Well, my BGE adventure is off to a terrible start

Staygold

My wife got home around 8:45pm last night with my demo egg purchased from Eggfest in Hiawassee. I decide I'm gonna start off with something simple today for dinner, some burgers, dogs, and brats. I roll my large BGE about 10ft out of my garage to my cooking spot. I open the lid to get my adventure started and...then it happened. The dome slides right out of the ring and lands on the driveway, shattering. It was literally the second time I had lifted the lid. First was when we got it unloaded to make sure everything I was supposed to get was there and still in tack. I've read where your supposed to tighten the bolts periodically, but before you lift the lid the second time? Disappointed is an understatement. I didn't even curse, just stood there in disbelief that after all the anticipation, the care of getting it home safe, this happens. I'm not sure where to go from here. Any idea on how or what it's gonna take to get it replaced? Am I ever gonna get to the point where I can open the lid in confidence again?

jabam

The rattling around during shipment is why the bands loosened. New units should have bands checked early. Don't know if the mothership will help, but email or call it's worth a try. Fell bad for you brother. 

theyolksonyou

I would contact Bruce at the mothership. Normally not a warranty claim, but being a demo you could plead your case. 

pgprescott

I would hope the dealer would help you out with this. 

chuckytheegghead

Ouch. I would be reaching out to your dealer. Let us know what happens. 

Focker

Give Hiawassee Hardware a call.  Good folks, they should take care of you.  One must have slipped by during assembly, which is quite the operation there.  If all else fails, the "Don"(John Hall) will take care of you.

You will gain confidence if installed correctly.

SoCalTim

My neighbor bought a brand new 2016 F-150 off the lot last week. Not 5 feet away from the dealership ... he went and sideswiped a parked car.

Reason I'm sharing is because when he told me what happened, he said almost exactly what you said, about 'not cursing' or even 'getting mad' .. just standing there in disbelief.

Sorry brother.

Staygold

I never would have imagined my experience would have started this way. I'm gonna start making some calls in the morning to see what it's gonna take to get it cooking. I appreciate the advice everyone!

Spaightlabs

That's terrible man, onward and upward!

dougcrann

Where do you live?  May want to start with bruce@biggreenegg.com 

NPHuskerFL

That blows. Agree w/ others and contact Hiawassee 1st and (Mothership 2nd if need be). Yes, bands should be checked periodically but, this would be no different than dealer assembling and you taking home to use for the first time. This shouldn't occur. I'm pretty certain they'll take care of you. Please update this thread with your results regardless. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

You are good. They should take care of you. search the "devastated" thread on here (and read it to the end) If they took care of her, they will,take care of you. It's not your fault your demo egg wasn't assembled properly. If you get to the end of that thread and still want to hang out on here, call me. We are destined to be friends. 

Ozzie_Isaac

I'm with Blake on this one.  Don't lose sleep.  The dealer should take care of you.  It will be a funny story in the future.

Staygold

dougcrann said:

Where do you live?  May want to start with bruce@biggreenegg.com 

I live in Dahlonega GA

yljkt

That's not that bad. Imagine buying a 52k diesel dually and have it blow apart in an 18 mile ride home. Ford stepped up and I had a new truck the next morning. But yeah, that's an attention getter.....lol...

The Cen-Tex Smoker

There is a zero % chance you are going to get stuck with this. It will be handled. If the dealer won't (and they will) BGE will step in. 

JohnnyTarheel

What a story.....  Wow!!!   They will take care of you....

milesvdustin

Just cook open pit style without the dome! 

Biggreenpharmacist

I wouldnt do a damn thing but roll it back inside and not touch it. Let them take care of it. 

caliking

If you haven't touched the bands it should be easy to see that the nuts on the bands weren't torqued properly. Since it was dealer assembled, you should be good for a replacement. 

Botch

I had almost the same experience.  Bought a new "dealer-assembled" Large from a "grand-opening" hardware store, loaded into the truck, and when I got home my neighbor helped me hoist it out.
Somehow we both lifted on the lid/hinge, and the bottom dropped off; it caught on the tailgate and we were able to grab it before it dropped to the driveway.  I soiled myself.  We rebanded it together and I double-checked every joint on the Egg and the Nest (two other bolts were missing altogether!).
 
Hopefully you'll be able to get your lid fixed, keep us up to date!  

Jupiter Jim

No worries they will take care of it for sure, the band bolts just were not tightened properly when the dealer assembled it and they will get you a new dome for sure. I recently won an egg and when I got it home I checked ever nut and bolt and all of them were loose!!!!! In the future ya need to check your band bolts every 3-6 months, metal expands when heated. Yesterday a large egg was knocked over at the end of the fest and busted. This kind of stuff happens in the BGE world.

SmokinTiger81

I would contact Hiawassee Hardware, they are your dealer since it was purchased at the GaMtnFest.  It sounds like the bands were not tightened correctly during assembly--and they assemble a bunch for this event--with 120 cooks would be about 60 or so eggs.  At least one of the 2 larges I cooked on looked tight--I only looked because one of my daughter's friend bought an egg and I was cooking on theirs, and they went to the egg 101 class where they mentioned making sure they were tight--I did not look at both I was cooking on.  This is the first time I have seen a story like that after this eggfest  (or any eggfest for that matter).  Maybe post a picture here of the bands and bolts.  (Yours was actually cooked on--correct?  I think they all were used at the fest).   PS--When you "roll" your egg to the cookspot, make sure you pull it from the hinge end, not with the handle--if you pull by the handle and it tips, the lid just opens in your hand and it all goes down--you can control and prevent that by pulling from hinge/backside.

Biggreenpharmacist

Im sure they will fix you up. But I do feel horribly for you. They way you have been excited and waiting on this egg. I cant imagine the disappointment. You handled it well. I'm sure I would have beat the nearest child, kicked both dogs, cussed out the neighbors, and drank a half a thirty pack a beer before spinning donuts in the other neighbors yard. 

Wardster

SmokinTiger81 said:

PS--When you "roll" your egg to the cookspot, make sure you pull it from the hinge end, not with the handle--if you pull by the handle and it tips, the lid just opens in your hand and it all goes down--you can control and prevent that by pulling from hinge/backside.

I would suggest you pull it by the nest when needed.  They are top heavy and this will help you control her if the wheels hit a pebble or something...

SmokinTiger81

@wardster, sounds like even better advice

SmokinTiger81

You just don't want to end up with this. Which was after eggtoberfest one year

SmokinTiger81

Best idea.  Build a table with wheels and you will be safe

The Cen-Tex Smoker

SmokinTiger81 said:

You just don't want to end up with this. Which was after eggtoberfest one year

Mikee

The dealer that assembled it should take care of it. They really have 2 choices. Replace it and look like a standup business; or have you return it and then they still have to replace the dome to resell it. The assembled it; not you.

blasting

Well, that sucks.  Welcome to the forum though.

I'd just assume the dealer will take care of you.  You shouldn't be expected to check the bolts after one lift.  It'll be fine.