Bandera door doesn't work like new....Grrrrrrr!

[Wayne]

My Bandera is very old. May years of BBQ have passed through its oven. But it has developed a problem, besides the inevitable rust that plagues us all. The door hinge has gotten so stiff that the door does not want to close and open without considerable force. I am becoming afraid that I will bend the metal. Does anybody else have this problem and what cam be done to relieve the stress on the hinges? I have tried to keep it covered but I am not sure that covering it will adequately control corrosion. Maybe it is just getting old and raggedy. Suggestions will be appreciated.

[parrothead]

Get some kind of lube on that. I had the same problem and even broke the hinge.

[BBQchef33]

Mine froze up 2 years ago..

I used a propane torch and some 90 weight gear oil(or chain bar oil). Heated the hinge a little and dripped the oil into the hinge as i slowly worked it back and forth till it was moving freely.

Once it was free. i pushed as much bearing grease into the hinge as I could and kept warming it a little to get the grease to work down into it. After it was all freed up and lubed, i cleaned off the hinge with some gas, sanded the leftover paint a little and repainted it. Been 2 years and havent had a problem since.

[Trout_man22]

Now that the Bandera is AWOL I just have the The Smoke King Deluxe to go by but it's door just lifts off. I took a wire brush to it the other day put some hight temp "Viper lube" by Lock Tight (they gave me a sample) but I think any high temp axle grease should do the trick.

Trout

[ckkphoto]

Mine froze up, but all it took was WD-40, to free it (or Knocker Loose if ya got it) followed by 3in 1 machine oil. Then I worked the door and now just remember to relube it anytime it feels stiff.