How to Repair Rod Hockey Games

Rod hockey games, also known as bubble hockey tables, are a great addition to any game room. Rod hockey tables have five plastic players and a plastic goalie on each side that are controlled by players with rod dials in an attempt to score on the opposing player's net. Many gears and other tiny pieces can be bent or cracked over time during play. Keeping a close eye on your rod hockey game's functioning can inform you of any repairs that your bubble hockey table needs.

Instructions

1

Remove the dome from the rod hockey game. Loosen bolts with an Allen wrench or a socket wrench with an appropriate-size bit. Reference the hockey table's user guide for more information. Place the dome and bolts carefully aside.

2

Remove players from their rods by grasping them firmly with your hands and pulling upward.

3

Remove any fixtures from the hockey tabletop that have been secured with screws. This may include deflectors or the scoreboard. Leave the goalie brackets in place. If you will be reusing the playing surface, check that the goalie brackets are secured. If they are loose, tighten the screw securing the bracket with your screwdriver. Add a drop of epoxy resin on top of the screw to seal.

4

Lift the playing surface away from the table. Be careful not to disturb any rods.

5

Loosen screws that are securing any faulty gearboxes. Faulty or worn gearboxes are the cause of improper player turning during a game, making it difficult to swivel a player with the player-controlled rod dial at the table end. Discard all faulty gearboxes.

6

Replace these with gearboxes that are compatible with your rod hockey game. Purchase compatible gearboxes through the manufacturer or a manufacturer-approved parts distributor. Secure the new gearboxes in place with the previously removed screws and a screwdriver. Leave the screws a little loose; tight screws can result in sticky rod movement.

7

Replace any rods that have become bent. Use a socket wrench to remove the center stop securing the rods to the table. Remove the handles from the rod dial at the table ends. Slide the bent rod away from the guide rail and replace with the new rod. Contact your table's manufacturer to locate compatible rods. When finished, replace the center stop and the rod dial handles.

8

Assemble the rest of the rod hockey table. If the previous playing surface was cracked, replace with a new playing surface board. Contact the manufacturer to locate a compatible replacement. Make sure to secure any necessary fixtures from the old surface, such as the scoreboard, to the new surface. Secure goalie brackets with a drop of epoxy resin.

9

Secure the dome over the top of the rod hockey game. If the previous dome was blemished or cracked, you can replace the dome with a compatible dome part. Secure the new dome with bolts and either a socket wrench or Allen wrench.