Pin Spotting - Stabilizer Rods

[KWagner]

Problem #1 The rake board on this machine was so far to the right that it grooved a hole into the gutter capping. I moved the machine frame over to the left to center the rake board with the lane/gutters.

Now, I've been trying to get the pins in the center on spot and this lane is a problem it seems. I've had a heck of a time doing this. The other evening I tried to first level the deck with the stabilizer rods. This has been nothing but a pain that I can't seem to figure out. Does anyone have any tips on making this easier. We have A-2s with Scotch Yokes, so I know how to screw in/out the yoke screw but every time I make an adjustment nothing seems to get close to the 15/16ths of deck spotting height.

This is also the lane where the pin deck is too high and the ball jumps at the pins. The buildings foundation moves around alot and is in bad shape. There is lots of vibration with the particular building.


Can you put the deck down on lets say 3 pieces of 1 inch wood (side, side and front) or how about 3 clutch shoes?. Take the rods off, and then properly put them on and then tighten the nuts?

I think I got it closer to being level now but the pin spotting isn't uniformly off on all the pins. The 7 and 8 pins are on spot, while the rest are not. If I move the deck forward isn't it going to move the pins that are on spot now? I took a quick look at the deck and it seems like there isn't too much forward it can slide.

I will attach some photos of what the spotting looks like now.

Pinspotting1.jpgpinspotting2.jpgpinspotting3.jpg

[Steve Stafford (JBEES)]

You stated you moved the machine because the rake board was hitting the capping. Did you check to be sure the rake arms are straight and square. The pinsetter frame should reside directly in the middle of the kickback and should not be moved to compensate for assemblies being bent/crooked/just not right. First check to be sure that the frame of the machine is correct by doing a deck lift shaft adjustment. Once this is complete, lower the deck to pin setting height...what ever it happens to be right now makes no difference. Measure directly under the deck posts and shim between the deck post and the stationary deck until both sides are the same height. Whichever is higher...shim until it reaches the lower side. With that done...loosen the stabilizers and use them to raise/lower the nose of the deck until it is the same as the two positions you just leveled. Tighten the stabilizers. Now comes the hard part... (as if that wasn't hard enough) have the machine set a few sets of pins and see where the pin spotting is. If the corner pins are pulled in a bit when compared to the 5, 8 and 9...you may have a warped deck and you will have issues until that is resolved. Usually you can see this by looking at the Geneva plates...they will normally "tilt" in at the bottom when a deck is warped. A straight edge along them up and down can show this better...even a level on them will show they are not straight up and down. Once you have this straight...you can look at how the pins are setting on the pin spots and determine what you need to do. You can do a little twisting, side to side and front to rear movement to get them where they need to be. Before any of this that I have suggested...you need to be sure that all of the spotting fingers and deck rollers are in good shape. No bent spotting fingers or shotty deck rollers.

Once you go through this a few times...you will be an expert on putting pins on spot.