I Have a CC Door Problem

[chuckyb816]

I have a little door spring issue and am wanting to know if I can fix it white it is mounted to the CC. It's proud about a 1/4" on both bottom corners. So far I have tried welding clamps to the CC, heating up the corners, clamping them down and letting them cool. That didn't work. This morning I will try heating it long ways across the middle and then clamping it down. I'm hoping for a folding affect across the middle to close the gap. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[dacolson]

It is really tough to fix a warp with the door attached to the CC still. The struggle is you need to bend it past true so it will relax back to true after heating/bending. I can think of 2 options.
1. Brute strength - with your door propped on a 2x4 running lenghtwise, use a large crescent wrench to bend the door bit by bit down the warped areas.
2. with the door fully open, bend the door with straps as close as you can figure and weld in braces to hold it straight on the inside of the door.
I've done option 1, never option 2. Option 1 ends up being a little messy as you get wrench marks and the bends are hard to hide sometimes if you are not careful.

IMO - the BEST thing to do if you can't live with the 1/4" and some good gaskets - cut off your hinges and bend it with a jack and chain. This is the only way I've been able to consistently correct a sprung door.

[Dirtytires]

Proper bending procedure thru heating usually involves many, if not hundreds, of heat cycles. The heat is applied to specific, local areas being careful to be be hotter on the bend side. It is typically followed by an ice-water cool down. With that said, not too sure a single heat and clamp cycle is going to be too effective and might even increase the warp....so be careful.

Best bet is to remove the door and either get it on a press or spend an afternoon with a chain and bottle jack massaging it back to straight.

[hogaboomer]

Every time I tried to pull a door by heating it went the wrong way. And I tried both sides.

That thing ain't heavy enough, you had to add weightlifting plates to the bottom???

[chuckyb816]

Thanks for you input guys. I've come to the conclusion I'm going to have to cut the hinges off and try and fix it that way. The heating method is definitely not working and I over corrected it on one side and now it is proud closer to the top...SMH.

I'll try the bottle chain and bottle jack method. Any recommendation on old post with pictures of this or videos I can check out?

[chuckyb816]

Every time I tried to pull a door by heating it went the wrong way. And I tried both sides.

That thing ain't heavy enough, you had to add weightlifting plates to the bottom???

Lol...Its on a temporary cart for wheeling it in and out of the garage and leveling it until I'm ready to put it on a permanent one. The FB is made of 3/8" plate so I need the weights to counter balance it when I strap it down and move it around.

[hogaboomer]

The best way I've found is to pull it in, and then tack gussets inside the door to hold it. Try to bend it, you risk going too far, or getting a kink in the middle. I had the best results with a mini come along, but the bottle jack and chain works, too.
Of course, when you tack gussets inside, you lose a bit of grate space on the top grate. Are you running two grates?

[chuckyb816]

The best way I've found is to pull it in, and then tack gussets inside the door to hold it. Try to bend it, you risk going too far, or getting a kink in the middle. I had the best results with a mini come along, but the bottle jack and chain works, too.
Of course, when you tack gussets inside, you lose a bit of grate space on the top grate. Are you running two grates?

I like the mini come along suggestion. I'll have to look into that. I was planning on running two but the top wont have much head room so I may just do one.

[hogaboomer]

I've seen some guys tack round bar inside to hold it.

[Big T]

Here's a link to the jack and chain method https://smokerbuilder.com/forums/viewto ... 148&t=3344

[Dirtytires]

Use a jack/chain. Bend it slightly past straight and let it relax. Measure your results and repeat as needed. Key is small movements at a time and expect to adjust the jack/chain position to apply pressure where needed. If you are patient, you will end up with a perfect door and no need to brace it or weld bars to it.

[hogaboomer]

That's gonna be hard to bend with that 1/4 inch strap on it.

[chuckyb816]

That's gonna be hard to bend with that 1/4 inch strap on it.

Lol...Yeah, that was another lesson I learned the hard way and is probably part of my problem. I've already cut it off and once I get the door where I need it will go back with a 1/8" strap. But yeah, good point and observation.

[chuckyb816]

Here's a link to the jack and chain method https://smokerbuilder.com/forums/viewto ... 148&t=3344

Thanks