Action Pinball Logo Game Setup & Assembly Information
 
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Bally & Williams Games (WMS) (1988-1999)

NOTE: These instructions assume your game has been packaged for shipment as shown in images below. This information is intended to help you set up your pinball machine after it has been shipped to you from our shop. Use this information at your own risk. We (Action Pinball) are not responsible for any damage to you, your location, or your game, that may result from following, or not following the instructions below.

Materials Needed:
  • One or two friends to help.
  • Scissors or knife.
  • 5/8" and possibly 9/16" open-end wrench, or socket wrench.

Click on any image below for a larger view.

Step 1:

Unpack your game to the extent shown in the image to the left. Backbox should still be secured to the main cabinet with stretch-wrap or a strap (as shown in image).

USE CAUTION when cutting away any cardboard or stretch-wrap from the game, so as not to cut through the packaging and damage the cabinet surface! Patience and neatness count in this process.

Locate the hardware (bolts, balls, keys, etc) that are packed with the game, and set aside for use during assembly. With backbox still secured to main cabinet (in its "down" position), position the game so that it is sitting on it's back end, coin door facing up, as shown in image.

Step 2:

Locate the front legs. These are the legs with the leg levelers (feet) that are screwed all the way in. (Back legs will have the leg levelers screwed OUT an inch or two- so that the game sits higher in the back, than in the front). If your game was packaged in a factory carton, the legs may be packed in the cardboard packing that goes in the corners of the box.

Using four leg bolts (included with game hardware), attach the two front legs to the front of the main cabinet. Each leg uses two bolts. There should be two holes on either corner edge of the front of the main cabinet where the legs will mount.

Special Note: If your game has three mounting holes (some games do), you will usually mount the legs in the lower two holes, rather than the upper two holes- this should make the game sit at normal height. Mounting legs in the upper holes is optional, but will usually make the game sit lower to the ground.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON INSTALLING LEG BOLTS: Do not let the weight of the machine rest on the leg & leg bolts as you are installing/tightening the bolts. This can cause the leg bolts and/or leg plate inside the game to strip, which can require a costly repair. Support the weight of the game, and the leg itself, separately, while you are installing the bolts. They should turn freely by hand as you are installing them. Do not force leg bolts.

The leg bolts will require a 5/8" wrench to tighten them. Tighten the bolts so that they are snug but do not overtighten- we recommend "wrist tight", which is a tight as you can comfortably turn a wrench using only your wrist. Legs to not need to be overtightened- it is easy to strip the bolts or threads inside the cabinet that hold the bolts, which can require costly repair.

Step 3:

Lower the front of the machine to the ground, so that the front is sitting on the legs you just installed.

Step 4:

With one or two helpers, lift the back end of the machine off the floor, and have helpers hold it, or place it's back end on a stool, as shown in image.

Using the remaining four leg bolts, attach the back legs, just as you did the front legs. DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN!

Remove stool- set back of game down on it's legs, on the floor.

Step 5:

Using scissors or a knife, carefully cut away or remove any packing material holding the backbox down (stretch-wrap and/or strap). Be very careful not to cut or scrape/scratch the game when cutting away the packing material.

Step 6:

Raise the backbox and lock it in its upright position.

First, be sure to remove the line cord from the back of the machine if it is tucked into the "neck" opening that goes down into the main cabinet from the backbox. Gently pull the cord out- do not force it- if it gets snagged on any wires or hardware while you are pulling it out, carefully free it before pulling it all the way out.

Raise the backbox to its upright position. Be careful not to smash any cables in-between the backbox and the main cabinet, as you are raising the backbox (have a helper guide any cables/wires through the "neck" of the game, as you are raising the backbox).

Lock the backbox in it's upright position by securing the latch on the back of the cabinet (see picture).



Step 6A: (Optional)

Open the backbox to install the bolts that secure the backbox in its upright position.

This is an optional step, but is recommended so that the backbox cannot be lowered down if the latch on the back of the game is ever released. If you wish to skip this step, jump down to Step 7 and continue there.

To get into the backbox, locate the backbox keys that are packed with the hardware for your game. Or, the backbox keys may be located on the hook on the inside of the coin door (open coin door and look for keys/hook- they are usually mounted on the left or the right of the coin slots on the inside of the coin door).

Insert the key in the lock that secures the backglass- this lock is located at the top center of the backglass. Turn key 1/4 turn to release backglass. Lift backglass up, using the lift channel at bottom of backglass. It should move up about an inch. Then pull the bottom of the glass outward, using the lift channel, so that it clears the display/speaker panel that is located below the backglass. Then lower the glass down in front of the display/speaker panel. It should now be completely clear of the backbox. On early Bally/Williams games (up to about 1995) you can remove the backglass and set it down on the floor in a safe place. On newer games, there will be a cable that runs to the back of the backglass assembly for the lights- you may either disconnect the cable at it's connector, and set backglass unit aside, or just lay it face-down on the playfield glass surface.





Step 6B:

Open backbox insert door, remove display/speaker panel, and install bolts. (This is a continuation of the optional step 6A- if you are performing step 6A, perform this step too, otherwise skip to Step 7.)

On some models, you may need to open the backbox "insert" door. This is the wood panel located behind the backglass which holds all the light bulbs. Later-model games may not use this door- they often have a plastic housing that is attached to the back of the backglass assembly which holds the lights.

To open the backbox insert door, lift the latch in the upper right corner of the door. This latch may be secured with a screw and a tag for shipping- if so, remove screw to allow latch to be lifted.

Next, remove the display/speaker panel to allow access to the lower area of the inside of backbox. Grasp panel with both hands and lift straight upward. Panel should come up about an inch.

Pull top of panel outward from backbox. Lay panel down on playfield glass surface.

Locate the two holes in the bottom of the backbox where the bolts will go. Locate the bolts from your hardware that was packed with the game. These will either be regular bolts about 2 inches long, or may be wing-nut style bolts, depending on the game. Insert these and turn so they are finger-tight. They do not need to be tightened with a wrench or pliers- they simply keep the backbox in the raised position and prevent it from being lowered.

Reverse the procedures in this and the previous step to replace display/speaker panel, backbox insert door, and backglass.

Step 7:

Open the coin door and locate the playfield glass lockdown bar release lever, just inside the upper right corner of the coin door opening.

Pull lever to the left to release the playfield glass lockdown bar. Remove the lockdown bar and set it aside. You may have to hold the lever in the leftmost position in order to remove the lockdown bar, on some games.

Step 8:

Locate pin ball(s). Pull playfield glass down a short distance and place the pin ball(s) on the playfield surface and let them roll down to the outhole. Different games will use a different number of balls- anything from one to six balls, usually. If you are not sure how many balls your game should use, check for a label under the playfield glass lockdown bar which will indicate the number of balls to install, or contact us.

Slide playfield glass back up. Replace lockdown bar (you may have to slide the lockdown bar release lever back to the left position to replace the bar). Then lock the bar in place by sliding the release lever back to the right position. Lever must go all the way to the right in order for the coin door to close. Close coin door.

Step 9:

Plug line cord (located on back of machine) into a grounded outlet- or better yet- plug into a surge-protected power strip.

Turn game on by the main power switch. This switch is located under the front right corner of the main cabinet (behind front right leg) on the bottom side of the main cabinet (see picture). It is in a recessed hole on the underside of cabinet. Flip switch to the ON position, and verify that the game powers up and score display lights, playfield lights flash, etc.


You are now ready to play!

Game Levelling: You may need to level the game from side to side, depending on how the leg levelers are set on the legs, or on the evenness, or non-evenness of your floor. You can "eyeball" the game for level from side to side, or use a bubble level, in two positions- across the front of the machine, and across the back of the machine. Adjusting the leg levellers on the legs will allow the game to be properly levelled.

If you notice the ball rolling more to one side than the other during play, you may need to adjust the leg levellers to re-level the game.

Raising the back of the game (by adjusting leg levellers out (or "down"), on the back legs) will make the angle of the playfield steeper, and cause the ball to roll faster, and game play to be more difficult.

Lowering the back of the game (by adjusting leg levellers in (or "up"), on the back legs) will make the angle of the playfield less steep, and cause the ball to roll slower, and game play to be easier.

You may want to get someone to help lift one corner of the game up slightly while you adjust each leg leveller.

Game Keys: Your game will have two keys, or two sets of keys- one for the coin door, and one for the backbox. The keys for the backbox can be stored on a hook on the inside of the coin door- usually mounted on the left or right side of the coin slots.

Keys for the coin door should be kept in a safe place. No one should need to get into the machine for any reason other than for maintenance/service, etc. And high voltage is present inside the game, so best to keep coin door locked and keys in a safe remote place to keep unwanted hands and fingers out of the machine.

Other Information: Consult the game manual that was included with your machine for additional information on game operation, how to raise/lower the playfield, how to open the backbox, how to make adjustments to game settings, options, or volume, etc. And of course, if you have any questions that you cannot find answers for, just call or e-mail us! We'll be happy to help!

If you have any questions, problems, or require any additional information, please contact us.

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