Tighten a switch stack before adjusting it

Steps

• Tighten the stack first, because tightening changes the blade gaps.
• Do the screw nearest the contacts first (Gottlieb's advice).
• On a very loose or rebuilt stack, alternate a turn or two on each screw.
• Avoid kinking blades or cracking bakelite spacers.

Systems

• Electro-mechanical

Related tips

• New to EMs? Do not adjust switches that work
• Bend switch blades at the stack, not along the blade
• Adjusting more than a few switches means something else is wrong
• Why EM switch contacts get dirty
• File EM switch contacts
• Neighbouring switches in a stack short together
• Switch gap and adjustment targets
• Normally open, normally closed and make/break switches

Source: Repairing Electro-Mechanical (EM) Coin Operated Games to 1978, Part One, Clay Harrell (pinrepair.com)