pit conveyor ideas...

[mccarthym69]

hey guys i just wanted to get some other ideas. I need to raise the front (lane side ) of my pit boards . I am thinking of putting more washers under or above the front tie plate to raise it up a few degrees. If anyone else has any better ideas, rejects , or just ideas please let me know. Thanks.

[Steve Stafford (JBEES)]

If you are interested in raising the front by adding washers to the stud of the pit mount...replace the pit mounts with accelerator mounts as the stud on one side is longer. This will allow you to raise it further. Understand that raising in this method will put more stress on the rubber in the mount during "impact" when the ball lands in the pit. You may be replacing them more often. I would do all 6 front mounts this way...putting the top pit mounts with the longer stud pointing down. This way the longer stud will not interfere or contact the pit board. Try to use washers that have a large outside diameter so the pressure is spread out. If you can find a washer that has the same outside diameter as the actual pit mount itself...all the better.

Hope this helps...

[eddieg]

When I raise the frame, I take the 3/4 nut off the front 2 and loosen up the back 2 (pit area) and just lift up frame and slide the washers on. Some guys put half washers in so they don't have to lift up frame all the way, but I have found that over time they slide out.

[Steve Stafford (JBEES)]

Of course...I am assuming you have run out of threads on your carriage bolts...correct?

[mccarthym69]

I have not got a chance to go under and give it a closer look, i have a few lanes that seams like they need to be high on the lane side because the pins just sitting there and not making it into the pin wheel. It is just something that is bothering me and I would like for there to be no pins on the board. So I figured if , I do it to just a few of them , I might as well do it to all of them. And it's a real problem when a 5 or 6 pound ball gets stuck because the pins are not making it to the pin wheel and the ball stays behind the curtain.

[Roscoe]

Just remember, the carpet can be no higher than 4@3/4" from the zero line of the lane

[Phil_B]

I would start by making sure the pins and carpet cover are clean. Oily pins and covers create drag and slow down pin transfer. Perhaps you may want to try a zip carpet. If you raise the front too much, you'll find that the rear of the pit board will potentially hit against the bounce plates among other possible issues.

Make sure that the carpet does not have a worn spot in the middle. Common on model a2.

clean pins and carpet cover, check front and rear pit heights and go from there.

[Steve Stafford (JBEES)]

If you still have threads left on the carriage bolts...raise the pit that way instead of shimming the pit mounts. Shimming the pit mounts is a last resort type of thing. I would lower the elevator and the rear of the pit before shimming the pit mounts.

[mccarthym69]

Thank you for all the advice guys.