Torquing the band bolts

Jeremiah

I'll admit it. When I put the egg together I guessed at the torque setting. My 1/2 drive torque wrench only goes down to 50 ft lbs. So I bought a new torque wrench that will measure the required 10 ft lbs. Wow. I'm lucky the dome didn't fall completely off-- I wasn't even close. I must admit though it's pretty scary watching those bolts bend that much. ---just food for thought for those like me who 'guessed' the torque setting!!

HorseMover

Holy crap...I torqued mine but my bolts didn't bend like that just the tabs. Maybe my torque wrench is screwed up?

Jeremiah

It kind of bothered me too-- but the wrench is just back from being calibrated. I have to believe it-- I hope

CANMAN1976

Waiting for my TW to come.Your bolts are bent just like mine but surely that's more than 10 ft/lbs you have pictured right? Has anyone ever broke of a carridge bolt I wonder?

Jeremiah

No. According to my tw that's 10 ft lbs. I've never seen bolts bend that much and not break either--and I've turned a lot of bolts in my life!

Ragtop99

I saw the bend so that is what I did.  No TW so I use PFT for things like that. 

My band bolts don't close up that tight on either grill.

mgoblue0484

I made pizza last night, and my temp was only 550. My last pizza I heard an odd sound, so I looked down towards the hinge. I was lifting the lid up and down to replicate the sound, I notice that the bands had moved. I nearly **** my pants, then quickly shut the lid. Will have to adjust band when I get home. After reading, it turns out the metal does expand with heat. The bands must not have been tight enough to begin with,as the metal could not have expanded that much. I've been afraid to crank on the nut, but after seeing your pic Jeremiah, looks like a can go a little further.

SMITTYtheSMOKER

Band bolts....keep 'em tight boys.

CANMAN1976

Well my bands are almost touching together I am now wondering if over tightening which mine must be can causes problems just as much as under tightening because my bands do slip at hi temp and they are as tight as I can get them strange?

Loosemoose

I used a torque wrench and my tabs are bent but the bolts are not.
I have had my egg for three weeks and have re- torqued them three times. I hope I don't lose my lid.

Cookinbob

I don't have a torque wrench.  Used the bucket of water method in the manual and it seemed to work just fine.  I had to dis assemble my egg to put it in a table, and just did it by guess when I reassembled, and no problems again - nothing seems to be moving around.

radamo

Cookinbob said:

I don't have a torque wrench.  Used the bucket of water method in the manual and it seemed to work just fine.  I had to dis assemble my egg to put it in a table, and just did it by guess when I reassembled, and no problems again - nothing seems to be moving around.

@Cookinbob,

What is the "bucket of water method"?
Thanks...

Jeremiah

Just throwing this out there, but if anyone is local to Aiken, SC, I'd be glad to come over with my torque wrench and check your bolts.

Skiddymarker

@radmo - I think what @Cookingbob was referring to is the concept of getting a a wrench with an extension (cheater pipe) that makes it about 12" long, or one foot. Put a little more than a gallon of water in a pail and it weighs about 10 pounds (A gallon is about 8.5 pounds) Hang the pail on the wrench 12 inches from the nut until it doesn't tighten anymore, voila - 10 foot pounds of torque. 

I like the idea of using a 10 pound bag of spuds. 

ChokeOnSmoke

I don't own a torque wrench but saw a picture of someones right before I assembled mine.  Cranked 'em til they looked like a half moon and then double-bolted them.  They've never budged!

ringkingpin

so much room for improvment on this design by BGE.  This is the only thing I've ever seen where bending bolts is considered normal, lol