The plunger rattles sideways as it pulls in and the flipper is weak.
Flipper weak or noisy: worn fibre link
Cause: The holes in the fibre link joining plunger and crank have worn oval.
Checks
- Work the flipper by hand and look for slop at the link pins.
Fix
- Replace the link; know the game, maker and link dimensions when ordering.
- If none is available, copy the old link in fibre or polycarbonate.
- Drive out the link pin with a punch to remove it.
Systems
- Williams System 3
- Williams System 4
- Williams System 6 / 6A
- Williams System 7
- Williams System 9
- Williams System 11
- Williams System 11A
- Williams System 11B
- Williams System 11C
- WPC Alpha-Numeric
- WPC Dot Matrix
- WPC Fliptronics
- WPC DCS
- WPC-Security (WPC-S)
- WPC-95
- Bally MPU AS-2518-17
- Bally MPU AS-2518-35
- Stern MPU-100
- Stern MPU-200
- Bally 6803
- Gottlieb System 1
- Gottlieb System 80
- Gottlieb System 80A
- Gottlieb System 80B
- Gottlieb System 3
- Data East CPU Version 1/2
- Data East CPU Version 3
- Data East/Sega CPU Version 3b
- Capcom
- Electro-mechanical
Related tips
- Flipper weak: worn plunger, coil stop or sleeve
- Replacing the flipper plunger and link
- Flippers can't get the ball up a steep playfield
- Upper flipper weak on a multi-flipper game
- Flipper bat drags on the playfield
- Weak, chattering or buzzing flipper: end-of-stroke switch
- Flipper weak because the return spring is too strong
- Replacing a flipper coil
Source: Pinball Machine Care & Maintenance, Bernard B. Kamoroff (Bell Springs Pinball Alley)