Gold Crown 3 ball return issues

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DallasHopps

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi all! I have a GC3 with a ball return on it. Mark Gregory set up the table and everything is just like it should be, but the ball return system is giving me problems occasionally. I'd like suggestions on the following problems:

1. Side pockets only (so far) occasionally spit a ball back onto the table.

2. Noise. I know ball returns are noisy, but I'm soliciting any ideas or tricks others have used to quiet down their ball returns.

3. Every once in a while a ball jumps the track and ends up on the floor. The least of my concerns, but worth fixing if I can.

Input appreciated (with the exception of suggesting drop pockets :wink: )
 
I'm not a mechanic ( so I might be using the wrong terms) but I just set my GC3 up and had some issues with the ball return also:

1. Side pockets only (so far) occasionally spit a ball back onto the table.
- Can't offer advice there, can't imagine how the ball return could cause that one, prob a mechanic has experience on that.

2. Noise. I know ball returns are noisy, but I'm soliciting any ideas or tricks others have used to quiet down their ball returns.
- Mine has that "rubberized" coating so it is relatively quiet. I have some extra simonis cloth, thinking about lining mine to help keep the balls cleaner. Just wondering if what I sweep off the table into the pockets will eventually build up in there.

3. Every once in a while a ball jumps the track and ends up on the floor. The least of my concerns, but worth fixing if I can.
- I had a side pocket that was jumping the track once in a while. I moved the ball return closer to the "outside apron" of the table so a ball couldn't fit between it and fall out. If it tries to climb out of the ball return track it now just prob hits the inside of the apron and falls back in. Wasn't my idea, saw there were more than one hole for the screws when putting up some of the ball return tracks but ignored it. Seems the previous mechanic was aware of this and I used the other holes and it solved the problem.
 
do you have factory brunswick pockets?

The ball jumping the track: The track may not be close enough to the apron
 
I bought the ball return from Mark when he set up the table. The pockets fit (to me) like original equipment, and I have no reason to think they aren't factory. The pockets, being a little rubbery, might be bouncing the balls out of the sides because of their shape... they're a little short before the turn into the track, and a ball (usually shot with hard follow, so contact induced backspin maybe on the object ball) could be hitting bottom and jumping out. I'll look into the track being close enough to the apron.
Thanks for the replies so far!
Islandracer: your table looks good, I saw it in the other thread! I know the balls going into the box itself makes A LOT of noise... I'm going to try making a pad for the bottom out of high density carpet pad and I'll let you know if it's worth doing.
 
Much thanks Dallas - my ball return box has some carpet in it, it was in there when I bought it and I guess it makes it really quiet. You just hear the click if there are a few balls in it to bounce around. Guess I got lucky when I bought my GC3 as it had the rubber coated tracks and the carpet in the box.
 
DallasHopps said:
I bought the ball return from Mark when he set up the table. The pockets fit (to me) like original equipment, and I have no reason to think they aren't factory. The pockets, being a little rubbery, might be bouncing the balls out of the sides because of their shape... they're a little short before the turn into the track, and a ball (usually shot with hard follow, so contact induced backspin maybe on the object ball) could be hitting bottom and jumping out. I'll look into the track being close enough to the apron.
Thanks for the replies so far!
Islandracer: your table looks good, I saw it in the other thread! I know the balls going into the box itself makes A LOT of noise... I'm going to try making a pad for the bottom out of high density carpet pad and I'll let you know if it's worth doing.
Click to expand...

The room the tables in amplifies the sound more than in a pool room, the side pockets will throw balls with spin on out once in a while.
Your ball box has carpet in ( I replaced it with new for you)
The pockets are the original brunswick ball return pockets.
The tracks will have a ball fall out every now and then.....it's a 20 year old GC3....the table is set up really well and the cushions play real good.

Not much you can do...with the sound...or the side pockets...(spin on the ball will sometimes bring the ball back on the table...the mouth of the side pocket opening is very small to slow the ball going in the track...the ball hits the top of the opening and climbs up the pocket and back on the table)
You can bend the track rails to stop any balls falling out.
If you have a problem with the table...all you need to do is call me.

Mark Gregory
 
Mark Gregory did a great job with making my table play the way it does. I don't doubt anything that he did.

If the issues I'm having are inherent in the design of a GC ball return, so be it. The only real concern I have is the side pocket spitting balls back up onto the table. I suppose if I gamble on the table I'll address it, or I'll use it as home field advantage. Other than that it's a minor concern.

Mark, I didn't think there was anything wrong with the setup. That's why I solicited opinions on the forum. I have your number, and I've made sure everyone knows exactly who did the work on my table. If anyone I know has a table set up by anyone other than you, it's because they're cheap or stupid... it won't be because I didn't point them your way.
 
DallasHopps said:
Mark Gregory did a great job with making my table play the way it does. I don't doubt anything that he did.

If the issues I'm having are inherent in the design of a GC ball return, so be it. The only real concern I have is the side pocket spitting balls back up onto the table. I suppose if I gamble on the table I'll address it, or I'll use it as home field advantage. Other than that it's a minor concern.

Mark, I didn't think there was anything wrong with the setup. That's why I solicited opinions on the forum. I have your number, and I've made sure everyone knows exactly who did the work on my table. If anyone I know has a table set up by anyone other than you, it's because they're cheap or stupid... it won't be because I didn't point them your way.
Click to expand...

Thank you....I appreciate the support....I'm glad you like the table.
As far as the side pocket spitting balls out...it really wouldn't do that....make sure the oval at the bottom of the pocket is clear from the ball dropping in the pocket. Sometimes the ball hits the rubber top of that part of the pocket.
Give me a call... Maybe I can walk you through something to correct the problem.

Thank you
Mark Gregory
 
The balls falling on the floor missing the ball return is a design flaw on Brunswick's part, as well as the balls spitting out of the side pockets. You can cut down on the ball reject by cutting back the oval at the end of the side pocket liner because the problem is that the ball can't pass through the pocket liner fast enough to stay in the pocket, so it bounces around in the pocket liner then back up on the table, once again...a design flaw by Brunswick.

Glen
 
Ball falling off track

Balls fall off the track on all old GCs, especially if the bottom ring on the side pocket has broken. The ball jumps up between the track and apron, and then rolls down until it finds a space big enough to fall out on the floor. If you can't move the track-I'm sure it's in the right place now-you can attach a small wedge to the inside of the apron below the side pocket which redirects the occasional ball back onto the track. Kind of 'hackish', maybe, but it's really easy, you can't see it, and fixes Brunswick's design flaw.
 
I have a GV4 and balls fall to the floor from the side pockets on mine too. Usually on slow speed shots.

Since I don't play shape for side pockets, it ispretty much a non-issue for me, but is does happen occasionally (that I have to shoot a ball in the sides!)
 
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