Protector installation guide

Follow along as we install Cliffy's set of protectors on a Stern Metallica Premium pinball. This guide also applies to the Pro model except for the Coffin magnet. Click the pics to enlarge!

Lets start with the shooter eject protectors. Begin by removing the glass, pulling the playfield up and resting the playfield supports on the lockbar receiver. Remove the scorecard apron. Two philips head screws on the end you see here...	...and two studs that poke through the playfield here. Use an 11/32" socket to remove the nuts.	Unplug the lamp harness if you have one for the apron here. Set apron out of your way.	Now use a 1/4" nut driver to remove all the wood screws holding the ball trough deflector. Loosen the rear nut and screw only enough to lift and swing the deflector up and over and rest on outhole ball guide.	If you haven't already removed the balls now is a good time. Let's lower the bottom half of the trough from underneath. Rest trough assembly on playfield support.	Prepare the eject area and protector by wiping down with included alcohol swab. Let dry. You may as well use the swab to clean around the magnets now before the swab dries out. Peel 3M adhesive backing on bottom of protector and protective film from the top	Carefully snap the protector over the wire ball guide as shown. Rest protector lightly on playfield. Use a ball to help align the protector edge with the shooter groove edge.
Once happy with alignment rub the protector down hard with a soft cloth. Admire your work!	On to the right side eject which goes under the black rail. To do this we need to loosen the rail from beneath. One screw is hidden under the auto-launcher so that needs to be loosened enough to reach that rail screw.	Loosen the wood screws down about 3/4" as shown. The rail should be loose enough to lift and create a gap for the protector to slip into.	Peel film from the protector and slip under the rail. Make sure the slotted screw hole faces towards the front of the cabinet. Align with the other protector and the groove edge as before. Tighten rail screws and done!	INSTALL TIP! The trick to reinstalling the rail correctly on ANY game is to NOT remove the wood screws completely. Use one hand (or a Handi-Clamp) to squeeze the wood rail down to the playfield as you tighten the screws. This guarantees the screw threads will go right back where they were and give maximum clamping force on the protector.	Now for the Rail Guard™. You'll need a very small drill bit - I use a #40 - and a pin vise or drill motor with a chuck small enough to hold the bit. In my case I had to use my pin vise in my drill motor.	Place the Rail Guard on the black rail and up against the bubble level. Hold in place with one hand while you drill with the other. You only need to drill in about a half inch so set the bit depth to that or use a drill stop bushing.
You should have two nice clean holes for the included screws. Peel film from Rail Guard, align with your newly drilled holes and drive the screws in by hand. The rail is fairly soft so don't use a drill driver.	Go ahead and let your inner OCD out by indexing the screw heads. Go on. It feels good :) Reinstall auto-launch and trough. Three protectors done! You look mahvelous!	Mystery scoop up next! Time to really pay attention to what goes where as we need to take off a few plastics, ramps and posts. Fortunately I took pictures just for you.	More... Whew! All that to get to.....	... this guy. This guy right here. Not the Jimmy Dean sausage link finger. The post it's pointing too! And a doggone nut that holds it underneath, here; Use a 3/8" nut driver to remove nut and washer.	Remove black rubber ring from mini-post and count yourself blessed if you happen to have an ultradeep 1/4" socket. Use this socket or a 1/4" wrench to unscrew the mini-post. Yes, it's a machine thread but Stern milled the playfield hole with zero clearance so this post is truly screwed in.	Prepare the protector. Remove protective film. Take care not to snap the tabs off. Place protector into the scoop at a slight angle so the right side clip goes in first.
Gently twist and push downwards and out to the right side. Then pull towards the front while pushing down and engage the front tab. Look underneath to be sure tabs are clipped properly.	The post hole should line right up and the protector should sit flat all around. Re-install mini-post and don't forget the nut underneath and the rubber ring on top Damn that looks good	Almost done! Let's do the magnets. We need to get the Gavel (LE/Premium) out of the way. If you have a Pro model still follow along please as this applies to the two smaller magnets as well. Don't bother trying to remove the molded hammer head itself. The little screw at the front is Loctited in and it snaps off easily. Dammit. I didn't know but now you do.	CAREFULLY remove the inner E-clip from the pivot shaft. Think magnetic screwdriver :) If you lose this clip don't come crying to me :)	Use needlenose pliers to hold spacers while you pull out the pivot shaft. One spacer on each side. Put the spacers and E-clip in a little baggie so you don't lose them. Please.	INSTALL TIP! A great idea from the OLD EM (electro-mechanical) pinball guys is to use a white towel to line the bottom of the cabinet. If E-clips and screws fall through the playfield they will be MUCH easier to find. Unless you're one of those OLD EM guys as they are nearly blind by now... like me :)	Prepare the protector. My magnet protector rings have no clear film but you should test fit BEFORE peeling the adhesive backing. This gives you and idea of where it should rest once applied. Ok, peel the backing and place over the magnet pole.
Hopefully you were able to position it nicely. Now rub it down hard with a soft cloth. Reassemble the Gavel taking extreme care not to zing the E-clip off into space. Now admire your work once again.	Install the two smaller protector rings the same as you did for the Coffin magnet. I didn't show disassembly pics here because you should have this part down to a science by now. Graveyard mag Sparky mag	Finally, if you opted to purchase switch slot protectors, it's time to prepare for those. Remove the wireform ramps enough to get them out of your way. Peel protective film from protectors and squeeze open end together. Place into switch slot as shown.	On Metallica I prefer the open end down. Reinstall everything you removed and you are DONE! Step back for one last look and then fire that F&#%ER UP! (oh yeah don't forget to put the balls back in :)	BEAUTY SHOTS!	Now that you know how to install them click HERE to go back and buy 'em!