Topic: Question about bearing play up and down

[Patowns]

Hello all just got my first Foosball table, a used Tornado Cyclone II for $200 dollars. It is in really good shape. But I have a question about the bearing play. If I push the rods all in and lift up I have about 3mm or more of play up is this normal? All the rods have about the same amount of play in them. Also both two man rods have a slight bend in them. Has anyone had success in straightening out a rod, it seems that the bend is about 12 to 18 inches off of the handle. I lubed one of the five man rods with silicone and what a difference. Got it last night and have not had time to put the legs on or give it a good tune up. Any recommendation I should do?  I would post a picture but new to forum and having trouble doing that at this time.

[bbtuna]

see section 5 for some basics on getting started - i am talking about a coin op in the thread but cyclones function the same way except no split cabinet
there is a list of basic things you should have which you can get at the link at the bottom of the page
http://www.foosball.com/forum/index.php?topic=2704.0

bearings some times get a little play...you can tighten them on the cyclone and this will remove some play but you don't want to make the bearings grab the rod so there is a little balance between too tight and too sloppy

you can not straighten a bent rod...you can get new rods from the owner of this forum and foosball.com Jim Waterman...they are $35 each...get the commercial heat-treated rods

see link for rods
http://foosdirect-store.stores.yahoo.net/fts-110-061.html

here is the link for bearing wrench, roll pins, men, etc
http://foosdirect-store.stores.yahoo.net/tornado.html

[Patowns]

Table update....I pulled both two man rods and got they relatively straight, much better than they were. Also I found that two of the three man rods where swapped so my man spacing was off on one of my goalies and forward so those got swapped. And then at that point I said what the heck, I didn't like how the table was setup, if I stand on the ball return side the black goal was on the left and yellow on the right. So all rods got pulled and table and rods cleaned. Now it looks and plays just like all the tournament tables. I made a wooden jig to hold the rod to punch the pin in and out, very easy. I was measuring the rod "slop" in the bearings, by putting calipers on the rod and lifting up, I got any where from .017 to .065 inch depending on the bearing set. The rod is 5/8" or .625" the opening of the bearings measured .635 or .675 of the two that I measured, so I would likely say I need new ones. I ordered 4 bearing halves today and two new 5 hour balls, and one cork, maybe that will be quiet so I can play while my daughter sleeps. I'll check the bearing slop if any on the new ones once they are here.

[jinhopark]

I made a wooden jig to hold the rod to punch the pin in and out, very easy.

I dread the idea of pulling all the men and handles to update everything.  I've experienced many an aggravated moments with replacing a broken man or 2.  This jig sounds interesting, can you upload a picture of it?  Anything to make it faster/easier/simplier would be great.

I also have issues with breaking the nubs on the 2 part bearings, some of those pins in those men are like welded in there...which require quite a bit of hammering and a lot of stress on the bearings.  Is there a better and less harmful way of doing this?

[bbtuna]

wood block under the rods...simple to make, it is the exact same size as your bearing nut wrench...matter of fact you could use that, lots of people do, but i wouldn't without putting a cloth down first...I just don't like the that hard bearing wrench touching the surface of the table...i have seen or heard of damage but i am very picky this way and wouldn't take a chance...you can buy a wood block made for this online but if you are the least bit handy, why not make your own and if you are creative, you can give a cool name or something

"Rod Block" about 2/3 of the way down the page $5
http://tornadofoosb.powweb.com/store/page19.html

Patowns - hope you ordered the new thinner bearings, they are really good...not sure why they are better just because they are thinner but i am guessing it is because the rod doesn't touch as much bearing and so makes it just a little smoother...cheap fix at $6 per rod

when you get yours, check and see if they are the newer ones...you can tell by taking a half off your existing table and couple it with one of the ones you get and if they are not flush, then you know you have the new thinner ones

see photos below or go to my flikr account and you can open them and get a better view

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24345876@N05/

[Patowns]

How do I post an image? I hit the image icon but then what?

[Patowns]

The link is at the bottom to the photos of the wood block/brace.

Here is what I did...

1. Remove the bearings from the rod.
2. Move the bushing into the side wall. That is picture Side Bushing. That supported the rod about 2.5 inch above the field.
3. Placed the wood block/brace under the man and then slid the bottom plate under it so I would not markup the play field. The brace had a groove in the ends, to hold the rod, so it needed to be lifted into place and then the bottom plate slid in.
4. Then punched the pins out.
5. Same thing to put them back in.

The block started to seperate toward the end, I guess it didn't like the pounding 52 times. I would use more glue next time, I just tossed it together. But it did work well.

http://images.nikonians.org/galleries/showgallery.php/cat/14449

[bbtuna]

great idea, with some refinement, that could be a real nice tool

how to post the pictures...between the brackets you paste the URL address...you get this by right clikcing on the picture and going to Properties and in the middle there is a a heading called  "Address (URL)"  it looks like this

Address     http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2712/4325586217_33caff4117_m.jpg
(URL)

[jinhopark]

http://images.nikonians.org/galleries/showgallery.php/cat/14449

Patowns:

Absolutely love that jig!  I'll have to rig something up like that in my garage and finally put all that DeWalt stuff to good use.

I also noticed you had a Nikonians account?!?!?  What are you shoot'in with?  I've currently got a D3/D700 setup with a host of lenses/flashes...check my gear and some pics out:

http://www.nikonians.org/profile/index.php?u_id=90110

[Patowns]

I shoot with a D70 and D2Hs.

Here is my profile

http://www.nikonians.org/profile/index.php?u_id=70365

[jinhopark]

Back in 2005 I had a D70...which was my first dSLR after I finally got rid of my film N90.  Then moved from the D70 > D300 > D3/D700 combo and pretty content with that right now...although that D3s looks mighty tempting.

[jagiar]

Guys I have a question about that wooden block.  Wouldn't all that hammering with the block on the playing surface warp the playing surface?  I don't own a Tornado (yet) and aren't aware of the construction but I would think you risk affecting the level of the surface by hammering on it.

[Patowns]

I was concerned about that too. But the playing surface is 3/4  which looks like MDF, very hard stuff, with the laminate playing field on top. On the under side, of my Cyclone II, I never have looked at others, there is a 3/4 by 2inch board on edge that runs the length of the playing field on both side minus the ball return, which holds the playing field up and a the goals the board is lay flat holding up the ends. The bottom plate was not to markup the playing field. Once the pin starts to move it comes out easy. Also the ends of rods are supported by the bushing in the holes with the bearing taken out so that absorbs some of the shock. Happy hunting for your Tornado. On a whim I checked Craigslist for Foosball and got mine for $200 in really good shape.

I bought 4 bearing halves for the table and the play is very minimal. The rods are 5/8 or .625 and the new bearing when pressed together measure .635. Some of mine are worn out I measured .675. The new bearings are thin in profile, so I’ll be upgrading them once I have some spare change for bearings and a scoring units, since mine does not have them.

[bbtuna]

never heard of any damage to a table surface from a wood block- yes it is MDF

when you get new scoring units, don't buy the curmmy plastic ones

[Patowns]

"CRUMMY PLASTIC ONES" to you mean the newer ones on the T3000? I would like to use the Tornado original scoring units black and blonde disks. But for 30 bucks to replace them both at this time my Las Vegas MGM craps dice are working fine.