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Overview: 2. Installing a speaker on/off switch on the front of the machine 3. Mounting the Ticket fob inside the machine just for kicks (what else can you do with it?) 4. Modifying the crane light for an improved look 5. Replacing the CRANE pop-up targets with more robust targets and applying new C-R-A-N-E stickers. This mod involves drilling a 3/4" or so hole and mounting a radio shack single pole, singe throw rocker switch on the front of the machine (or anywhere else you want). This switch is then tied into the existing wiring inside the machine. If you want sound off, just throw the switch. Once you have the switch in place you can tie it into the existing wiring. The above wiring diagram shows how the switch is wired. It's put in-line with the red wire coming out of the Power Input Box Assembly. Look at the back of the Power Input Box Assembly and locate the 3 wires coming out: black, white and red. These wires go from the box up to sound circuit board in the back box. NOTE: My machine had black, white and red wires. I don't know if all LAH machines used consistent wiring colors, so proceed at your own risk. Once you have cut the correct wire, you will now have two ends to work with. Take one of these ends and attach it to one of the wires you soldered to the switch. I used crimp connectors to tie the two wires together, you can also use wire nuts. Now take the second red wire end and attach it to the other wire you have coming from the switch, completing the wiring as shown in the diagram. Double check all your connections and then power up the machine. Play a game and test the switch These fobs are nice to have, but what can you really do with them? Use it as a keychain? I don't think so. So, here's an idea for a nice way to display your Ticket fob inside the machine where you can always enjoy it. Note that doing this mod may also compel you to perform MOD #4, which moves the crane light back to better illuminate both the crane and the newly installed Ticket Fob. The picture to the left shows the results of Mods #3 and 4 To bend the bracket, first unscrew the screw on the right side of the Ramp Exit switch bracket. Then slide the new flat metal bracket under the Ramp Exit switch bracket, facing one end of the bracket towards the eyeball targets on the machine (obviously don't bend the flat bracket downwards to directly point at the eyeball targets). Then screw the screw back in to hold the new bracket in place temporarily. Now use a marker and draw a line on top of the metal bracket, about 3/8" away from the switch, keeping the line you draw parallel with the back of the machine (see picture). This line is what you will use as your guide to bend the metal bracket upwards. After the line is drawn, remove the screw and slip out the metal bracket. Put it in a vise, lining up the line you drew with the top of the vise. Then use a hammer to bend along the line at a 90 degree angle. Make sure you bend the bracket the right direction, so the bend will be facing up when you reinstall the bracket. This mod requires very little effort, but it does require you to bend the existing bracket that holds the light into a different shape. I'm sure you could put it back into original shape if you wanted later, but it is possible the bracket could break if bent too many times. Once you have started to turn it around against the socket, you can then at the same time begin to spin the bracket where it meets the flat switch arm. So you are sort of spining the socket end as you are spining the bracket end. Refer to the BEFORE and AFTER diagram to clear this up. As you are finally spinning the light/bracket into its new position, you will notice that the wiring sticking out of the back of the socket will bump into the switch unless they are bent slightly downwards.
The replacement pop-ups are an improvement over the originals. You will notice from the photo that they are thicker, especially on the top. They also seem to sit more flush with the playfield surface when they are down, so when playing I don't have balls stopping against any other pop-ups that are still up since the ball doesn't find any dip in the surface to sit in. I was going to replace the stickers with original orange ones, but I always thought the orange C-R-A-N-E stickers seemed out of place. Instead, I found some red reflective stickers from Michaels (a local craft supply store), and used them instead. I also applied a square piece of Mylar over the face of both the new sticker and the pop-up target to make it easier to clean. You can get Mylar sheets from Lieberman Co.
If you have performed any other mods to your LAH machine, let me know and I'll post it on this page.
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Custom modifications for a
Data East LAST ACTION HERO
pinball machine.
By Darren Maveus 4-6-04
Here are some suggestions for a few custom mods for your LAH machine. I would suggest the first mod be considered crucial, as leaking batteries can cause some serious problems. The other mods are just for fun, and I consider them a way to improve some areas of the machine. If you want to keep your machine absolutely original, then these mods aren't for you.
DISCLAIMER: I accept no responsibility for consequential damage you may cause to your machine by following any of the suggested modifications. Only mods #1 and #2 actually require you to have experience soldering and working with circuit boards. The others are fairly simple. These are not hypothetical mods; I have done each of these to my machine with no problems whatsoever.
Here are the mods:
1. How to move the back-up batteries off the circuit board to prevent battery leakage from damaging the printed circuit board
MOD#1: Moving the back-up batteries.
FIRST: UNPLUG THE MACHINE!!
Using the diagram on the left, locate the back up battery holder mounted on the top of the large circuit board inside the backbox.
To properly do this mod, you will need to completely remove the large printed circuit board. Now this may seem a daunting task, but it is not very difficult. Just label each plug as you disconnect it from the board, then unscrew and remove the circuit board itself from the backbox.
Once you have the board removed, set it gently on a flat surface upside down so you can get at the back of it. The back-up battery holder is soldered in place from the back side and hot-glued from the front. Keep track of which solder spot is + and which is - for future reference, and then use a solder gun and solder remover to unsolder the battery holder from the board. Next, slowly and gently pull the battery holder off the front side of the board, being very careful not to flex the circuit board.
The new location for the battery holder will be on the hinged door inside the backbox
Now get about 6' of 18 gauge 2-conductor solid copper wire and solder one conductor to the + battery spot on the circuit board, and the other conductor to the - spot. Use a wire tie to hold this new wire in place against the board for strain relief.
Next, reinstall the circuit board and reattach all plugs.
Then route the new wire over to the hinged door location where the new battery holder will be mounted. Solder the 2 conductors to the battery holder at the + and - leads. Then screw the battery holder to the door itself.
Reinstall your batteries and double check all connections at the circuit board before you turn the machine back on.
MOD#2: Installing a speaker on/off switch.
FIRST: UNPLUG THE MACHINE!!
You will need 3' of 18 gauge 2-conductor wire, Radio Shack switch #275-693 and a hot glue gun.
The Radio Shack 275-693 SPST rocker switch costs less than $3.
A view of the back of the switch as seen from inside the machine. Note the hot glue around the switch.
The first step is to attach wiring to the switch. Use the three foot 18 gauge 2-conductor wire. Solder one conductor to one of the lugs on the switch, the second conductor to the other. Now drill the correct size hole in the front of the machine for the switch. The Radio Shack switch is designed to be installed in material thinner than the 3/4" wooden front of the machine, so you can't use the threaded nut to secure the switch from behind. No matter; you'll just use hot glue to hold the switch in place.
Feed the new wiring from the switch into the machine through the hole on the front and then put a dab of hot glue around the barrell of the switch just before you press it into place. I would also goop hot glue around the switch from the inside of the machine to really keep it in place.
Leaving the black and white wires alone, grab the red wire about 6-10" away from the Power Input Box Assembly and cut it. To test and make sure this is indeed the correct wire to have cut for your machine, plug the machine back in and power up. If you have NO SOUND, this is the correct wire and you can go to the next paragraph. If you have FULL VOLUME, then this is NOT the right wire and you should reconnect it and try one of the other two, repeating the test just described until you have found the correct one.
MOD#3: Mounting the Ticket fob inside the machine.
The Ticket fob is a small promotional piece of plastic in the shape of a theater ticket that was given out when LAH first came to market. This fob was also usually included with a new machine.
This mod is very easy and can also be easily undone. The ticket fob is hot glued to an angled piece of metal, which is held in place by the screw that holds the Ramp Exit switch bracket in place. Note in the picture how one edge of the Ramp Exit switch bracket sits on top of the ticket bracket. The bottom of the ticket sits on the plastic ramp itself.
The metal bracket was made using a part from Home Depot. It's the bracket that comes with any light fixture you buy and is normally used to mount the light fixture to the round electrical box it is attached to. 
Now reinstall the new bracket as you had before, keeping the bent end up and parallel with the back of the machine. Use some hot glue on the face of the bend and stick the Ticket fob in place. Keep the edge of the Ticket about 3/8" away from the Ramp Exit bracket where it spans the ramp, otherwise the Ramp Exit switch bar won't be able to flip up properly. 
Another shot of the completed mod.
MOD#4: Modifying the crane light
Ok, I admit I have never really liked the way the Crane light stuck out. Just seemed to look a bit odd to me. After completing Mod #3 on my machine, I realized that the Crane light didn't illuminate all of the ticket. So I decided to move it back a bit. I like the results, as the switch arm now hides the light.
To start with, you need to spin the Z-shaped bracket that holds the light socket onto the flat switch arm (see photo). Spin it first where the bracket meets the socket. This may be tricky, since the bracket edge fits tightly against an indent in the socket. I had to shave the edge of the indent off with a razor blade in order to allow the Z-shaped bracket to be spun around.
MOD#5: Replacing the CRANE pop-up targets and applying new C-R-A-N-E stickers
You may eventually have a CRANE pop-up target break. When I had this happen, I ordered new pop-up targets from Lieberman Co. in MN (Ph: 952-887-5246) using the original Data East part number (545-5048-01).
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