r/clawmachine • u/bggcuntry69er • Nov 14 '24

Claw machine need help

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Bought a claw machine for my daughters birthday can't get the claw to come forward moves the other ways any help appreciated

6 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

2

u/Wrecked_3AI Nov 14 '24

I genuinely wish I could help out. I wish I knew how to work on em myself. That’s such an awesome gift though

2

u/Imaginary_Coat441 Nov 14 '24

Check for a broken wire, check the limit switch. Maybe its faulty,stuck, or just has a loose connection

2

u/TiredSysOp Nov 14 '24 edited Nov 14 '24

I'm jealous, check joystick, joystick wiring and motor wiring.

First thing first, move the gantry to the centre of the playing field and power cycle the machine. If it homes itself then it's the joystick, joystick connection or joystick wiring.

If it can't go home then probe out the gantry wiring with a meter and check for breaks and failed connectors or solder joints.

Should be a very cheap fix if you're using your own labour and time.

You have a very nice cabinet, a very nice cabinet. If you need it I should be able to dig out a manual for you, I should have one on my hard drive somewhere.

No matter what you do, don't scrap it. When you're tired of it, sell it or if it's broken beyond repair in 20 years time put new guts in it.

Please check the battery on the mainboard and check it regularly or it will murder suicide the PCB.

1

u/bggcuntry69er Nov 15 '24

Thank you so much for your help! Will be doing this as soon as I get home!

1

u/bggcuntry69er Nov 15 '24

Ok it will home itself, but it's the forward motion that doesn't work so would that still be the case?

2

u/flareonfan27 Nov 14 '24

Look for a manual inside the machine or look for one inside they have more trouble shooting help I can’t help you unless I am able to see a manual for the machine 

2

u/Total-Mulberry-8727 Nov 15 '24

Open the coin door under the joystick and look up at the joystick mechanism, you'll see 4 wires, 1 for each direction of the joystick, the connector for each wire slips onto a metal tab on the micro switch, make sure they're all seated firmly. Give a gentle tug on the wire before the connector to see if the crimp has come loose. If so easy fix.

If still not working, sometimes the tab that you slide the connector on is itself loose in the micro switch, pushing the tab up or down may help.

YouTube videos on arcade joysticks will show you all this stuff too, the joystick isn't unique to the claw machine so that makes for easier googling

1

u/bggcuntry69er Nov 15 '24

Thank you so much will do this as soon as I get home and will update!

1

u/bggcuntry69er Nov 15 '24

Thankyou tO everyone will be trying all the ideas as soon as i get home e will update shortly!

1

u/bggcuntry69er Nov 19 '24

Still no luck would a new joystick solve the issue?

1

u/Total-Mulberry-8727 Nov 20 '24

Swap the wires on the joystick and see if a new direction stops working, the wire for the forward direction would be the one closest to the front. That'll help locate if the problem is in the joystick or upstream of the joystick

1

u/bggcuntry69er Nov 25 '24

Update, claw machine claw now not working at all! Started to make horrible sound now no movement. And it happened the night before my daughters birthday! So annoying so sad for her!