubbers set too low? Ideas of what else to check?
 
Yes, this same thing happened to me! I have no idea why this game is prone to it - but I shimmied my flipper rubbers up a tad -and that pretty much stopped the airballs! Try it!
 
Never seen that happen but I would think the flipper rubbers are not at the right height

I used to get airballs off the posts at the captive ball til I bought some protectors for the plastics. Those stick out just enough to clip the ball and knock it back down
 
I've never seen this myself. Yeah, check the flipper action. I don't understand why the flipper would be able to get under the ball and launch it. Rubbers should be the correct height and the flipper itself should have just enough up and down play in it's bushing to flip freely without binding. I suppose if there were too much play, maybe when it flips, the flipper actually could swing down closer to the playfield surface and get under the ball to get it airborne. Just a theory, though.

I hit this game up on location regularly. I like it a lot. I hope it's not the one you bought, or Ill be coming over to your place on my lunch hour instead of the pizza joint! ;)
 
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