Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Help on Aligning Egg Dome, Please

Options
Uncle Phil
Uncle Phil Posts: 669
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Ever have one of those days? I changed the gasket on my large tonight. The process was simple. The new gasket was easy to install and I thought I was home free. Then came the dome alignment. For the past two hours I have tried to get the dome to sit squarely on the bottom half of the egg. The top is about 1/2 inch back of the bottom half in the front of the Egg. I know this has to do with the bands. As I tighten the bolts, the problem worsens. Did I spring the hinge in so way? For those of you that have assembles a couple of hundred eggs, I know you will have the solution for me. In the meantime, I can't cook on the egg until tomorrow so I will just try to figure this out. Ironically, my neighbor has the same issue with his egg. There has to be a trick in here somewhere. Thanks in advance.

Uncle "the top is causing me to blow my top" Phil
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Clay Q
    Clay Q Posts: 4,486
    Options
    Without being at your beautiful outdoor kitchen,...I wish I was there....difficult to fix but I'll make a suggestion. If the bands are canted one way or another on the lip this could be the problem.

    Sounds like the bands need re-adjustment. Loosen the bands and position so bands are parallel and far enough onto the lip, you may need someone to tighten the bolts as you check and hold the band up onto the lip. Tighten slowly making sure each band is well seated and level as possible. See if this helps.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
    Options
    Phil, try loosening the hinge bolts then snug (don't overtighten) them when you get it back in place.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Towe443
    Towe443 Posts: 1
    Options
    I am having the same problem with my large. I put a new nomex gasket on my large last weekend and now the dome sits back about 1/4" from the front. The dome and base are not even all of the way around. The sides sit even but the dome sits back about 1/4". I cannot figure out how to get it back where it needs to be. I am also getting a little smoke leakage in 2 areas but I think this will fix it's self if I can get the dome and base to align. Any suggestions?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Uncle Phil
    Uncle Phil Posts: 669
    Options
    Thanks Clay and Pat. I have packed it in for tonight. I took the bands completely off the Egg and bolted them together to assure they are properly aligned. The top band was a little bent, so I worked with it until they are both parallel . I think that was some of the trouble. Pat, when you speak of loosening the hinge bolts, do you mean down at the bottom? I wonder if the hinge is too tight and causing the front of the dome to jut forward due to the spring tension? The whole thing did not come off the egg correctly, as the tie wrap slipped and allowed the hinge to open. I had a fun time getting that off.

    Phil
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Uncle Phil
    Uncle Phil Posts: 669
    Options
    Same gasket here. It went on easy and seems to fit nicely. The dome is the problem.

    Uncle Phil
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
    Options
    I would loosen all 8 bolts and you should have some play front to back then just snug them back when in place after that you can make your band adjustments
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,754
    Options
    i had one go, it was an old band made in mexico, that version the handles were welded on to the band, not bolted, had to get a new band. if your taking the band or dome off the egg, forget the clips and ties, have someone open the lid and hold it and take the springs off, easy with a screwdriver or pair of pliers.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Uncle Phil
    Uncle Phil Posts: 669
    Options
    That makes sense. The problem is the darn Egg is mounted in the outdoor kitchen and getting to those little bolts is a pain. Well, I will give that a shot tomorrow. I mean it is nothing more than a hinge. One part is stable and the other moves. The way it is now, the smoke will escape out the back as the lid sets back from the base of the egg.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
    Options
    Whatever you do keep the power tools locked up,, don't ask me why just lock them up :blush:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Uncle Phil
    Uncle Phil Posts: 669
    Options
    Just posted pics of gasket install and shot of misalignment of dome.

    Uncle Phil
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mrmagoo
    mrmagoo Posts: 12
    Options
    You can also try putting a washer or two between the band and the hinge. In your case your egg has an "under bite". I would put the washers in between the bottom band and the hinge. This should kick the hinge out at the bottom, thus pushing the top of the hinge and the dome forward. I don't post on here much, but I do sell eggs and have put quite a few together. I had this same problem with my personal egg and our BGE rep suggested this as a fix. It didn't make mine perfect, but it is much closer.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dbCooper
    dbCooper Posts: 2,081
    Options
    I realize your hinge bolts are not convenient to access, but pretty sure your solution lies with them.

    This post may be useful for your alignment issue: http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&Itemid=55&func=view&catid=1&id=941415

    Kind regards,
    dbCooper
    LBGE, LBGE-PTR, 22" Weber, Coleman 413G
    Great Plains, USA
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Uncle Phil
    Uncle Phil Posts: 669
    Options
    Thanks.
    That makes all the sense in the world. I can't understand how that hinge shifted. Maybe it sprung a bit when I took it off since the tie-wrap did not hold the hinge in place as it was supposed to. I will let you know if that works.
    Uncle Phil
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories