Bally EMs - handle return dampening

[frenchmarky]

I've seen a few youtube vids where people let go of the handle and as it returns, there is a BIG dampening effect that slows it down right before it returns fully.  Thus it doesn't just slam back up.  But I've tried everything to get mine to act like that including wheel bearing grease in the dashpot and a brand new piston cup.   I even tried putting a little flap of film over the air hole in the dashpot so that when the handle is returning the flap acts like a closed valve to slow the piston down even more.  No effect, handle still slams back hard like nothing is really slowing it down.

Is there something else I need to do like put *extremely* thick grease in there?  I've seen 100% mechanical slots do this kind of dampening on the handle as well using a dashpot and looks very effective.

[slcjeeper]

Is your piston tube white plastic or metal? As long as the piston seal is the correct diameter, the piston should slow unless the tube is worn inside. That would be the only other item in the equation.

[DavidLee]

Inside the handle mechanism is a compression spring.
Possibly the spring is broken, missing or has been replaced with the wrong spring.
With the reels out the spring should be visible..
Try test the spring tension with the reels out.
The handle will not return until the flat lever protruding from the handle mechanism is pushed down.
Caution, in normal operation the handle will fly upwards.
Yours may not if there’s a problem with the spring.

[frenchmarky]

Is your piston tube white plastic or metal? As long as the piston seal is the correct diameter, the piston should slow unless the tube is worn inside. That would be the only other item in the equation.

It's the yellow/whitish plastic tube.  Pulling on the linkage while disconnected it seemed like the seal was holding pressure if I blocked the air hole, looked to be in good shape.  Like I said I have only seen a couple of videos where the handles did this cool dampening effect so I'm thinking well maybe they were just really gunked up with old goo inside the cylinder and elsewhere.  But the handles in both cases returned fast at first and only slowed down right before they went 'SLAM!' so, I dunno.

I think I saw mention in a Bally manual about the air cylinder being mainly an additional anti-cheating thing, for players trying to slam the handle back up on purpose and breaking things.  So yeah maybe the handle just slamming back is 'normal' for these machines, I just thought that the cushioning as the handle hit the top in the videos looked really slick, and looked like it would be easier on the parts, too.  I could try quite a bit harder/thicker grease, can always clean it out if it has no effect. 

[DavidLee]

Air cylinder is a dampener to keep the handle from slamming down prevening unwanted damage.

[erbs]

Awhile back someone posted a replacement part that they found works great to replace the gooey part for the air cylinder. I have been searching, but can't find the post. Maybe they will see this and reply.

[DavidLee]

In the past I’ve modified an automotive brake cylinder cup.
Probably more work than it’s worth.

Use a 15/16 cup and cut the appropriate size hole in the middle.

[wolftalk]

see attached