Sloppy door handle

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Don H

Don H

Feeling the Heat
Aug 19, 2015
290
Maryland
Mama Bear door handle appears to be worn and is very sloppy where it passes through the door to the point that the door is hard to operate. Is there a fix for this?

Also how did the factory get the handles through the door hole during assembly?

Thanks!
 
Early Handle and Knob.jpg
 
Does the inside have an inner washer that looks like this;

Mama Bear door marking.jpg

Or this?

Nickel Mama 6.jpg

The smaller washer can be ground off, then install at least two washers that will fit around the bend, then weld a third to the rod. The two under it provide a bearing surface and prevents wobble.

In the case of the larger "stop plate", drill a hole through the plate directly opposite the bend. 1/4 inch will do. Install a bolt with nut on the back towards door to prevent plate from moving toward door. When tightening handle, that is the direction plate moves toward door, binding in worn hole.
 
It's the one with the stop plate. Stove was made by Champion Industries.
One other issue; The end of the door latch strikes the edge of the door channel. Apparently this has been going on for a while since you can see a groove in channel. Wondering if the door latch needs to be bent a little.
 
Also the door hinges are a loose. Wondering if this stove is worth fixing or should it go to the scrap heap?
 
Does it look like it was ever fixed or modified before you got it?
 
Yes. One thing I noticed is that the draft control bolts have the nuts welded to the bolts inside the door. Also, on the outside of the door the draft knob bolts do not have a head on them. Instead there is a hole tapped in the end with a small bolt and washer to keep the draft cap from completely coming off.

Also I have not bought this stove, I looked at it but didn't buy because of these problems. If it's worth saving I don't mind putting some time into it. I have a welder and a metal lathe so I can make or repair parts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Todd67
I'm glad you found those issues before buying the stove. Good attention to detail!
 
It depends on how ambitious you are, and how much spare time you have for the project.
 
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