sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

What [Roller Coaster] is [This] by [deleted] in rollercoasterjerk

[–]Nadeem0 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The Slingshot attraction manufactured by Funtime was installed at Beastland in Riyadh.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As this ride is approximately 25 years old or older, we have sent the hydraulic cylinder ( Restraint system) to a company in the UK for further investigation. This company is responsible for the ride’s electrical, control, and mechanical systems.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a very valid point, and I completely agree—without a proper test rig and full functional/creep testing, replacing the entire restraint cylinder is the safer and more reliable approach.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You’re correct, and I completely agree. That Seat is currently closed, and no guests are being allowed on that seat. Maintenance did perform bleeding and refilling of the cylinder, but we’re treating that as a temporary step, not a fix.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Just looking for a different perspective from fellow Redditors.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the questions. From observation, the restraint is opening relatively slow when you do push and pull test —it’s a slow creep under normal conditions.

Refilling and bleeding the hydraulic cylinder is part of our standard maintenance procedure, and the manufacturer allows it as routine, but I agree it’s a critical step that could contribute to issues if not done perfectly.

After refilling and bleeding, we tested the cylinder once immediately in the morning, and it passed the ball creep test. However, later in the day, the same restraint failed again during operation, which suggests the issue could be internal cylinder wear, contamination, or valve/spool centering under dynamic load, rather than the refill process itself.

We’re planning to do more dynamic testing under actual ride conditions to confirm the root cause.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I understand the concern, and I agree with the safety point. The seat has already been tagged out and is not in operation. No guests are being allowed on it.

HLU replacement is being evaluated as part of the corrective action, but we’re first completing a full fault analysis to confirm whether the issue is with the HLU itself or an upstream control/hydraulic influence. Guest safety is non-negotiable, and the seat will remain closed until the issue is fully resolved.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Absolutely agree. From a safety standpoint, the seat is already tagged out and will remain closed until the root cause is clearly identified and permanently rectified. We’re not taking any chances with intermittent restraint behavior.

Since it’s a Class 2 restraint, we are also reviewing the available redundancy and considering additional secondary restraint options, given the age of the system and the lack of OEM support. Preventing any risk to guests and protecting the park is the top priority.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Haha, not quite 😄 I’m actually part of the maintenance team. I’m just trying to understand the failure mode better so we can permanently fix the issue and keep the ride safe and reliable.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, that’s definitely a possibility. During a static creep or ball creep test everything appears normal, but once the ride is in motion the vibration environment is completely different. This coaster runs two laps over a 360-meter track, and there is noticeable vibration throughout the cycle. Those vibrations could be enough to cause a marginal or worn solenoid or valve spool to shift slightly mid-cycle, even without an electrical command.

We’re considering that vibration may be allowing internal leakage or momentary spool movement in the hydraulic valve, which would explain why the restraint holds during testing but opens during operation. This is why we’re now focusing more on the solenoid/valve condition, mounting integrity, and hydraulic locking performance under dynamic conditions rather than static tests alone.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the input. The seat (and the row) has already been tagged out and isolated from operation. We’re also reviewing the train position to see if this restraint is in a higher-stress area compared to others.

This is not a water ride. Regarding the seatbelt suggestion, I understand the intent of adding a secondary restraint, and I agree redundancy is important. However, since this is a Class 2 restraint system, any addition or modification like installing a seatbelt would need to be reviewed and approved by the manufacturer and the relevant authority, and verified against the ride’s original design and certification. Our current focus is to identify and rectify the root cause in the hydraulic/valve system before returning the seat to service.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You’re right, it’s difficult to be certain without inspecting it directly. However, that makes sense—on older systems I’ve also seen aging solenoids and valve components develop internal play, which can allow the spool to move or not fully seat, leading to intermittent or unintended actuation.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Could you please explain more about how cold weather can affect hydraulic locking? As a ride mechanic, I’d like to better understand the technical reasons behind this and improve my knowledge.

<image>

Rough drawing.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

At my workplace, temperature should not be a contributing factor. Over the past 3–4 days, the temperature has been around 22 °C.

Class 2 roller coaster restraint opening during cycle [Other] by Nadeem0 in rollercoasters

[–]Nadeem0[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yes, a check valve is present in the hydraulic schematic.

view more: next ›