Pit Boss Series 4 Door Adjustment

[jcoleman66]

Good Day!!

I

s there a way to adjust the door on the series 4 vertical smoker? Mine seems to be a bit off kilter. Also has anyone replace the gasket? The one installed seems a but small but again it could be the door being off a bit. This is a brand new smoker.

I have attached a pic that shows the right side lower than the left at the top. I have a support case, but as of yet no answer.

Thanks!

 

[BandCollector]

It would be helpful if you include a picture of the hinges.

If they are screw /bolt on hinges I would think it would be a matter of loosening the screw/bolts, adjusting/leveling the door, and then retighten the screws/bolts.

If the hinges are welded to the frame then it may be more of a challenge adjusting the door.

Hopefully someone will come along with suggestions besides mine.

I hope this helps, good luck,

John

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

If they are screw /bolt on hinges I would think it would be a matter of loosening the screw/bolts, adjusting/leveling the door, and then retighten the screws/bolts.

That's what I was thinking too.

 

[jcoleman66]

Thanks guys! Yeah I was thinking along the same lines, would probably have to put a washer under screws to help with spacing.. Just thought there might be something I was missing. First Pit Boss I have owned.

 

[nmhuntr]

Thanks guys! Yeah I was thinking along the same lines, would probably have to put a washer under screws to help with spacing.. Just thought there might be something I was missing. First Pit Boss I have owned.

I bought the series 3 electric and has the same issues. The hinge would not adjust to help so I ended up torquing on it just a little and all is good.

 

[jcoleman66]

I bought the series 3 electric and has the same issues. The hinge would not adjust to help so I ended up torquing on it just a little and all is good.

That was in the plan too, LOL but wanted to see if there was a trick I was missing..

 

[chopsaw]

Looks to me like the upper hinge pin is bent . Does it bind up when you open it all the way ?
All kinds of ways to adjust a door , but if you just put a washer under the screw that most likely won't fix it . You'll need to get on one side or the other of the screws to pull it one way or push it the other . Couple things you can try . Flip the hinges over one at a time . See if that helps .
Swap the location of the hinges . Top to bottom .
The bottom needs to push away from the hinge side . That will pick up the latch side and even out the margin at the head . You can do that by loosening the screws ( don't take them out ) on the lower hinge that is on the body . Slide a shim between the hinge leaf and the body on the open side of the hinge . Not the pivot side . Let it butt up to the screws , but not go under them . Tighten the hinge screws .

 

[jcoleman66]

Looks to me like the upper hinge pin is bent . Does it bind up when you open it all the way ?
All kinds of ways to adjust a door , but if you just put a washer under the screw that most likely won't fix it . You'll need to get on one side or the other of the screws to pull it one way or push it the other . Couple things you can try . Flip the hinges over one at a time . See if that helps .
Swap the location of the hinges . Top to bottom .
The bottom needs to push away from the hinge side . That will pick up the latch side and even out the margin at the head . You can do that by loosening the screws ( don't take them out ) on the lower hinge that is on the body . Slide a shim between the hinge leaf and the body on the open side of the hinge . Not the pivot side . Let it butt up to the screws , but not go under them . Tighten the hinge screws .

Thanks for the ideas! I will try. I noticed the pin looked a bit bent.. not binding up opens smoothly... but I can hear the door hit metal on the bottom, however if I lift up on door handle and close don't.

 

[jcoleman66]

Ok.... don't laugh...

I got it better, thanks chopsaw. The shim seemed to be the fix. The top hing has a washer on each screw, though the bottom didn't. Left that as it was and put a "shim" under the bottom. Issue was finding a shim that works. LOL. But the top is more even. First pic is before fix.

 

[chopsaw]

Perfect !! See what I mean about pushing or pulling the hinge . That moves the pivot of the hinge and moves the door one way or the other .
See so now you could do the same on the top . Still on the leaf that's on the body , but this time on the picot side of the screw . That will pull the top towards the hinge side . It looks a lot better in the pic though . You also have to watch the latch stays lined up .
I've installed a lot of doors on commercial buildings .
Just get something the thickness of that wrench and change it out .
Nice work bud .

Edit .
Washer on the top hinge tells me they may have tried to fix damage at the top .

 

[jcoleman66]

Perfect !! See what I mean about pushing or pulling the hinge . That moves the pivot of the hinge and moves the door one way or the other .
See so now you could do the same on the top . Still on the leaf that's on the body , but this time on the picot side of the screw . That will pull the top towards the hinge side . It looks a lot better in the pic though . You also have to watch the latch stays lined up .
I've installed a lot of doors on commercial buildings .
Just get something the thickness of that wrench and change it out .
Nice work bud .

Edit .
Washer on the top hinge tells me they may have tried to fix damage at the top .

Thanks so much for your help. I kind of like the wrench look LOL. Hit it with some high temp paint and call it a decoration. Will try and see if I can find a couple of pieces of right thickness and size.

There is a dent on the back top at the seam with the hopper on the cook chamber. Perhaps that is part of it.

 

[MichiganFan]

I called customer service about this issue with a new smoker. Turns out the legs were not tightened evenly, which twisted the frame slightly. Their suggestion was to remove the chimney, flip the smoker onto its top, open the door, loosen the legs, straighten and latch the door, re-tighten the legs (opposite corners), the flip it back over. I also loosened and re-tightened the hinge screws. Worked for me.