Oklahoma Joe Lid question

bimmerdad · Jul 15, 2015

Let me start off by saying, I'm an idiot.
I wanted to seal off my CC so I added gasket material to the lid. When I did that, the lid no longer fit as flat as it did prior to adding the gasket material. So, I said, I'll just add toggle clamps like I had seen on many other OKJ's. As you can see from my photos, I didn't take into account how close the clamp was to the lid. There is not enough clearance to close the lid with the clamp install.

Anyone out there have a solution to getting my lid closed tight?

AlwaysSmokey · Jul 15, 2015

Duoh ! :doh:

Time for some mod mods.

This time wait to drink the beer. :laugh:

Regards,

Kevin

ButtBurner · Jul 15, 2015

take those latches off

when I had my OK Joe all I did was take a large crescent and bend up the inner lip of the smoker chamber opening until it met the door. I used a dollar bill and closed the lid on it and checked the drag created w hen pulling on the bill. I found the worst spots and took the crescent wrench and closed it on the lip and started tweaking it to get it to grab the bill

I just worked my way around the whole door. It takes some time but it will get it close enough

SmittyJonz · Jul 15, 2015

I say take all that crap off and quit worrying about a few leaks ..........

Bludawg · Jul 15, 2015

^^^this^^^ Charbroil has trashed a good pit with poor QC. I'd adj the door flange using a dollar bill and a mallet.

SmittyJonz · Jul 15, 2015

I don't own a smoker that doesn't leak.........

Bludawg · Jul 15, 2015

SmittyJonz said:
I don't own a smoker that doesn't leak.........

all gently used ones:razz:

ButtBurner · Jul 15, 2015

Bludawg said:
^^^this^^^ Charbroil has trashed a good pit with poor QC. I'd adj the door flange using a dollar bill and a mallet.

I tried a mallet. I really had to whack it to make it move

the crescent wrench works much better, the metal is pretty stout and I could control the adjustment a lot easier using a crescent wrench tightened down on the flange

Nuco59 · Jul 15, 2015

Seems like lots of folk get OCD about a bit of smoke leaking out a door- but in the same breath might ask "do you think I have enuff exhaust?"

I don't get it. :grin:

1MoreFord · Jul 15, 2015

ButtBurner said:
take those latches off

when I had my OK Joe all I did was take a large crescent and bend up the inner lip of the smoker chamber opening until it met the door. I used a dollar bill and closed the lid on it and checked the drag created w hen pulling on the bill. I found the worst spots and took the crescent wrench and closed it on the lip and started tweaking it to get it to grab the bill

I just worked my way around the whole door. It takes some time but it will get it close enough

I didn't have a crescent wrench big enough to do this but did have a big farkin' hammer to work with. Accomplished the same thing. No visible leaks.

Shiny spots on the inner lip go down/in the chamber. Sooty spots go up/out of the chamber.

Radio · Jul 15, 2015

This is how badly tweaked my OK Joe's was. No way a mallet or vise grips would take care of that! Charbroil shipped me three replacement CC's before I got one that wasn't beat to heck or mis aligned like the original.

They insist they were damage in transit, and one obviously was, but the others looked to me like pee poor assembly and QC. To their credit, they kept shipping them until I got a decent one. No way a leak like that could keep from affecting CC temps! I shudder to think of how many inexperienced folks get a smoker like the one I got and think it's normal!!!

smoke ninja · Jul 15, 2015

^^^^^^^and thats why i don't feel these are bad pits. Like thw dawg said quality control issues, yes. But tney will make it right until your happy.

Bludawg · Jul 15, 2015

Chinamen don't BBQ

Radio · Jul 15, 2015

Bludawg said:
Chinamen don't BBQ

And obviously don't weld all that great either:mrgreen: I bought this one because the CC is bigger than my trusty New Braunfels as anything more than two racks of ribs gets dicey. I have a rib rack, but don't like to use it. Can't wait to cook a few slabs in the newly rebuilt Bandera!

Dweverett · Jul 16, 2015

I can't speak to whether you need it but I think some of those clamps open more than 90 degrees so you might have the clearance. Might want to look at woodcraft or rockier to see what they have

dport7 · Jul 16, 2015

SmittyJonz said:
I don't own a smoker that doesn't leak.........

Me neither, I thought they were supposed to LOL!!

SmokinFisherman · Jul 16, 2015

bimmerdad said:
Let me start off by saying, I'm an idiot.
I wanted to seal off my CC so I added gasket material to the lid. When I did that, the lid no longer fit as flat as it did prior to adding the gasket material. So, I said, I'll just add toggle clamps like I had seen on many other OKJ's. As you can see from my photos, I didn't take into account how close the clamp was to the lid. There is not enough clearance to close the lid with the clamp install.

Anyone out there have a solution to getting my lid closed tight?

I have the same pit and the same latches, luckily I did a test fit before application as mine are welded on. The problem is that u mounted them too high, I used lava lock gaskets as well and when my clamps are closed they do one hell of a job stopping leaks from the CC door.

SmokinFisherman · Jul 16, 2015

Another shot from a distance.

smokainmuskoka · Jul 16, 2015

I lucked out in that the Highland I bought last spring has a CC door that fit well out of the box. The firebox door is not the greatest fit, and after initially trying to seal some of the gaps with gasket tape and RTV, I decided to remove the gasket material and just use some aluminum foil to seal it a bit more. It works just fine.

bimmerdad · Jul 24, 2015

I may need to try that. The problem I have though is that the high spot on my lid is in the middle of the lid where I mounted the clamp. Do you think it will put enough pressure of the lid to close the high spot in the middle of the lid if I mount the clamp that low? I just don't want to drill more holes and it not work.

SmokinFisherman said:
I have the same pit and the same latches, luckily I did a test fit before application as mine are welded on. The problem is that u mounted them too high, I used lava lock gaskets as well and when my clamps are closed they do one hell of a job stopping leaks from the CC door.

Oklahoma Joe Lid question

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