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View Full Version : Door won't latch

eddief250
03-09-2004, 09:33 PM
I bought a new Bandera from Academy last week and have been working to get it up to spec. Nu-temp is on order, oiled and heated it up good to season. Now that it is all smokey and greasy I noticed the smoking chamber door does not positively latch. The handle is bent ~15 degrees so the paw inside does not engage with the strike plate deal inside. It comes up 1/2 inch short or so. I tried to persuade the handle over but it looked like the door was going to bend before the handle and latch did. Only way I see to fix it would be to grind the welds off the washers, straighten it out and weld it back. That seems like alot of trouble ... any other suggestions?
BBQchef33
03-10-2004, 07:30 AM
ok, first..lets make sure your not doing what ALOT of us did when we first got the bandera. With door open, handle should start at 1-2 oclock position, close the door and turn handle to 5-6 oclock. That should latch it. Not being a wise ass, alot of people(me included) thought the door was messed up when we first got it and was latching it wrong.

let us know.
willkat98
03-10-2004, 07:39 AM
ok, first..lets make sure your not doing what ALOT of us did when we first got the bandera. With door open, handle should start at 1-2 oclock position, close the door and turn handle to 5-6 oclock. That should latch it. Not being a wise ass, alot of people(me included) thought the door was messed up when we first got it and was latching it wrong.

let us know.

Don't forget Phil, we probably also tried to close that farking door when there was a shelf on the level that makes closing the door impossible.

So remove the racks near the door stop dealie and try again.
BBQchef33
03-10-2004, 08:54 AM
oh yeah.. forgot!!! that too... make sure the shelf is not at the exact height of the hinge, if it is ya gotta push it all the way back and to the left to clear the latch. Best bet is raise it up or down a notch. I knwo we had a thread on this... couldnt find it. Must be in the yahoo archive.
rbinms33
03-10-2004, 09:55 AM
For the longest time, mine was misadjusted. It was hitting the strike plate thingy and bending the whole side out about 1/2". I took a pair of vise grips, heated the latch with a torch at the bend and bent it just slightly so it closes correctly now. Key word here.....slightly. A little bit of bend goes a long way.
eddief250
03-10-2004, 12:42 PM
Yes I am operating the door latch correctly and the door fits well. With the latch in the 5-6 oclock position the door has about a 1/2 of play back and forth due to the latch paw being behind the strike plate. The biggest torch I have is propane, I don't know if I can get enough heat on the latch to bend it. Keep the suggestions coming.
willkat98
03-10-2004, 12:54 PM
any chance of a picture?
BBQchef33
03-10-2004, 01:18 PM
how about some type of shim or sleeve on the stike plate or paw to take up some slack?
BigAl
03-10-2004, 04:36 PM
Call the farkers and tell'm to send you a new smoke chamber free!
Solidkick
03-10-2004, 05:10 PM
Call the farkers and tell'm to send you a new smoke chamber free!

Big Al is right on this one for sure! My first cabinet was really out of square, so I called the 800 number and they sent me a new one.

1-800-232-3398 part number 15610022
BBQchef33
03-10-2004, 08:26 PM
Sh*t, good point Al!!! my hinge broke on the firebox when it was a few months old, they sent me a new firebox. Call NB.!!!.


See thats why Al does the thinking for all of us.
rbinms33
03-11-2004, 07:49 AM
Yeah....new smoke chamber would definately be easier. That old chamber would probably be a fine candidate for a door gasket mod though.
willkat98
03-11-2004, 07:59 AM
See thats why Al does the thinking for all of us.

Only before 5pm.
brdbbq
03-11-2004, 08:19 AM
Somedays 10AM
kcquer
03-11-2004, 10:29 AM
Is the NB setup same as my brinkmann, spring on the inside? I had to add a washer to the outside of the door and while I was at it went to the hardware store and bought stiffer springs for both. Also my fire box door seems bass ackwards to me. You lift the handle to close it, so when you let go the weight of the handle wants to unlatch the door? Seems unsafe actually but with the spring upgrade hasn't opened itself yet.
jsn1511
03-11-2004, 11:23 AM
yeah that sounds upside down to me too. does anyone here have a char-broil bandera?
racer_81
03-11-2004, 01:21 PM
Bass Ackwards Mod
eddief250
03-11-2004, 07:00 PM
Thanks, I especially like Big Al's suggestion of contacting NB. I suspect it was damaged in shipment somewhere along the way but now that I have used it I did not think Academy would be able to help me. It is good to hear NB has a high level of customer service. I will let you know what they have to say.
If NB is unable to help I will see if I can post a picture.