AMF 8290XL

[Guest]

Our house is going back to good old AMF's from Brunswick GS10's. Can anyone give me any insite on the 8290XL series? Most of all in the electronic's area or things I might want to look out for before buying. Thanks

[Guest]

Re: AMF 8290XL

I've never worked on an 8290XL but I have had the chance to see one up close. The basic mechanical design is the same as an 8270 but the electrical setup has changed. One chassis controls a pair of machines and it is mounted in between the pair behind the PBL about where the BE control boxes would be on 8270's. All of the switches, buttons, and breakers that were used on the BE control box are on the control chassis. Also, the power plug for each machine plugs into this chassis, not the machine front end like 8270's. Another thing I noticed was the table and sweep motors had one of their starting capacitors mounted on the motor and both of the gearboxes looked like they've been redesigned. As for electrical operation, I think they would be much easier to troubleshoot and repair since you don't have to climb onto the machine to get to the chassis and everything is in one location.

[GPS]

Re: AMF 8290XL

jbs2k42, just curious, Why are you changing from a relitivly new machine (GS10) to a new machine and diferent manufacturer 82/90?

[Guest]

Re: AMF 8290XL

Quote:]Originally posted by GPS:
jbs2k42, just curious, Why are you changing from a relitivly new machine (GS10) to a new machine and diferent manufacturer 82/90?[/QUOTE]The 9 year saga of the dreded GS10 just can't be fit on one little screen like this, but to put it in a short ver., the GS10's are crap. Are you a Brunswick Mechanic?

[KL Kevin]

Re: AMF 8290XL

GS-10, the SLOW plastic pinsetter

The whole story in one sentence

Kevin

[Coors]

Re: AMF 8290XL

the AMF82-90XL is the exact same mechanical machine as the 82-70 pictured in the "pictures thread", a few gadget changes here and there.

the major advantages over the 82-70's are:

50% less wiring...in the wireway under where the chassis use to be is about 20 wires...as opposed to about 70 in the 70's

the pit motor on the 90's face forward..toward the ball lift to prevent pin jams from ripping off the pit plugs.

its a mechanics dream...undo the two handrail bolts...distributor mount bolts...and the pin wheel belt from around the pit motor pulley...and the pinwheel opens up like a refrigerator door...talk about workin room in the pit!!!...LOL

the gearboxes which come with the 90's that ive seen...you can carry with two fingers. and as andy stated...the capacitors are on the motors...instead of in the wireway, which means quicker troubleshooting.

and if you wanted to go a step further...the AMF8800's are the 8290 with a horizontal ball lift...and instead of a little hole for the ball to go in...the intire side of the machine is the ball door...meaning the ball doesnt have to bounce around before getting launched up front...it was designed for the japanese market where bowling is still popular and time is $$$$$.

of course if you were to get the 8800's you'll have to do some major surgery on your kickback's

[GPS]

Re: AMF 8290XL

jbs2k4u, to answer your question no I work on AMF. I saw a GS10 at scorer school and my first impression was alot of plastic and more like an AMF machine than Brunswick. They are big and they are loud. Other than that I know nothing about them. I get the impression that not many mechs like them.

[Coors]

Re: AMF 8290XL

my first impression of the GS series was too many gadgets...you got two little plastic pieces on each "pin cup" which have to flip up to let go of the pin.

and the distribution of pins with the little pop-up solenoids to knock it off the belt are too reminicent of 82-70A's...lol

however...i do like the verical pin lift idea...& the pin cleaning sock.

[Guest]

Re: AMF 8290XL

You may like the idea of a vertical lift, coors but it loads pins a lot slower than any pin wheel I know. And in some centers the pin cleaning sock is more a pin "oiler" for fresh pins.

Buying GS machines is at own risk.

greetings

[mrpinspotter]

Re: AMF 8290XL

Hello everyone. I do have a few things to say about the 82-90's. I must say there are several premature failures that have occured. Most of which may have been due to the cost reductions in production. I am very happy to hear the you have a thought to remove the GS10's to try 82-90's. I am very displeased with the steel table machines they now have in production. You may be better served to purchase the rebuilt 82-70 that AMF is installing the 82-90 electrical system in. If you would like more detailed info please feel free to email me. Thank you.....

[Coors]

Re: AMF 8290XL

funny you should say that about the speed of the vertical pin lift...i dont know if your an AMF'er...but thats one of the major god sends of AMF machines is slowing the pinwheels down to allow more room for error with the distributors....


i've got several of mine slowed down to where there's never more than one pin on the distributor at a time...even at the head pin...

so a slow pin lift where i dont have to worry about pins..."swinging"off the orientaion pan..due to rotation of the pin wheel sounds good to me...LOL

another GS idea i liked was the adjustments for the carpet were at the rear of the machine...adding tension to one side of the carpet was done by a bolt/lock nut which is totally adjustable to the mechanic at all times...meaning no front pivot posts hidden under the carpet to worry about..if i saw everything correctly.

[Coors]

Re: AMF 8290XL

to the best of my limited knowledge the original AMF8290's did come with lighter mechanical parts but from what i hear...82-90/8800 mechanical features are now simply good ol' 82-70 grade parts with 82-90/8800 electronics...for example...one mechanic i've talked to claims AMF tried using a semi plastic material for sweep arms..(lighter)...but with their easy breakage...most 82-90 mechanics started requesting 82-70 sweep arms...so hopefully AMF has improved on the substitute...or went back to 82-70 parts

all 82-70 mechanical parts are perfectly interchangeble with 82-90's

to purchase rebuilt 82-70MP's would be cheaper and a very good purchase...I still have 82-70SS's, but you would be missin out on all the cool electronic advancements and hopefully software upgrades..LOL...their probably gonna have a windows interface with the pinspotter like they do with the silver bullet/chairman...if they havent already...can ya imagine when the machine goes crazy...you just hook up your lab top up to the chassis...click on "?"....watch a magnifying glass go around as if searching for a modem...and then it says..."intermittent loss of ground at location x"...im gonna go back to sleep now...LOL

[This message has been edited by Coors (edited 02-20-2000).]

[Coors]

Re: AMF 8290XL

after reading mrpinspotters reply again...thats what he said...lol an 8270 with 8290/8800 electronics is the way to go

but still...id start with an 82-90 and back pedal to the 82-70 for failing parts...if any

[Coors]

Re: AMF 8290XL

Mr Pinspotter

steel tables?...wouldnt that be heavier than aluminum? did they reposition the counter balance springs to make up for the weight difference or are the steel tables 1/8 inch thick so they end up weighing the same?

[Guest]

Re: AMF 8290XL

No ccors, they just added 2 more springs beneath the original springs

rd500