How do I know if I need new Rails/Rubber.

M

Mirage2521

New member
Morning All, Hopefully there is an answer to this. My new to me Valley ZD-5 desperately needs new cloth. What is on it is not old but very poorly installed and not cared for in a home. The only balls are the ones that came with it, literal Walmart poly balls. So between the cloth and the balls I cannot figure out how to determine if it needs rails/rubber or not. Obviously recovering would be the time to replace if needed. What say the experts?

Follow up: It seems the sides of the table and the ends of the tables have two vastly different rubber profiles.
 
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If it's in your budget, I'd get some Ridgeback or Penguin replacement rails and just start fresh. The pro versions are a bit more but will tighten up your table and be great for practice.
 
Feel the rails inch by inch. If you find any spots have hardened or you can feel the density change you likely need new rails. If the table it set up bounce balls all along each rail. Dead spots will not rebound as well.
 
I've been staring at the penguin website. After discovering the two different profiles and hardness I think it's time to pop on the penguin complete rails already covered with matching cloth. Which cloth for a family table with a few serious player friends?
 
Mirage2521 said:
Morning All, Hopefully there is an answer to this. My new to me Valley ZD-5 desperately needs new cloth. What is on it is not old but very poorly installed and not cared for in a home. The only balls are the ones that came with it, literal Walmart poly balls. So between the cloth and the balls I cannot figure out how to determine if it needs rails/rubber or not. Obviously recovering would be the time to replace if needed. What say the experts?

Follow up: It seems the sides of the table and the ends of the tables have two vastly different rubber profiles.
Click to expand...
Also if you're getting new cloth, I'd invest in a set of dynasphere bronze or aramith balls, it will produce less burn marks on cloth.
 
Mirage2521 said:
I've been staring at the penguin website. After discovering the two different profiles and hardness I think it's time to pop on the penguin complete rails already covered with matching cloth. Which cloth for a family table with a few serious player friends?
Click to expand...
Simonis 860HR is the best, in my opinion. Championship 3030 would be a good second choice. I don't like how Penguin wraps the side pockets, see if you can ask them to fold the cloth there instead of stretching it.
 
Sheldon said:
Simonis 860HR is the best, in my opinion. Championship 3030 would be a good second choice. I don't like how Penguin wraps the side pockets, see if you can ask them to fold the cloth there instead of stretching it.
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From the pics on the website they look folded.
 
Mirage2521 said:
I've been staring at the penguin website. After discovering the two different profiles and hardness I think it's time to pop on the penguin complete rails already covered with matching cloth. Which cloth for a family table with a few serious player friends?
Click to expand...
Our local tournament went with penguin pro's, and championship 30/30. Big difference in play compared to the normal valley buckets, you better hit the hole or it's not going
 
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