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Help for a rookie - new large BGE lid/gasket fit

peTX
peTX Posts: 18
edited August 2011 in EggHead Forum
After practically being surrounded by eggheads in our neighborhood we finally bit the bullet in early August...The BGE is a revelation for sure.  Just ordered a stainless fire grate to (hopefully) speed up the process a bit since we now cook 3-4 nights a week on the egg.

I am still having issues with the lid fit on the BGE.  Specifically, the lid is slightly skewed to the rear.  I had this issue in the beginning and could not get the bands adjusted to solve.  I stripped a band bolt in the process of loosening/re-tightening that had to be cut off with dremel to be removed.  I am wondering if some of the torque on this band when the nut was not turning may have imparted a new shape on the band (even though the issue predated the bolt problem).  Now I have noticed that it appears the gasket is dragging when the lid is closing, thereby pulling the gasket off the egg. 

I have searched the web and forums and found some suggested remedies:
http://www.eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/1091001

The main recommendation that I find is to make sure top and bottom bands are positioned fully in either direction against the stops.  It seems this spacing is pre-detemined by the hinge assembly (see pictures).  With the lid aligned, once i tighten the top band the lid is pulled toward the hinge to a different alignment.  I tried holding the entire hinge assembly up to tighten the top, but that brought the bottom band up to the level of the gasket.

Since I have not specifically read about the gasket dragging issue I thought this might be a different problem.

Thanks in advance for helping a newbie!

Comments

  • 4Runner
    4Runner Posts: 2,948
    edited August 2011

    Need to make sure bands are even all the way around.

     

    You may also try to reset your springs.

    1. Open lid and have an assistant hold it open  - Crucial!
    2. Pull off each spring.  You may need a set of vice grips for this.
    3. Close down carefully 
    4. Loosen both carriage bolts
    5. Align dome
    6. If necessary, loosen other hinge bolts to make sure dome is aligned properly
    7. Adjust bands so they are nice even all the way around
    8. Tighten hinge bolts
    9. Tighten band carriage bolts so they bend
    10. Have assistant open dome

    I'm going to attempt the above as I have the same issue as your picture.  This is supposed to reset the springs so they do not pull the dome out of alignment again.   Good luck

    Joe - I'm a reformed gasser-holic aka 4Runner Columbia, SC Wonderful BGE Resource Site: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm and http://www.nibblemethis.com/  and http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html
    What am I drinking now?   Woodford....neat
  • peTX
    peTX Posts: 18
    Thanks I will give it a try when I am back in town. Will let you know how it turns out. I am definitely going to buy new carriage bolts before I start. I think the process of bending the bolts destroys the threads after a couple of cycles. Cutting the bolts off while they are on the egg is not fun!
  • 4Runner
    4Runner Posts: 2,948
    I did the same earlier this year when I moved my BGE to a table for the first time.  Replaced the gasket and used the new bolts when I reassembled in the table.  I figured it couldn't hurt.  Might even be a good practice to replace the bolts every now and then.  Let me know how it turns out.  I'm going to attempt mine this weekend.   Good luck
    Joe - I'm a reformed gasser-holic aka 4Runner Columbia, SC Wonderful BGE Resource Site: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm and http://www.nibblemethis.com/  and http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html
    What am I drinking now?   Woodford....neat
  • peTX
    peTX Posts: 18
    What gasket did you use.
  • 4Runner
    4Runner Posts: 2,948
    edited August 2011

    just the white "nomex" one from BGE.  I replaced my original (gray ones) after losing a couple of them in the first month of usage.  Mothership sent me the white one and it worked flawlessly.

    Joe - I'm a reformed gasser-holic aka 4Runner Columbia, SC Wonderful BGE Resource Site: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm and http://www.nibblemethis.com/  and http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html
    What am I drinking now?   Woodford....neat
  • Cowdogs
    Cowdogs Posts: 491
    edited September 2011
    The main recommendation that I find is to make sure top and bottom bands are positioned fully in either direction against the stops.  It seems this spacing is pre-detemined by the hinge assembly (see pictures).  With the lid aligned, once i tighten the top band the lid is pulled toward the hinge to a different alignment.  I tried holding the entire hinge assembly up to tighten the top, but that brought the bottom band up to the level of the gasket.

    Thanks in advance for helping a newbie!
    I know this advice is out there, but I think it is completely wrong.  It forces the hinge out of alignment.  I also do not think there is any such thing as "resetting" the springs.  The hinge is fixed in how it moves, and the springs do not really change this.  The band position on the dome is just about the only thing you can adjust. 

    Try this... It works on every egg I have tried it on with an under-bite (bottom gasket exposed in front): 
    • With someone's help, open the egg and remove the springs. 
    • With the egg closed, loosen both bands.
    • Position and re-tighten the top band about 1/16" - 1/8" of an inch above the gasket. Try to make it even. You should just see a smidgen of green ceramic between the bottom of the band and the gasket (even all the way around). Tighten it down hard.
    • Now with the bottom band still loose, move the dome exactly where it should be on the base.
    • Now you are going to start tighten the bottom band.  Don't worry about where the band is (as long as it is between the gasket and the stop).  As you tighten, try to help the band to stay even all the way around, but do not let the dome move.  If you have to choose between keeping the dome from moving, or keeping the band even ... the dome wins.  Let the band move to where it wants to be for your correct dome position.
    • If you get both bands re-tightened without the dome moving, you are done. It will hold.
    Good Luck,
    Cowdogs

  • peTX
    peTX Posts: 18
    I see your point. I do not see any adjustment in the hardware of the hinge. It is hard to see how loosening is going to create any additional separation in the bands, with or without the springs attached. To your point, the top band "wanted" to be about in the position you recommend for the bottom (with the bottom band pushed down as far as possible), so the reverse of that relationship fits your description and just may work. As for the tearing off of the gasket, that could be the result of the bottom band being too low so that the back edge of the dome drags when opening/closing. How many have you seen like this BTW? Thanks!
  • Cowdogs
    Cowdogs Posts: 491
    edited September 2011
    I am not sure what you mean by "tearing off the gasket".  The back edge will drag whenever the bands are too far apart at the hinge.  This is why I think you need to let one band "find its own level".  I choose the bottom band because it is easier to deal with.

    With some eggs I had to line the bands up almost about even with the ceramic rim.  This means they were as far away from the stops as possible, but the dome was tight and even all the way around.  The dome position is much more important than band position ... the bands just need to be really tight and secure wherever they end up.
  • 4Runner
    4Runner Posts: 2,948
    Success. I loosened the bands and aligned dome with the springs attached at first. No luck. Dome would slide back leaving 1/4 to 3/8 of an underbite. So, I tried again with the springs removed this time. Got it. No perfect but I would say I'm down to 1/8 now. Good enough seeing my original alignment issue didn't create a problem when I cooked anyway. Just bugged me is all.

    peTX. How did yours turnout?
    Joe - I'm a reformed gasser-holic aka 4Runner Columbia, SC Wonderful BGE Resource Site: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm and http://www.nibblemethis.com/  and http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html
    What am I drinking now?   Woodford....neat
  • peTX
    peTX Posts: 18
    I haven't done anything on my yet 4runner, except fry the gasket completely last Sunday on a Pizza.  Now that I will be taking it apart for the gasket I am going to try and reset the fit.  I made a half attempt at removing the springs once with a spring grabber from a trampoline, but it did not work due to the curve of the spring.  Did you end up using vice grips?
  • Shawn
    Shawn Posts: 356
    I had a similar issue with mine and I did the above and no luck and after further investigation I discovered the metal plate on one side holding the spring bent! I email bge customer support and they replaced the band! So make sure you plate on each side were the spring attached asn't bent!
    Cheers! Shawn My Blog: http://hrmcreativebbq.blogspot.com/ My Dads Custom Handles Blog http://dannyscarvings.blogspot.com
  • Iv'e had my XL about 3 weeks now! On my 3rd use I noticed this same problem and wondered how I could correct the problem. It is starting to appear that this might be a common problem that requires an easier fix. My gasket is already nearing replacement after limited use. That doesn't make me very happy after just dropping 1600 GW's on the grill and all the goodies. My 78 year old hands can't do all of the fixes described in the ones described here. If the problem is as prevalent as it appears then maybe the company could come up w/ an easier solution that would make it unnecessary to have an accident trying to fix it.
  • peTX
    peTX Posts: 18
    Since I was replacing the gasket, I decided to remove the springs and try to get the lid alignment fixed. Didn't work. I bought the high-que gasket for $33 because I needed one quickly and - though I already had a can of super 77 - I did not want to hassle with spray adhesive. I probably have 2-3 hours in changing the gasket, which will be a deal breaker for me if it's not at least 3 years until the next one. I also have some $ in acetone, gloves, and scraper. After all of it, the dollar bill is tight on one side but not so great on the other. I don't get why BGE will send a better gasket if you have issues but does not just but the better gasket on to start.
  • 4Runner
    4Runner Posts: 2,948
    Since I was replacing the gasket, I decided to remove the springs and try to get the lid alignment fixed. Didn't work. I bought the high-que gasket for $33 because I needed one quickly and - though I already had a can of super 77 - I did not want to hassle with spray adhesive. I probably have 2-3 hours in changing the gasket, which will be a deal breaker for me if it's not at least 3 years until the next one. I also have some $ in acetone, gloves, and scraper. After all of it, the dollar bill is tight on one side but not so great on the other. I don't get why BGE will send a better gasket if you have issues but does not just but the better gasket on to start.




    On the Super 77 - jsut spray it in a cup and apply with a brush.  Much easier!

     

    Agree on the OEM gasket.  In fact, I wish BGE would come up with a better design making it easier to replace the gasket.  Something you can "pop" out and replace by popping back in.  Anyway, there is always the option of going gasketless.   

    Joe - I'm a reformed gasser-holic aka 4Runner Columbia, SC Wonderful BGE Resource Site: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm and http://www.nibblemethis.com/  and http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html
    What am I drinking now?   Woodford....neat
  • peTX
    peTX Posts: 18
    I have reset the lid a couple of times and glossed some of the loosenessnof the dollar test on the right side; however, in the back of my mind I think the issue may be a high spot in the ceramic lid (or bottom- I noticed it when cleaning the edges for the new gasket, but I did not make a point to note which half). Since the felt (or whatever makes up the high-que) merely follows the contour of the ceramic and does not have the flexibility to absorb a bump in the underlying egg shape (ie felt quality versus, say, rubber) I don't know that a perfect seal is attainable without a flat ceramic surface to start. The other "easier" diagnosis might be a band or hinge issue. I get that many go without gaskets with good results, but I like new things to work as designed.
  • Amen on the why they don't put the best gasket available on, especially considering the high cost of an egg! It certainly is not going to break them, and makes for good customer relations for owners of such a popular grill. However there is still the question of why so many have the misalignment problem! Even though I am a new XL owner I am not new to the cooker, having started with a Japanese  Kamado in the late1960's. As a professional I have used and cooked on every type of Grill there is. Wanting a Green egg was not a flash in the pan decision since I knew the great quality of this type of cooking. In order to get my XL i was forcefully asked to divest myself of 3 of my grills,( by Spouse)  and agree to the Egg being the last grill I would ever purchase! Now that was difficult! This is why I am more than just a little upset that after only 3 weeks these problems start to arise.