Should have known better

dougcrann

Our Large developed a bit of an underbite  (?). The dome was quite a bit more rearward than the base. Got the spacers and straps out...spent the next 90 minutes getting frustrated.  Put the straps on the hinges, stuck the spacers in and set the bands so that they were hitting the spacers. Dollar bill had 0 resistance from the front all the way damn near to the hinges on the right. Tried it without using the hinge straps. Dollar was now tight in the front but loose in the rear. 
Ended up putting a concrete block on the dome. No hinge straps. Loosen the bands. Set the lower one so it had about 3/8" between the bottom of it and the top of the ridge on the base. Measured, at the hinge area, the distance between the bottom of the bottom band and the top of the top band. Was 1-7/8". Wiggled the bands til I had this number all the way around. Dollar bill is tight all the way around....a little loose between the hinges....but my gasket is not in the best of shape back there.
Sure is frustrating getting these things to seal properly...

bhedges1987

Been there done that!

hondabbq

Happy to say im 3.5 years into this endeavor and have never had an issue with this.

RockyTopDW

hondabbq, don't worry...you will

chuckytheegghead

Whenever I try to make a dome adjustment I always ask my after why I even bothered. But the OCD in me makes me keep going back. 

MotownVol

This is a major pain in the butt by yourself.   I just did a high temp burn and my dome needs to be adjusted again.  

Two questions: 

1 - Does the mini-max have this same issue?  If so, is it as hard to adjust?

2 - Does Joe Jr. have this same adjustment issue?

Wardster

I'm 15 years in and have never had to adjust it.

Lit

Once it's out of whack you are screwed. My large got out of whack once and after several years of adjusting it I finally bought a new band. The XL is a little better because it has slotted holes so you can adjust each side a little. They need to do this with the large.

henapple

RockyTopDW said:

hondabbq, don't worry...you will

You in Knoxville? 

dougcrann

Walked by it a few minutes ago...swore I heard it laughing at me. Noticed now the dome is offset to one side...

Not going to mess with it until I have the time to replace the gasket. I have one, just need to find it.

The existing gasket is starting to fray some. Been thinking about using Hi-Temp RTV on the bottom and Nomex on the top....hmmm.....

YukonRon

Me, I will adjust my mindset long before I will adjust anything.

EggHead_Bubba

My large stays aligned and sealed just fine until I lift the dome during a cook and I'll hear a sound from the hinge/band assembly.

When I hear this sound, I always know when I close it, I will have the underbite again. This happens every now and then.

I have no idea what causes it. I re-align everything, rinse, repeat.

Miked125

I have had this issue, I gave up on the under bite but I have a good seal. I have to fix it now and then, usually when I do a pizza cook. Once the gasket is done I will swap it out for the rutland I have in the cupboard and get new bands.

dougcrann

Welp....just had to mess with it AGAIN. Discovered why the spacer method was not working out. The gasket is separating from itself in the rear. I thought I was sticking the spacer between the gaskets when it was really going into the lower one. Had the wife hold the rear spacer while I held the dome off the base. Sealed better...but now it has a side bite....not much but there just the same.