Pinball machines are big and heavy, and they can break fairly easily if they\u2019re not transported correctly. Whether you\u2019re moving pinball machines around in your own arcade, or if you\u2019re looking to buy or sell one that needs shipped, you need to know how to transport a pinball machine correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can transport a pinball machine yourself by car, or you can use a shipping company to do it for you. Regardless of which option you choose to use, you need to make sure you pack everything up properly so that your pinball machine doesn\u2019t get damaged during transportation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Below, we\u2019ll go into more detail about the kinds of things you should be aware of when transporting a pinball machine. We\u2019ll go through the important things you should be doing and checking before you transport your machine, and the right way to do it so you don\u2019t damage the machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you just bought a machine and you\u2019re going to drive it to your house, you might want to measure your vehicle first<\/strong>. If you have a van or a big SUV or some kind of truck you shouldn\u2019t have any problems. But if not, a lot of cars can still fit a pinball machine if the seats fold down. These will mainly be hatchbacks or cars that you can access the trunk without putting your seats down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Knowing the size of the machine you\u2019re moving and the size of vehicle you have to work with will help you avoid getting stuck with no way to bring it home. You can check PinWiki<\/strong>, they have a list of cars that will fit average-sized tables and even some larger machines too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll also want to make sure that the machine will fit through any doorways, stairways <\/strong>or other areas of your property so you can actually get it where you want it to go. After you have decided to buy a machine<\/a> and know it will fit into your car, you are going to want to start protecting it, so it doesn\u2019t get damaged during transport. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll want to start by removing the balls<\/strong>. You may need to get into the glass of the cabinet<\/a> to access them. Then you\u2019ll either take the backbox off or fold it down onto the cabinet. You want to make sure you have some blanket or cardboard in between the backbox and the cabinet. This will help protect the backglass and the cabinet glass from cracking or breaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the machine is an old EM machine, you may need to disconnect wires from the cabinet to the backbox to take the head off. You can access these wires through the backbox door that\u2019s opened with a key. Once the head is lying on the cabinet or off the machine completely, you can start wrapping the machine. Using a ratchet strap or plastic wrap will help keep the backbox lying down <\/strong>on the cabinet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cardboard and even wood pieces can be wrapped around the machine with the plastic wrap to keep them in place. Take care when wrapping the plunger handle<\/strong>. Since it sticks out of the cabinet it will need to be wrapped up especially carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the machine has protective wrapping around it you can start taking off the legs. Using a chair or a hydraulic lift <\/strong>can help avoid the machine from falling while removing the legs. You\u2019ll want to start with the back ones and then move to the front ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can use plastic wrap and some cardboard to package up the legs. You want to avoid taping the legs together as the tape can take off any paint and the chrome coating on the legs. You should put the balls into a Ziploc bag<\/strong>, and then you\u2019re ready to get moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, you\u2019ll move your machine \u2013 with the help of at least one other person<\/strong> \u2013 to your vehicle. When placing the machine inside your vehicle you\u2019ll want to make sure you have some sort of padding on the floor, and perhaps on the sides of the box to keep things safe if there\u2019s the potential of it moving around during transport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These foam flooring tiles<\/a> could work pretty well to ensure you protect the underside of the machine. Alternatively, you can stack some cardboard, blankets and Styrofoam underneath to avoid damage to the bottom of the machine. This is especially true when using a cargo van<\/strong>, truck bed or small trailer since they have little to no protection on the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can then use rope or a strap to tie your machine to the car. Placing wood and cardboard around the base of the machine will also help to minimize room for movement<\/strong>. When driving, take it slow and avoid any potholes or abrupt turning. Once you get home use a hand truck or the help of a friend to wiggle your way around to the desired destination and start unpacking the machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPackaging A Pinball Machine For Transport<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Make Sure It Fits!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Wrap Everything Up Carefully<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Transporting A Pinball Machine By Car<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Keep Everything In Place<\/h3>\n\n\n\n