Orange Thimbles

[IronMike]

Those of you using these as the base of your lift rails, are you having to shave off a section of them to avoid light balls pinball-ing of em and into the PBL belt?

[Tablejam]

Can't say that has been a problem here.

[Kat]

Nope, work just fine here. But, we have no shims behind out lower track bracket either. Don't know if shims here would cause that issue.

[Pin_Head]

No we don't have that issue with the orange thimbles, and Kat I have 3 pairs here that have been shimmed (even though says to remove them with gripper rail covers) and even with the shims under the lift arm bracket I don't have issues with 6lb balls entering the exits...

[Tablejam]

So the 6lb balls are rolling into the exit, 'bouncing' off the orange thimbles and somehow bouncing up into the lift belt? Hmm, that's odd, I wonder if something else is going on.

How exactly are they 'pinballing' off the thimbles?



Unless they are hitting them on the way in and bouncing off them toward the back of the balldoor, but that wouldn't seem to be a problem unless the lift arm is shimmed a lot.

[Jim H]

Usually the cause of balls that are bouncing off the thimbles is that the PBL is too low and/or the cradle is adjusted too high. PBL gap to the ball with thick rail covers should be between 5/16" to 3/8". Adjust PBL as high as possible and still have all the different weights of ball get started up the rails without dropping back onto the cradle. The 1/4" measurement is for the old thinner rail covers.
Kat is right in that when using thicker uprail covers no shims should be used.

[BowlEquip]

If you need to raise the lift to eliminate this, but that causes slippage further up on the rails, you can change the angle of the lift with the new design upper Lift Tube Bracket. It has slotted holes which allow you to angle the top of the lift down and forward, restoring pressure to the upper portion. If you need to order this bracket, the part number is the same as the original. BTW, Due to the slight offset of the Lift Arm Bracket, a little bit of urethane needs to be shaved off the side at the top of the Thimble for ease of installation. Perhaps AMF can redesign this.

[gaddy1021]

i have never had that issue either... only problem i get is sometimes heavier balls that get oil soaked wont start on them and i need to clean or rotate them

[BobbyO]

I've never had a problem as well, All mine look just like Tablejam's picture. I changed all my lift rail covers, and removed the steel thimbles and Wa-La.. Ball damage went down by 95%.