Cleaning or replacing pinballs
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| Guide details | |
|---|---|
| Topic | Maintenance |
| Applies to | Pinball |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| How often | Check at each playfield cleaning; replace when pitted or rusty |
| Tools needed | Microfiber cloth New pinballs (if needed) |
A worn ball damages a playfield fast. Pits and rust on the ball act like sandpaper on the paint.
Checking balls
Remove the balls when you clean the playfield and look closely at each one under good light. Replace any ball that is:
- Pitted (small dents or craters)
- Rusty or discolored
- Not perfectly smooth and shiny
Cleaning
Wipe each ball with a clean microfiber cloth. Don't use abrasives, which scratch the surface.
Replacing
- Most machines use standard 1-1/16 inch steel pinballs. Check your machine's manual; a few use different sizes.
- Replace all the balls at once on a multiball machine, so they all wear evenly.
- Count how many balls your machine uses. Some keep balls hidden in the trough or locks. Check all of them.