Newb Question: Cabinets/Games on their Side/Back

Slagmire

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Been thinking about this recently and did a search but I guess I missed where the appropriate thread was (if there was one made). Obviously empty cabinets aren't an issue, but how delicate are cabinets with their hardware in them? Has anybody had any problems with putting one on its side or back in a pick-up?
 
about 95% of games I've transported have been on their backs. The exceptions were stuff like my space Invaders cab which had the mirrored glass inside as well as the front glass bezel. Figured it was better to stand it up in the trailer instead.


I think on normal everyday games, if you examine the guts and everything is attached securely like power supplies, transformers, and pcbs, you should be fine. Excess quarters and garbage on the interior should be removed before the move if possible.
 
You've only got two possible issues.

The first and most likely, is if anything in the cab is unsecured, when you tip it back it may fall inside the cab and break it or something else. This is pretty obvious common sense info, for instance the power supply might not be screwed down, so when you tip it back it swings around and breaks the neck off the tube. So to avoid this, you have to open the back door and make sure nothing is loose in the cabinet, and pick up anything hard or big laying in the bottom of the cabinet.

The second problem that is possible is that sometimes the tube on the monitor has 'dirt' inside of it. It's basically crud that either came off the front of the tube when the electrons hit it, or it may be dirt that's built up on the color guns and was burnt off with a rejuvenator, etc. ANYWAYS, if the tube has dirt or anything inside of it, when you lay the game back, the dirt will fall into the neck of the tube. If it falls just right it'll short out the color guns or the heaters in the neck, locking a color on.

I've never had #2 happen, but I've had #1 happen enough to always open the back of games to check.
 
Also, if you're getting ready to transport a game, let people here know which machine it is. They may have familiarity with it and be able to give you valuable tips about that particular cabinet.
 
Been thinking about this recently and did a search but I guess I missed where the appropriate thread was (if there was one made). Obviously empty cabinets aren't an issue, but how delicate are cabinets with their hardware in them? Has anybody had any problems with putting one on its side or back in a pick-up?

Yep, I do it all the time. Your biggest enemy in this instance is coin buckets. Make sure to remove them first. Then make sure your power supply/ switcher/ transformer is secured to the bottom/side. After that, you need to take note of both the back door and the position of the power cord. Make sure the cord is either tucked into the machine or pulled off to the side. If off to the side, take note of where it is as you slide the game in as to not shear it off. If inside the machine, make sure it is secured (zip-tie it to itself to make sure the heavy op-plug doesn't bounce around and hit the monitor neck) Next make sure the backdoor is there, stays in place and does not have a key sticking out of the lock.
 
Damn gentlemen - you guys work fast. :D

Thanks for the info!
 
*waits for the obligatory "YOU SHOULD NEVAR MOVE GAMES ON THEIR BACK! BLARGH!" reply that always shows up in this type of thread*
 
I have a shell on my truck... every cab I've picked up goes on it's back or side (if it won't fit on it's back due to the control panel, etc).
 
I almost forgot. Make sure the monitor is secure. I moved my Berzerk into my house the other day by myself, up 2 stairs and down 8, without a dolly. The up 2 went fine. Then as I slid the game on it's back to go down 8, upside down, I heard a scary sliding/scraping sound and the sound of change falling and clinking. Well, it turns out I forgot to secure the monitor shelf back in place. That was the scraping/ sliding I heard. As for the 'change' it wasn't money, but all the bolts, nuts and washers I had set up on the wooden monitor bezel to reinstall when the time came. Luckily no damage, as I caught the problem in time, but I still can't find one of the washers. Wonder when that little bitch is gonna bite me in the ass by shorting something out? Sonofa.
 
Always before you transport a game make sure everything that can be secure, is secure. Check the marquee, for loose washers, boards, Change, Etc. you get the idea.
All that stuff will break and I've heard of some horror stories about transporting games.

Hope that's helpful.
 
I almost forgot. Make sure the monitor is secure. I moved my Berzerk into my house the other day by myself, up 2 stairs and down 8, without a dolly. The up 2 went fine. Then as I slid the game on it's back to go down 8, upside down, I heard a scary sliding/scraping sound and the sound of change falling and clinking. Well, it turns out I forgot to secure the monitor shelf back in place. That was the scraping/ sliding I heard. As for the 'change' it wasn't money, but all the bolts, nuts and washers I had set up on the wooden monitor bezel to reinstall when the time came. Luckily no damage, as I caught the problem in time, but I still can't find one of the washers. Wonder when that little bitch is gonna bite me in the ass by shorting something out? Sonofa.

I once had a midway cab with a VGA installed in a similar manner as the original, but not secured to the cab.

I tipped it back, and the monitor swung out, knocked the back door open and hit me in the gut....

Still worked tho...


I have a shell on my truck... every cab I've picked up goes on it's back or side (if it won't fit on it's back due to the control panel, etc).

I hated that when I had my dad's S-Ten with a regular cap.... I scratched some side art... And my candy wouldn't fit either way... So I had to to pull the cap off while double parked in Manhattan. Sucked.
 
and, cause it seems like i always get games with coin door locks missing, tape it shut or something for the ride home. i drove 75 miles home with the coin door in my satan's hollow banging open and shut every time i hit a bump, kinda got old.

oh, and with games that have plastic monitor bubbles, where the neck sticks out past the back of the cab, like on midway minis and wizard of wor, i always put them on their side.
 
Also, once you get the cab back home after laying it on its back/side, always make sure to check that there are no loose quarters or metal bits that could have moved around. This could short out a board.
 
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