Chronarch MGL...

[tdm]

One of the screw holes in the handle side plate is now stripped for some reason
(located at the bottom closest to the reel foot), I was just doing a regular
maintenace and always been very careful with my reels when it comes down to
tightening those screws specially when a screw is going into a plastic. Also, the reel
does not feel or sound right anymore without the fourth screw. I love the reel but
a new side plate assembly would cost quite a bit and i couldn't really find a proper fix
for it so i gave up on it for now.

This get me a little worried about the new Metanium DC. I've heard from a Shimano pro staff
that it's equipped with Ci4+ side plates to keep the weight down which is fine.

Anyway, I never had these issues before specially with my other reels and is the screw stripping
off a Ci4+ materials rare compared to regular plastic or what?

Thanks guys.

[Cal]

This get me a little worried about the new Metanium DC. I've heard from a Shimano pro staff
that it's equipped with Ci4+ side plates to keep the weight down which is fine.

Composition of the sideplate is immaterial. The threaded portion is in the frame, not the sideplate.

[dennis_rf]

On all the websites pictures of the 24 Metanium DC, the threads are in the sideplate and the screw heads are on the inside frame. So the fear is legit, on my 16 Aldebaran bfs I’ve also ripped the threads one day. Maybe just one too many

HOWEVER I think the said pro-staff got it all wrong and are misinformed:

- ci4+ is not listed on the website as a feature which it usually was, when there’s a ci4 sideplate involved
(Not the strongest point, I know)

- if the drive side plate is ci4, there’s usually one screw going from the outside into the frame with a proper threading

- I’ve used all translators available (deepl turned out to be the best one) to figure out everything kuro explains in his video on the 24 DC and there’s nothing that hints in that direction. And he goes deeeeeeep. I’d be surprised if he left out such an important detail.

So let’s not panic, yet.

[tdm]

I appreciate all the response so far but as an owner of 2 Metanium, 4 Bantam and a few more, I know for sure that the screws go through the frame and into the side handle plate so the new Metanium DC based on that platform should not be any different and yes, all pictures show that to be the case.

Shimano US website shows it includes Ci4+ and Shimano Japan mentions no Ci4+. Just have to wait for some reviews, I guess.

[dennis_rf]

Ci4 is also not listed on the German website. However as the drag star is ci4, it would be a correct statement for all current Metanium models?

[tdm]

If the palm side plate and the star drag are Ci4 and the handle side plate stays magnesium, then I'm all in!

[Bantam1]

The Metanium has an Mg side plate. It is not CI4. The Aldebaran uses carbon side plates, maybe that is where the confusion happened.

Stripped threads in the composite side plates isn't very common. It usually only happens if you overtighten the screw, or cross thread it slightly. Remember they are essentially self tapping screws. The best way to ensure they line up perfect every time is use a little pressure forward on the screw but turn it reverse. You should feel the threads drop into place then proceed to torque the screw. This ensures you have the threads lined up and will not cut new threads with the screw. If the screw feels a little tight threading back in you have either cross threaded, or do not have it lined up with the self tapped threads.

You can either replace the sideplate, or drop a little baking soda into the damaged hole and drop super glue in. You will have to drill a small pilot hole and then run the screw in and it will cut new threads. There are several videos out there on plastic repair.

[Cal]

I appreciate all the response so far but as an owner of 2 Metanium, 4 Bantam and a few more, I know for sure that the screws go through the frame and into the side handle plate so the new Metanium DC based on that platform should not be any different and yes, all pictures show that to be the case.

Shimano US website shows it includes Ci4+ and Shimano Japan mentions no Ci4+. Just have to wait for some reviews, I guess.

Apologies... i forgot about the screws that access/fasten from the inside out... too many friggin' reels

[tdm]

I appreciate all the response so far but as an owner of 2 Metanium, 4 Bantam and a few more, I know for sure that the screws go through the frame and into the side handle plate so the new Metanium DC based on that platform should not be any different and yes, all pictures show that to be the case.

Shimano US website shows it includes Ci4+ and Shimano Japan mentions no Ci4+. Just have to wait for some reviews, I guess.

Apologies... i forgot about the screws that access/fasten from the inside out... too many friggin' reels

All good brother! I just now realized you've handled more reels than most of us in here. It's hard to remember everything.

[Cal]

It's hard to remember everything.

Seriously

[tdm]

The Metanium has an Mg side plate. It is not CI4. The Aldebaran uses carbon side plates, maybe that is where the confusion happened.

Stripped threads in the composite side plates isn't very common. It usually only happens if you overtighten the screw, or cross thread it slightly. Remember they are essentially self tapping screws. The best way to ensure they line up perfect every time is use a little pressure forward on the screw but turn it reverse. You should feel the threads drop into place then proceed to torque the screw. This ensures you have the threads lined up and will not cut new threads with the screw. If the screw feels a little tight threading back in you have either cross threaded, or do not have it lined up with the self tapped threads.

You can either replace the sideplate, or drop a little baking soda into the damaged hole and drop super glue in. You will have to drill a small pilot hole and then run the screw in and it will cut new threads. There are several videos out there on plastic repair.

Good to know. Thank you.