# Are My Pinball Machines Even Level?

**Source:** Cary Hardy  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2018-10-07  
**Duration:** 12m 31s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9PILPoBJmk

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## Analysis

Cary Hardy demonstrates the process of leveling pinball machines using both a ball-drop visual test and a smartphone leveling app (Pin Leveler for Android). He tests his entire collection and discovers that while the app is helpful, it should not be trusted as gospel—the ball-drop test is more reliable. He highlights that carpet surfaces create additional challenges since machines settle and shift over time, unlike hardwood or concrete floors.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Machines placed on carpet will shift and become unlevel within 12 hours due to cushion and carpet compression — _Cary describes personal experience with machines at pinball festivals settling overnight_
- [HIGH] The Pin Leveler app should be used as an assistant, not as gospel truth for leveling — _Cary's conclusion after testing all machines: 'the application via your phone is not gospel okay it is a mere assistant'_
- [MEDIUM] Arnold's playfield may have manufacturing defects causing discrepancies between app readings and actual ball behavior — _Cary notes 'I'm pretty sure this is on a manufacturing level when it comes to how the play field was mounted'_
- [HIGH] The ball-drop test from the center of the playfield is more reliable than app readings — _Cary's final conclusion: 'If anything else, I would only trust the ball drop test'_
- [MEDIUM] Ideal tilt angle is approximately 6-7 percent for proper playfield operation — _Cary states 'typically i think i like to run at least six percent or better uh totan was no problem at seven percent'_

### Notable Quotes

> "One of the many things that can annoy me is playing a pinball machine that is not level."
> — **Cary Hardy**, 0:00
> _Establishes the motivation for the video and relevance to both casual and serious players_

> "whenever you actually level your machine when you first place it on the carpet, in a matter of 12 hours that machine will take a dip on either leg depending on the cushion and the carpet below"
> — **Cary Hardy**, 0:30
> _Explains a critical challenge for home collectors with carpet installations_

> "the application via your phone is not gospel okay it is a mere assistant in the leveling process do not judge it solely"
> — **Cary Hardy**, 28:45
> _Key takeaway warning against over-relying on technology; emphasizes the importance of practical testing_

> "If anything else, I would only trust the ball drop test."
> — **Cary Hardy**, 29:00
> _Final recommendation prioritizing mechanical/visual verification over digital measurement_

> "For those of us on carpet, trust me, we envy you."
> — **Cary Hardy**, 29:30
> _Humorous acknowledgment that carpet creates ongoing maintenance challenges not faced by hardwood/concrete users_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Cary Hardy | person | Content creator who tests leveling methods on his personal pinball machine collection |
| Pin Leveler app | product | Android smartphone application used to measure playfield angle and levelness; Cary tests its accuracy |
| Tales of the Arabian Nights | game | Pinball machine from Cary's collection tested for levelness; found to be level |
| Arnold | game | Pinball machine from Cary's collection with manufacturing inconsistencies between app readings and ball behavior |
| Totan | game | Cary's most recently installed machine; used as reference for level playfield at 7% tilt |
| Swords of Fury | game | Pinball machine from Cary's collection requiring flipper adjustments during levelness testing |
| World Cup Soccer 94 | game | Pinball machine from Cary's collection tested and leveled during video |
| Back to the Future | game | Pinball machine from Cary's collection tested and leveled during video |
| JackBot | game | Pinball machine from Cary's collection where app and ball-drop test showed discrepancies |
| Stargate | game | Pinball machine from Cary's collection; final machine tested in video |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Machine maintenance and leveling techniques, Practical testing methods (ball-drop test vs digital tools), Environmental factors affecting machine setup (carpet vs hardwood)
- **Secondary:** Playfield manufacturing quality inconsistencies, Home collector equipment and tools, Pinball machine playability optimization

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.75) — Cary is pragmatic and helpful, providing practical guidance while maintaining good humor about challenges. Frustration appears briefly when dealing with a sticky flipper but is resolved quickly. Overall tone is educational and encouraging for viewers managing their own collections.

### Signals

- **[product_concern]** Manufacturing defects on Arnold playfield causing app/reality mismatch in levelness readings, suggesting possible quality control issues with how playfields are mounted in cabinet (confidence: medium) — Cary observes 'massive different readings between what the application reads as being level and what the machine actually is' and attributes it to 'manufacturing level when it comes to how the play field was mounted'
- **[technology_signal]** Smartphone leveling apps may provide misleading readings and should not be relied upon as primary leveling tools; practical ball-drop test is more trustworthy (confidence: high) — Cary's systematic testing reveals discrepancies on multiple machines and concludes 'do not judge it solely' and 'I would only trust the ball drop test'

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## Transcript

What's up guys? One of the many things that can annoy me is playing American Pinball machine that is not level. Now people have their own methods on making sure their game is level, or as level as they can make it, in the type of environment that they live in or even the type of material that they are aligning on. And one of the tricky parts about aligning on carpet is that you cannot align it in one state. Meaning once you actually level your machine when you first The Place it on the carpet, in a matter of 12 hours that machine will take a dip on either leg depending on the cushion and the carpet below. On hardwood or any other solid surface like that, you're not going to have to worry about that. I, on the other hand, have carpet. And this tends to happen whenever I go to pinball festivals, is that whenever the machines are set up, they are starting out as level when I first The Place them, but by the next day, they can be completely off and play completely different. There are a couple of ways that you can verify the integrity of your sway of the machine by either using the simple The Place the ball on top of the play field and let it fall directly Straight Down the Middle: American Pinball show the Middle: American Pinball show if it does your machine is level enough or you can download the app available on the android market store and there's also a different app that you can download on your ios device since i swear against ios devices i will be using the pin leveler app on my android device Now here's the thing guys, is that I actually don't know for sure 100% if my machines are level. I'm going to The Place American Pinball at the top of the playfield and let it fall. And I'm going to judge just by visual means if I believe the game is level. Then I will use the app to deter if it's level or not. For all I know, my machines are way off. The only machine that I'm Papa Duke much going to guarantee should be level is Totan over here. Since that was my most recent install and I can tell you right now when that ball was on that top magnet in front of the Genie and it releases, it can drop just Straight Straight Down the Middle: American Pinball show the Middle: American Pinball show: American Pinball show without issue. Okay, so when you're using this application, the first thing you want to do is calibrate the device. so you want to make sure that you don't have a weird case where it's completely just misshapen and you can't lay it flat directly on the floor or you know for 100% sure level surface that is your zero point guys this is what you're going to be judging the angle of your machine on is what you're calibrating to so you don't want to calibrate it on the plate field or on the glass because it's not level. Find a flat surface in your home and lay your phone down and hit that calibrate button Now your app is calibrated at zero and you should be able to adjust accordingly to that So are my games level I sure as hell hope so but we about to find out Perfect. Perfect. All right, so as suspected, my Tales of the Arabian Nights is, for lack of a Bob Betor word... Perfect. All right, let's try Arnold. All right, so Arnold was definitely not on par when it comes to just starting out. but then I got massive different readings between what the application reads as being level and what the machine actually is I'm Papa Duke sure this is on a manufacturing level when it comes to how the play field was mounted it might be a little off actually inside the cabinet from left to right or forward and backwards something like that because if I was to mount this strictly on what the application is telling me is level then my ball is going directly to my left slingshot so I disregarded the app when it comes to left and right and I just judged it by the ball coming out of that center scoop going directly in between all of the inserts down there Straight Down the Middle: American Pinball show the Middle: American Pinball show and so now that it's going directly then I'm going to judge that as my playfield being level so i can already tell you that the app is going to assist you but do not give a hundred percent into this application thinking it's going to solve all your problems if anything it will definitely help you with your uh Tilt Forums of your machine with the angle um typically i think i like to run at least six percent or Bob Betor uh totan was no problem at seven percent uh looks like six percent is going to be what it is for my arnold and let's see how swords of fury does guys What the fuck is this Oh hell to the no Hell no Gonna fix this Gonna fix this today. Why you no work? Why... the hell? Damn things like... Yeah, that's all kinds of... Whacked out. It's okay. I've got spares. There we go. Good. Okay. Okay, Swords of Fury. Perfect. On to World Cup Soccer 94. Perfect. All right, so World Cup started out leaning to the right, and with a little bit of adjustment on my back legs, the application and the ball test were right on par. Let's move on to the getaway. That's going to be a different video. So let's move on to Back to the Arcade Future. Okay, so the Back to the Arcade Future Machine application stated being perfect. On the ball drop test, it was leaning a little bit to the left, so I raised up the right side just a little bit, and now we're still good, and the application reads it as still being perfect. So there you go. Moving on the jackpot. Okay Okay so JackBot application was reading off but the ball drop test from that top drop target center of the play field it would just drop directly Straight Down the Middle: American Pinball show the Middle: American Pinball show to hit that center peg between the Flippers Arcade i'm not touching it last but not least move on to stargate shall we Thank you. and there we go stargate is now complete the application showed me that it was leaning to the right and the ball test showed that as well so i dropped down the left side application showed me perfect did a ball drop test and Papa Duke damn close to perfect Bob Betor than what it was maybe now i won't suck at that game so much i don't know so there it is my entire collection is now level what did we learn ladies and gentlemen we learned that the application via your phone is not gospel okay it is a mere assistant in the leveling process do not judge it solely and that's it. If anything else, I would only trust the ball drop test. For those of you adjusting your machines on glue (metaphorical term for someone who holds things together) or hardwood floors or anything other than carpet Papa Duke much, easy peasy. For those of us on carpet, trust me, we envy you. That's going to wrap it up for this video. If this video helped you out at all, gave you any information that you thought was useful, then be sure to please let me know down below. And please do not forget to hit that subscribe button and hit that bell. That way you can be notified of whenever I upload new material for your viewing pleasure. Until next time, peace out.

_(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: b474167b-c8b3-4784-a7e3-83ecdb1e2e96*