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Top dome doesn't quite line up perfectly with bottom dome. Should I be concerned?

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aggiejason
aggiejason Posts: 2
edited February 2016 in EggHead Forum
New Egghead here.  Got a smoking deal on a new medium egg.  $525 for egg and nest.  Already had a Traeger but couldn't pass up that deal and wanted an Egg anyways. :)  So I put it together and the top doesn't quite line up perfectly with the bottom.  I cooked on it and it seems to still seal up fine and got really really nice and hot.  Should I worry about the alignment or is my o.c.d. kicking in?? thanks!! 
Amarillo,TX

Comments

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
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    No. Have 4and none of them line up. Only two have any felt. 
    From what you said all is fine. Don't become ocd
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
    edited February 2016
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    I would wait for the warm weather and search this forum and YouTube and follow the instructions. I had the issue as well and spent about 1/2 hour getting it in line.  Overlap on one side is under lap on the other and will expose the gasket to direct heat.  Worth the time to fix it in my opinion.  
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
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    I'm sorry. Welcome to the forum and where are you. Please add to Sig line your town. 
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • johnnyp
    johnnyp Posts: 3,932
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    Yes, your egg is defective.  Please ship to me and I will relieve you of the burden
    XL & MM BGE, 36" Blackstone - Newport News, VA
  • bhedges1987
    bhedges1987 Posts: 3,201
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    I can never get mine to line up perfectly. 

    Kansas City, Missouri
    Large Egg
    Mini Egg

    "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us" - Gandalf


  • bgeaddikt
    Options
    I have this issue as well. Where the hinge mechanism and springs are located on the back of the egg is short about 1/3 of an inch. The front has an underbite(the dome needs to come forward about 1/3") and after loosing the bands and hinges i got nowhere. Going to try with a 2nd person soon. Local dealer said to measure both dome and base to compare, sometimes they come out warped or not lining up and they would replace free if covered by guarantee.
    Austin, Tx
  • FlashkaBob
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    Here is an instructional video and welcome to the nuthouse-
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Jplxn4yAg

    1 large BGE, 2 small BGE, 3 Plate setters, 1 large cast iron grid, 1 pizza stone, 1 Stoker II Wifi, 1 BBQ Guru Digi-Q II, 1 Amaze N pellet smoker and 1 empty wallet.      Seaforth, On. Ca.

  • bgeaddikt
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    Based on the video above, adding spacers fixes it? That was 1 of my initial thoughts. Anybody else done this with success?
    Austin, Tx
  • dougcrann
    dougcrann Posts: 1,129
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    They are supposed to line up? Now you tell me....
    First warranty base I got was about 3/8" larger than my original. I struggle getting them to not leak excessively. 
  • bgeaddikt
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    Theres a bigger gap after this last cook  :|
    Austin, Tx
  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,231
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    Welcome to the Club
    New Albany, Ohio 

  • Golfguy77
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    If you don't have smoke leaking out when you cook than I wouldn't worry about it.  Enjoy the new toy!
  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
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    @bgeaddikt ... the picture might be distorting it, but it looks like your bands are not parallel to the felt line.  Looks like the bottom band is close to correct at the hinge, but then dives down as it goes around the egg.  The bands need to be parallel to the felt line (obviously each other also) and almost touching the felt to have a chance at aligning the dome and the base.

    One trick is to align the dome with the base and then clamp it down with a tie down strap.  Then align and tighten the bands.  Get @RRP to direct you to one of his write-ups on this method.


    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • tgs2401
    tgs2401 Posts: 423
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    @RRP shared this with me when I had an underbite issue. It solved the problem

    "I called this morning and spoke to Dewayne at BGE HQ Customer Service.  He was extremely helpful and guided me through the steps to level out the top.  It was extremely simple to do, even for someone who didn't understand the way these things are put together. 
    So basically here's what was the problem and what I did.  The first problem was that the lower band was not wrapped around evenly - it was lower in the rear than in the front.  He explained to me that the lower band should come right up to the edge of the lower gasket all the way around the lower half.  So I loosened the carriage bolt on the lower rear band and GENTLY tapped along the band using a block of wood and a rubber mallet until the band was placed evenly around the whole bottom.  Then I tightened the band.  From that point, the underbite had improved significantly, but there was still a bit of unevenness along the planes where the gaskets met and it still did not pass the dollar bill test.  In fact, the gap on the rear side between the gaskets was slightly worse, but I wasn't worried because I knew there were a couple more steps to 
    Next step was to adjust the front to back placement to fine tune the sitting of the top to the bottom.  There are two slotted acorn nuts on the top part of the hinge (above the spring) on both sides of the top that needed to be loosened so that I can 'wiggle' the top into a centered position.  So I loosened all 4 nuts, wiggled it into position, then tightened.  Now the top was centered properly (no under or overbite), but there was still unevenness on the plane of contact - in other words, it still failed the dollar bill test. 
    The last step was to somewhat repeat the first step (loosening the carriage bolt) except for the upper band.  Wherever there was the largest gap between the two gaskets, I GENTLY tapped the band upward which essentially pushed the lid downward by it's own weight.  Once I saw that the upper band was positioned in such a way that the entire top part of the egg sat nicely and evenly on the bottom, I tightened the carriage bolt of the top band and vuala!  It was fixed.  Dollar bill test passed all the way around the egg.  No more underbite (or overbite). "
    One large BGE in Louisville, KY.
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,893
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    tgs2401 said:
    @RRP shared this with me when I had an underbite issue. It solved the problem


    Just for the record that is not MY write up, but one I captured from a post made here.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • PSC
    PSC Posts: 148
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    Golfguy77 said:
    If you don't have smoke leaking out when you cook than I wouldn't worry about it.  Enjoy the new toy!


    this!

    welcome!
  • Dfoshee
    Dfoshee Posts: 191
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    Welcome mine doesn't line up either. Ill be watching to see if you have any luck.
    Lbge. Maverick 733, ss top, 30" fire pit, gas grill, small charcoal grill, electric smoker, 65 qt yeti, 35 qt yeti.
  • Mikee
    Mikee Posts: 892
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    My small was a little out of alignment on the sides. Added a washer and now its fine.

  • LRW
    LRW Posts: 198
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    Mine has been off since it was purchased over a year ago. I haven't let it bother me in the least all cooks have turned out great. Someday I will add spacers and align the top.
    Volant, PA 1 LBGE ,Smokeware Cap, igrill2
    My Foodtography


  • bgeaddikt
    bgeaddikt Posts: 503
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    I removed the dome completely off with the band attached and then reattached after raising the bottom band evenly across the very top lip of the base and then connected it together. It worked for a bit then the dome slipped back into place and it still has an under bite. It actually tore off part of my gasket...how hard to i tighten the band? Last time i was slightly loose and slid, but i dont want to crack the dome or base either from too much pressure by over tightening the screw. :o

    Austin, Tx
  • dougcrann
    dougcrann Posts: 1,129
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    Struggled with the bands on our Large and XL. Simple to fix either one. On the Large. Measure the gap between the top of the top and the bottom of the bottom band as close to the springs as you can get....loosen the bands line the dome/base up. Remember that measurement? Just adjust bands so that they have that same number all the way around.  Of course you need to put those little plastic straps on the hinge bolts first. XL...you need one inch between the top/bottom edge of the bands and the felt. It is easier for me to remove the dome and turn it upside down to adjust the band on it. I just readjusted all 3 of our Eggs...have used the 2 that need new gaskets and neither one of them leaks.
  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
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    @bgeaddikt ... here's a pretty good article about band replacement/tightening:

    http://www.grill-repair.com/blog/2013/big-green-egg-spring-assisted-band-replacement-instructions/

    This is the paragraph in the above article that answers your question:

    Do Not Be Alarmed when the bolts bend from the tension.  This Is Normal.  Just like we learned in high school history (Roman Architecture) the ceramic dome is incredibly strong and will not break because the curve of the egg is truly a circle and the tension from outside the circle forced weight to distribute around the circle to strengthen the egg structure just like the old churches and bridges with arches that supported so much more weight than the strength of the brick should have been capable of supporting.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • bgeaddikt
    bgeaddikt Posts: 503
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    @Jeepster47 thanks for that reference. Gave me enough confidence to re-align and tighten the screws so my dome doesnt fall off! I added some washers for spacers that i had in my tool box laying around and it fixed it perfectly. Got the bands closer to the rim of the dome and base to fix the overbite.

    Austin, Tx