Bull To seal or not to seal

[SmokeOCD]

Larry is vertical and Moe is horizontal, just like @C. Keeper said.

 

[Mrgreen617]

You did both the horizontal and vertical adjustment.......correct?

Yeah. I even elongated the holes front to back and shimmed the hinges with 14g material. My lid touches at the back and not in the front corner like shown. I do have some sag. I had my work make a support bracket to go under the lid supports and will drill and bolt it to raise the sag. Need to probably try adjusting after that is installed then add or remove the shims. Bummer I didn’t pay good attn how well it sealed before the gasket and don’t want to scrape all that off. Might be the shape of the lid. Who knows. Would love to see someone else who has this model and put a light inside to see how well it actually seals. Like my photos. See if I’m just wasting time because it’s as good as it’s gonna get.

 

[Jim6820]

It looks to me like the angle of the bend in the lid is not quite right. Maybe a piece of angle iron laid across the barrel at the bend point and a couple of gentle (or, not-so-gentle) downward pushes on the lid might help. Actually, RT should send you a new lid and let you avoid the DIY approach.

 

[Grilltreats]

I just purchased a RT-700 what are the pros and cons of weather stripping the lid, will I get more wood flavor?

Yes, you definitely will have better smoke flavor, and more even grate temps as well. No need to rotate meats around anymore either. I also sealed the pellet hopper lid to help with potential backdraft and hopper smoke. For the lid, get the replacement gasket on Amazon that is for a Vision grill. It is thicker and last for years unlike the thinner ones. https://www.amazon.com/LavaLock®-Hi...ision+grill+replacement+gasket,aps,102&sr=8-3. For the hopper lid get a thinner one. I have been grilling for 6-years on a 700, so I speak from experience. You can raise the smokestack cap a little more to compensate for any lost airflow but is not really needed.

 

[Mrgreen617]

It looks to me like the angle of the bend in the lid is not quite right. Maybe a piece of angle iron laid across the barrel at the bend point and a couple of gentle (or, not-so-gentle) downward pushes on the lid might help. Actually, RT should send you a new lid and let you avoid the DIY approach.

You are correct the lid is not the correct angle. I am the second owner of the unit so I doubt they’ll send me a lid. I’ll reach out but the top portion needs to be opened up a little. Afraid if I try I’ll crack the porcelain paint and it’ll be ruined.

 

[Mrgreen617]

Yes, you definitely will have better smoke flavor, and more even grate temps as well. No need to rotate meats around anymore either. I also sealed the pellet hopper lid to help with potential backdraft and hopper smoke. For the lid, get the replacement gasket on Amazon that is for a Vision grill. It is thicker and last for years unlike the thinner ones. https://www.amazon.com/LavaLock®-High-Temp-Vision-Replacement-Correct/dp/B01N1QKCR2/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1KSGOV3YBQ9JK&keywords=vision+grill+replacement+gasket&qid=1702775506&sprefix=vision+grill+replacement+gasket,aps,102&sr=8-3. For the hopper lid get a thinner one. I have been grilling for 6-years on a 700, so I speak from experience. You can raise the smokestack cap a little more to compensate for any lost airflow but is not really needed.

Well I’ve yet to use I have bought it second hand. Hoping to try to get this all resolved before using it. Still have my bullseye! But for now been messing with the lid for days. Cut little shims filled out the holes had lid support made at sheet metal shop I work for ect.. been a pain in the ***. I did put angle finder on the lid and found out the bottom bend and the top bend are different. Doubt they’ll work with me on replacing the lid. If they have one I’ll buy it but we’ll see. I emailed them. Wasting my time trying to adjust this one.

 

[Mrgreen617]

You are correct the lid is not the correct angle. I am the second owner of the unit so I doubt they’ll send me a lid. I’ll reach out but the top portion needs to be opened up a little. Afraid if I try I’ll crack the porcelain paint and it’ll be ruined.

If

Well I’ve yet to use I have bought it second hand. Hoping to try to get this all resolved before using it. Still have my bullseye! But for now been messing with the lid for days. Cut little shims filled out the holes had lid support made at sheet metal shop I work for ect.. been a pain in the ***. I did put angle finder on the lid and found out the bottom bend and the top bend are different. Doubt they’ll work with me on replacing the lid. If they have one I’ll buy it but we’ll see. I emailed them. Wasting my time trying to adjust this one.

if they replaced it for free I’d be a life time customer that’s a fact. But I doubt it.

 

[Gonefishin]

Porcelain? My 340 lid is just powder coated. Looks like the lid is bent to the same measurements as the barrel instead of the center section being longer to fit over the barrel.

if that’s the case you might try 2 layers of gasket only on the center section of the lid, whether the upper and lower sections would need it would depend on how it looks.