diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/bfm_sc1.c b/src/mame/drivers/bfm_sc1.c
index b2728b1c590..0e08a9c7e8e 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/bfm_sc1.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/bfm_sc1.c
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ public:
 	int m_acia_status;
 	int m_locked;
 	int m_is_timer_enabled;
-	int m_reel_changed;
 	int m_coin_inhibits;
 	int m_mux1_outputlatch;
 	int m_mux1_datalo;
@@ -252,8 +251,8 @@ WRITE8_MEMBER(bfm_sc1_state::reel12_w)
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		if ( stepper_update(0, (data>>4)&0x0f) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x01;
-		if ( stepper_update(1, data&0x0f   ) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x02;
+		stepper_update(0, (data>>4)&0x0f);
+		stepper_update(1, data&0x0f   );
 
 		if ( stepper_optic_state(0) ) m_optic_pattern |=  0x01;
 		else                          m_optic_pattern &= ~0x01;
@@ -274,8 +273,8 @@ WRITE8_MEMBER(bfm_sc1_state::reel34_w)
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		if ( stepper_update(2, (data>>4)&0x0f) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x04;
-		if ( stepper_update(3, data&0x0f   ) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x08;
+		stepper_update(2, (data>>4)&0x0f);
+		stepper_update(3, data&0x0f   );
 
 		if ( stepper_optic_state(2) ) m_optic_pattern |=  0x04;
 		else                          m_optic_pattern &= ~0x04;
@@ -290,8 +289,8 @@ WRITE8_MEMBER(bfm_sc1_state::reel34_w)
 
 WRITE8_MEMBER(bfm_sc1_state::reel56_w)
 {
-	if ( stepper_update(4, (data>>4)&0x0f) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x10;
-	if ( stepper_update(5, data&0x0f   ) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x20;
+	stepper_update(4, (data>>4)&0x0f);
+	stepper_update(5, data&0x0f   );
 
 	if ( stepper_optic_state(4) ) m_optic_pattern |=  0x10;
 	else                          m_optic_pattern &= ~0x10;
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/bfm_sc2.c b/src/mame/drivers/bfm_sc2.c
index d98def773ac..432612180ed 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/bfm_sc2.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/bfm_sc2.c
@@ -204,7 +204,6 @@ public:
 	int m_data_to_uart1;
 	int m_data_to_uart2;
 	int m_is_timer_enabled;
-	int m_reel_changed;
 	int m_coin_inhibits;
 	int m_irq_timer_stat;
 	int m_expansion_latch;
@@ -547,8 +546,8 @@ WRITE8_MEMBER(bfm_sc2_state::reel12_w)
 {
 	m_reel12_latch = data;
 
-	if ( stepper_update(0, data&0x0f   ) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x01;
-	if ( stepper_update(1, (data>>4))&0x0f ) m_reel_changed |= 0x02;
+	stepper_update(0, data&0x0f   );
+	stepper_update(1, (data>>4)&0x0f );
 
 	if ( stepper_optic_state(0) ) m_optic_pattern |=  0x01;
 	else                          m_optic_pattern &= ~0x01;
@@ -563,8 +562,8 @@ WRITE8_MEMBER(bfm_sc2_state::reel34_w)
 {
 	m_reel34_latch = data;
 
-	if ( stepper_update(2, data&0x0f ) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x04;
-	if ( stepper_update(3, (data>>4)&0x0f) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x08;
+	stepper_update(2, data&0x0f );
+	stepper_update(3, (data>>4)&0x0f);
 
 	if ( stepper_optic_state(2) ) m_optic_pattern |=  0x04;
 	else                          m_optic_pattern &= ~0x04;
@@ -581,8 +580,8 @@ WRITE8_MEMBER(bfm_sc2_state::reel56_w)
 {
 	m_reel56_latch = data;
 
-	if ( stepper_update(4, data&0x0f   ) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x10;
-	if ( stepper_update(5, (data>>4)&0x0f) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x20;
+	stepper_update(4, data&0x0f   );
+	stepper_update(5, (data>>4)&0x0f);
 
 	if ( stepper_optic_state(4) ) m_optic_pattern |=  0x10;
 	else                          m_optic_pattern &= ~0x10;
@@ -1399,7 +1398,6 @@ void bfm_sc2_state::save_state()
 	save_item(NAME(m_data_to_uart1));
 	save_item(NAME(m_data_to_uart2));
 	save_item(NAME(m_is_timer_enabled));
-	save_item(NAME(m_reel_changed));
 	save_item(NAME(m_coin_inhibits));
 	save_item(NAME(m_irq_timer_stat));
 	save_item(NAME(m_expansion_latch));
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/bfm_sc4h.c b/src/mame/drivers/bfm_sc4h.c
index dca31706d5a..212d003f904 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/bfm_sc4h.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/bfm_sc4h.c
@@ -517,8 +517,8 @@ void sc4_state::bfm_sc4_68307_porta_w(address_space &space, bool dedicated, UINT
 {
 	m_reel12_latch = data;
 
-	if ( stepper_update(0, data&0x0f   ) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x01;
-	if ( stepper_update(1, (data>>4))&0x0f ) m_reel_changed |= 0x02;
+	stepper_update(0, data&0x0f   );
+	stepper_update(1, (data>>4)&0x0f );
 
 	if ( stepper_optic_state(0) ) m_optic_pattern |=  0x01;
 	else                          m_optic_pattern &= ~0x01;
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ WRITE8_MEMBER( sc4_state::bfm_sc4_reel3_w )
 {
 	m_reel3_latch = data;
 
-	if ( stepper_update(2, data&0x0f ) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x04;
+	stepper_update(2, data&0x0f );
 
 	if ( stepper_optic_state(2) ) m_optic_pattern |=  0x04;
 	else                          m_optic_pattern &= ~0x04;
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ WRITE8_MEMBER( sc4_state::bfm_sc4_reel4_w )
 {
 	m_reel4_latch = data;
 
-	if ( stepper_update(3, data&0x0f ) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x08;
+	stepper_update(3, data&0x0f );
 
 	if ( stepper_optic_state(3) ) m_optic_pattern |=  0x08;
 	else                          m_optic_pattern &= ~0x08;
@@ -663,8 +663,8 @@ WRITE8_MEMBER(sc4_state::bfm_sc4_duart_output_w)
 //  logerror("bfm_sc4_duart_output_w\n");
 	m_reel56_latch = data;
 
-	if ( stepper_update(4, data&0x0f   ) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x10;
-	if ( stepper_update(5, (data>>4)&0x0f) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x20;
+	stepper_update(4, data&0x0f   );
+	stepper_update(5, (data>>4)&0x0f);
 
 	if ( stepper_optic_state(4) ) m_optic_pattern |=  0x10;
 	else                          m_optic_pattern &= ~0x10;
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/bfmsys85.c b/src/mame/drivers/bfmsys85.c
index c689dc614d4..a997c8bb768 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/bfmsys85.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/bfmsys85.c
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ public:
 	int m_optic_pattern;
 	int m_locked;
 	int m_is_timer_enabled;
-	int m_reel_changed;
 	int m_coin_inhibits;
 	int m_mux_output_strobe;
 	int m_mux_input_strobe;
@@ -205,8 +204,8 @@ READ8_MEMBER(bfmsys85_state::irqlatch_r)
 
 WRITE8_MEMBER(bfmsys85_state::reel12_w)
 {
-	if ( stepper_update(0, (data>>4)&0x0f) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x01;
-	if ( stepper_update(1, data&0x0f   ) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x02;
+	stepper_update(0, (data>>4)&0x0f);
+	stepper_update(1, data&0x0f   );
 
 	if ( stepper_optic_state(0) ) m_optic_pattern |=  0x01;
 	else                          m_optic_pattern &= ~0x01;
@@ -220,8 +219,8 @@ WRITE8_MEMBER(bfmsys85_state::reel12_w)
 
 WRITE8_MEMBER(bfmsys85_state::reel34_w)
 {
-	if ( stepper_update(2, (data>>4)&0x0f) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x04;
-	if ( stepper_update(3, data&0x0f   ) ) m_reel_changed |= 0x08;
+	stepper_update(2, (data>>4)&0x0f);
+	stepper_update(3, data&0x0f   );
 
 	if ( stepper_optic_state(2) ) m_optic_pattern |=  0x04;
 	else                          m_optic_pattern &= ~0x04;
diff --git a/src/mame/includes/bfm_sc45.h b/src/mame/includes/bfm_sc45.h
index c1b4020db6d..3b8eaabca1c 100644
--- a/src/mame/includes/bfm_sc45.h
+++ b/src/mame/includes/bfm_sc45.h
@@ -125,7 +125,6 @@ public:
 
 
 	const stepper_interface **m_reel_setup;
-	int m_reel_changed;
 	int m_reels;
 	int m_reel12_latch;
 	int m_reel3_latch;