lid alignment

Rad · February 2009

I have posted a couple of times about burning up my gasket the first high heat cook I did. Thsis I feel was due to lid alignment issues I could see. I repleaced th egasket with nomex but it still bugged me that i could see the misalignment and the dark ring on the nomex were is was exposed to heat. After studying the hinge I decided to try to legthen the holes on the lid strap bracket that attaches to the spring arm. Worked perfect my lid and base now align and hopefully this will prolong the life of my gasket. I marked them and lengthened the slot forward about 3/16 of an inch. I'm sure someone else has already posted about this but I didn't see the mod on the sight. I'm sure I just searched the wrong thing. Anyway Maybe this will help someone else.
Rad

Ross in Ventura · February 2009

Rad,
Can you post a picture of that?

Ross

SGT BBQ · February 2009

won't that void the warranty if you have a problem down the road?

AzScott · February 2009

What size Egg? Nice fix by the way!

Mike in Abita · February 2009

Like Ross, I'd love to see some photos. Seems like you solved a nagging problem.

OKCegger · February 2009

I 3rd that! A photo is worth a 1000 words. I would like to make an adjustment to my bracket. As I am putting on a new nomex gasket today. I'm letting it set for a few hours before I fire up the ol'e XL.

Rad · February 2009

Hear are some pix. Its and extra large BGE. My lid set back relative to the base about 3/16 to 1/4 inch. It was set up by the dealer, so I didn't do it. After burning up a gasket with my first pizza I started trying to fix it. Loosened all the bolt realigned YADA, YADA, YADA. I added the nomex gasket which is the only reason I feel it lasted when I replaced it. With the gap on the lid gasket on the front and the base gasket on the rear it was just a matter of time before the next gasket replacement. As far as the warranty BGE ought to thank me so I will deal with that if need be. The hinges float so they kind of follow the lead of the spring arms. As long as the spring arms wanted to pull the lid to the rear the hinges allowed it. When I extended the slots it allowed the lid to move forward relative to the sping arms and the hinges just toggled and allowed it. I thought I might have to mod the hinges but since they form a linkage they seem to tolerate the mod fine. You can see from the gasket darkening the offest was about 3/16 which is where I got my slot length increase from.

Grandpas Grub · February 2009

Interesting mod. I followed lid alignment and gasket posts pretty closely over the last couple of years. I don't recall any hing mods like you did.

When I looked at an XL and noticed the gap. The dealer said he always instructs the owners to pull the dome towards them after closing to solve the problem with the gasket. Sounded a bit odd but logical. Your mod seems like a much better solution.

Thanks for sharing and putting up the pictures.

GG

smalljaws · February 2009

I see the pictures, but don't quite get it. Being dense I guess. Are you talkin of extendng the bolt slot on the hinge that attaches to "spring band"? If so, how was it done?

I have pretty much given-up on replacing gaskets, my egg burns them up in about 3 months.

Rad · February 2009

Yes. If you look at the hinges they are toggle links. They have a cetain amount of play forward and rearward unlike a true hinge ie a door. If you look at the springarms they are what really indexs the lid on the base. Bracket to the base band 2 links and broacket to th elid band. The only adjustment you have is th eslots in the lid band bracket. If you unbolt the spring arm from the lid band bracket you can remove the lid band brackets from the lid band. You will notice the bracket is already slotted. I marked mine about 3/16 further forward and took a round file to it. I would have gone further but the front hole was getting to close to the end of the bracket. This alows the lid to slide further forward relative to the base. I was thinking of just making a new bracket but it worked so well I ddin't have to.
HTH
Rad

Mike in Abita · February 2009

Thanks for the photos and description. Hopefully it should help out a few.

dud22 · February 2009

Any suggestions on how to fix a lid that sits to the left? Burning up gaskets as well.

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