Mini PBL's

[pat]

Hello,

We are looking at gettiing a few Min PBL's at our center. These are Vantage. I am just looking for others experiences with these. We currently have kickers and a couple of lanes go through kickers every week it seems.

I am not trying to start a war about one company or another I am just looking for experiences you may have had. Feel free to respond or e-mail me.

Thanks
Pat

[triac]

Re: Mini PBL's

AMF minis or “lites”…No Problems

Vantage Problems:

Ratchet wheel was tacked to hub instead of complete weld (like AMF)…also wobbles and weld will break.

Ball Door weldments all broke under 1 year

Drive belts are usually twisted and don’t like to stay aligned

Paper Templates…Yuk, difficult for accuracy for ball lift holes

Don’t know if any of these issues have been addressed, since I put Vantages in a few years ago and complained to a service rep when Ebonite bought them out.

Triac

[lustre king]

Re: Mini PBL's

AMF BANANA ARM WAS REDESIGNED ALSO. Works better on urethane ring and I think on light balls. I also agree with triac on Vantage problems on PBL.

[KLH]

Re: Mini PBL's

I have been converting my machines back over to PBLs from Humpbacks I am going the mini route the only differences between mini and PBL conversion is on a mini you dont have the LBS light ball sensor the LBS is a peice of garbage any how too many whistles and bells.As long as you have super rudder drive link with a reduction pulley system works good..

[JimDorsin]

Re: Mini PBL's

I agree with everything said so far. I used AMF Mini's in Utah, and had another center borrow my template because his Van's had the paper one. I have not tried the EBN reduction pulley, but it looks vastly superior to the adjustable AMF one. If you get the small side of the adjustable too small, the belt will jam down into the gap and get stuck, belts will break right and left. I can only imagine what the paddle will do with one of those babies on!!! (I also use the large PBL crank pulley which slows the whole game down even more)

I have a email’able’ copy of my mini mod, if you are interested.

[toon30s]

Re: Mini PBL's

I have PBL mini's from Vantage. I got them from another center that was closing, but mine were less than a year old when I put them in my machines. I am not a high lineage center, but I have not had the first thing break yet. I am only 12 lanes, but not so much as a broken belt. I really like the rudder link because it has a delay at each machine which allows light balls to enter the lift easily. LBS can be picky about light balls. The reduction pulley is a must. Use the large 5" diameter clutches to slow things down even more. With the delay at each side, I adjust mine so they will push a 12lb ball out of the lift. Pushes any pins out, and there is ample time for any ball to enter the lift. I had my kickers running fairly good, with maybe 10 - 15 ball calls per week. But the PBLshave cut that down to maybe 1 per week, usually a pin in the door. I have no problems with Vantage.