Mystery Ball Damage!!!

[Dare]

I've got Converted A2's and am having ball damage on finger holes. Here are the facts:

* The damage looks like a burn mark (usually on the thumb hole, sometimes finger hole)
* Sometimes accompanied by chipping (like a screw might do)
* It is always on lanes 9/10 - of course during league play
* Does not happen every turn - maybe once a week to 1 or 2 balls.
* Everybody is swearing that the damage is happening on #10, but I've found small pieces rolling around in the pin wheel of #9 only.
* We have put a new ball lift motor on the front (after damage was already happening) - and replaced parts from #1/2 just in case the damage was happening up front - it is apparently not because #1/2 are OK


The only thing that we can think is that some how the ball is being held against the big ball accel. belt - it is just strange that the damage is only on finger holes - NEVER anywhere else.

I will have photos of some balls at: <a href="http://www.walkinghorselanes.com/balldamage.htm" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.walkinghorselanes.com/balldamage.htm" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.walkinghorselanes.com/balldamage.htm" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.walkinghorselanes.com/balldamage.htm" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.walkinghorselanes.com/balldamage.htm" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.walkinghorselanes.com/balldamage.htm" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.walkinghorselanes.com/balldamage.htm" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.walkinghorselanes.com/balldamage.htm" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.walkinghorselanes.com/balldamage.htm" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.walkinghorselanes.com/balldamage.htm" target="_blank">http://www.walkinghorselanes.com/balldamage.htm</a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a>

Take a look - your help will be appreciated because we sure can't figure it out!

[KL Kevin]

Re: Mystery Ball Damage!!!

Dare:

My first thought by looking at it is that the ball is hanging up under the front rod, and getting damaged by the rear lip of the pit frame hitting against it.

Check the condition of the front rod cover at the pick-up point, the rake shock (does the cushion lift TOO quickly and balls sail back under full steam), the pit height to the ball wheel, and exposed edges on the rear part of the frame where the pit board clamps in.

Hope this helps:

Kevin

[dmg]

Re: Mystery Ball Damage!!!

Have you looked at the Preference Bar trip lever on the ball track? I have seen this adjusted too high and catch the finger holes as the ball rolls over it. This could explain why your seeing this only on lane #9. Other than that I have seen the lift rods out of adjustment and shooting the ball into the Cross Conveyor, only this would cause more than nicks or burns on the finger holes. Somethings to check out. Let us know what you find.

Dennis Gemmer

[Ar Rar]

Re: Mystery Ball Damage!!!

I agree with Kevin. It looks like the ball is getting caught under the front lift rod and is being ground down by the edge of the ball wheel. The chipping could come from a hose clamp, the end of the ball track at the top of the lift rods, the pref bar lever, etc.

Good Luck. I HATE ball damage.

Roger

[Howard]

Re: Mystery Ball Damage!!!

We had intermitant ball damage and tracked it up front under the plate that has the leather strip on it just before the ball goes up the lift. One of them cross wire support thingeys was flopping and it would work it's way out from under the plate. It was easy to spot once it was out because it was shiney. We pushed it back to where it should be and it seemed to seat back in. That seemed to stop our problem. For whatever it is worth. Good luck on finding your problem.

[Dare]

Re: Mystery Ball Damage!!!

We did find that the front ball lift was exposed. We took care of that and now we just wait and see...


Thanks for the help, you guys have probably just saved me a lot more money in repairs!!!


Darren

[Ar Rar]

Re: Mystery Ball Damage!!!

In case the ball lift is not the problem, you might want to check for sharp edges on the sides of the accelerator trough at its entrance. If the Y switch bumpers allow the ball to swing wide, or the track/transition plate cause the ball to jump, sharp edges can both shave and chunk the finger holes as well as put small scratches all over the surface of a ball.

Roger

[Steve Stafford (JBEES)]

Re: Mystery Ball Damage!!!

What kind of orbitals do you have...I have gold crown orbitals and saw this kind of chipping at the finger holes and thumb hole due to a screw that holds down the top plate just at the exit of the power lift. The head of the screw would catch the hole as it tried to roll over it and the edge of the screw would dig into the hole and chip it. Had us going for a little while because it would only happen once or twice a week. Good luck...

[dmg]

Re: Mystery Ball Damage!!!

Well? Are you still dealing with this problem or is it taken care of? If so, what was the problem? Let us know please.
D