Lid alignment tips?

CarolinaCrazy

My LBGE is about 3 months old and I noticed that the lid is not quite centered (just maybe 1/8" overlap of top over bottom on one side), so I went through the dollar bill test. There was definitely less resistance on the back half of the grill - on both sides of the hinge. I tried 4x to loosen, adjust the lid and band and re-tighten the top band. But every time I would get the top band tightened, I'd have the same results- slightly off center lid and slightly less resistance in back.  There is some resistance - there's no visible gap - it's just maybe 30-50% of the resistance i get on the bill at the front edge.

So....should I just not worry about it? It seems to be cooking fine - no smoke leaking, etc. There is a seal all the way around, just not even. I know some don't even have a gasket, so am I overanalyzing it? Maybe I should just shut up and cook.

Or are there any tips to get better, even pressure all the way around?

Thanks

buzd504

Mine's been off since the second cook.  I quit worrying about it - it hasn't caused any trouble.

Just like temperature, sometimes the egg does what it likes.

RRP

I sure wouldn't sweat 1/8th of an inch. The egg is ceramic, but not fine porcelain China. I even bet if you measure the dome and base you will find one or even both are out of round and no adjustment can ever compensate for that.

CarolinaCrazy

Thanks for the sanity check, @RRP.

cortguitarman

If you have some resistance with the dollar bill test you are fine. If JT slides freely then maybe some additional adjustments are needed

Miked125

I wouldnt worry, mine is about the same. The dollar bill test is what you should care about.

dawsonhull

I recently replaced my gasket (without removing the dome) and now my Egg has about a 3/4"-1" underbite. I see some smoke leaking out the front now whenever I use wood chunks. I would make some adjustments but I don't know what to adjust! I called my dealer to see if they could help but they said they would "call me back". That was several days ago. Not sure what to do!

RRP

Let's start with some questions. If you merely replaced the gasket without removing the dome then it must have already been out of whack to begin with! Being that much off then you must have loosened some nuts and bolts or you accidentally leaned on the dome and maybe bent the band or hinges. Can you post some pictures?

FATC1TY

I'm pretty sure my hinge is out of kilter, and causes mines to be off a bit. The top pulls back farther than the bottom lines up. It'll eat your gasket up over time rubbing on it each time you open it.

RRP

FATC1TY said:

I'm pretty sure my hinge is out of kilter, and causes mines to be off a bit. The top pulls back farther than the bottom lines up. It'll eat your gasket up over time rubbing on it each time you open it.

Actually your issue is easier to resolve. The problem you describe is because the planes of your base and dome do not match. To resolve it you merely need to loosen the nuts on your bands but ONLY to the extent so you can shove the side or front or back that is sitting proud so that the dome and base match up clear around. Then re-tighten the nuts.

That way your gaskets should match without rubbing during movement. HTH

Little Steven

Best way I have found is to get a big fat friend like Cen-Tex to put weight on the dome while you tighten the band.

RRP

Little Steven said:

Best way I have found is to get a big fat friend like Cen-Tex to put weight on the dome while you tighten the band.

LOL - or if you don't have any fat friends who are willing to get up and sit on top your egg for fear you will take a picture of them doing that you can do it this way! That's just a 2 x 4 and a couple long camps to create even pressure while tightening after loosening first!

Little Steven

I remember that. Too bad Rod wasn't closer eh?

FATC1TY

Thanks for the tip there. I'll have to give it a shot. Seemed like last time I tried that, it just pulled back to where it was when I started to fix it.

Maybe this will help bend the bands back or something.

RRP

FATC1TY said:

Thanks for the tip there. I'll have to give it a shot. Seemed like last time I tried that, it just pulled back to where it was when I started to fix it.

Maybe this will help bend the bands back or something.

If your bands are bent then no this may not solve it unless when you re-tighten then the bent band comes together in the off-killder position. That make sense? IOW the bent band will re-position by grabbing the dome in a different spot. OTOH if this doesn't work then you will be better off to remove the whole assembly so you can really see where it is bent and straighten it.

dawsonhull

Here you go @RRP. There was a little bit of a misalignment before I replaced the gasket but not nearly this much.

FATC1TY

RRP said:

FATC1TY said:

Thanks for the tip there. I'll have to give it a shot. Seemed like last time I tried that, it just pulled back to where it was when I started to fix it.

Maybe this will help bend the bands back or something.

If your bands are bent then no this may not solve it unless when you re-tighten then the bent band comes together in the off-killder position. That make sense? IOW the bent band will re-position by grabbing the dome in a different spot. OTOH if this doesn't work then you will be better off to remove the whole assembly so you can really see where it is bent and straighten it.

Well, I don't actually know if they are bent or not. I've never had it apart but for the time I put it together. It's been like this since I put it together over 18 months ago.

RRP

dawsonhull said:

Here you go @RRP. There was a little bit of a misalignment before I replaced the gasket but not nearly this much.

It appears your hinge bolts have gotten loosened and therefore your hinge has shifted backwards. Compare the "squareness" of my hinge and parts to each other as compared to yours. Your pivots are out of whack, but can be loosened and squared up.

dawsonhull

Thanks @RRP. So which bolts exactly do I loosen?

Mickey

Hell with one dollar bill, if i can get a bank package of ones to get a little resistance i am happy. The older Large is 7 years old and for 6 3/4ths of the time no gasket so....... Don't overthink this stuff

RRP

dawsonhull said:

Thanks @RRP. So which bolts exactly do I loosen?

Ok - using your 3rd picture which I copied for this thread starting at the left corner there is one nut and bolt on each side of the hinge assembly. Now to the immediate right is a similar set of actually 3 of them - with me so far? Your pivoting problem are those lower ones at the bottom. When loosened pull your dome forward so the hinge is square with the back of your egg. Take a look back at my picture and note the "squareness" I'm talking about.

Your picture:

RRP

dawsonhull

I see. I started to loosen those but saw that the nut is what's holding the spring on. Right? I loosened them somewhat but wasn't able to get any play in the alignment.

RRP

No message!

RRP

WHOA! I told you the wrong bolt!!! It's the first two in your picture on the left corner SORRY!!!!

dawsonhull

Haha that's ok. Well, nothing happened until I actually removed those bolts/nuts. (The ones on the far left corner) The dome snapped into place when I removed the second one. Now, I'm not sure how to get them back in without getting out of alignment again...

RRP

dawsonhull said:

Haha that's ok. Well, nothing happened until I actually removed those bolts/nuts. (The ones on the far left corner) The dome snapped into place when I removed the second one. Now, I'm not sure how to get them back in without getting out of alignment again...

Just remove the springs - they are pulling it - YOU"RE almost THERE!!! Don't give up now!

FATC1TY

Thanks for the pictures here. I think this is actually my problem too. I've fooled around with the hinge, but the springs keep pulling it back out of whack it seems.

I don't see how removing the screws, putting the lid back level and putting the bolts back in. The hinge will be pulled back to it's original line up once you have to put the screws back in?

RRP

Not if you square up the angle and then tightened the nuts on those bolts before putting the springs back on.

FATC1TY

RRP said:

Not if you square up the angle and then tightened the nuts on those bolts before putting the springs back on.

... good point. Maybe I should stop drinking and put the wrench down.

dawsonhull

That's what happened to me. I removed my springs but what really seems to putting it off-kilter is the bolt in the corner. The holes in the piece of metal (which I'm pointing to) seems to throwing things off. I can disassemble everything but when I put it back together, it's all out of whack again!