clydesdale handle issues revisted

[nwohioclydesdale]

Good evening! Like many of you, I am getting excited and ready for the wood burning season. After having the Clydesdale for a couple of years now, we are fairly happy with it. In late spring the rheostat went South. I ended up hot wiring it , but this does not shut it off when it goes cold. I've learned that many of the stove companies all use the same stat across the board. On top of that, we've had handle problems from day 1. Last year (like a lot of people-my handle bit the dust)....I worked with another dealer who obtained the replacement kit for me.
After installing the kit, the handle still has a lot of play (seems funky). (The latch bolt has a cut out channel in it after the threads so that the handle set screw digs into it. If the latch side does not have gap/offset, the set screw can not align with the channel--but instead digs into the threads.)
So, while the stove is cold, I went back through the instructions ONE more time. What I noticed is that the latch part does not stick out very much. There are washers that you can add/subtract. And...then it happened. After screwing the handle in/out 100 times, I noticed that there is a bushing inside the door that is loose/moves around. (This bushing is no where to be found in the parts breakdowns). This bushing I guess is supposed to be firm? and therfore meeting the washers-keeping the latch aligned. I have tried to hold the latch as I screw the handle (with the bushing sticking out a tad)-but as you tighten it up..the bushing slips back in the door and then the latch is flush and has no "adjustment" When this happens, the washers are actually serving no purpose.

I guess my question is ..do I indeed have a bad bushing..or is there a "oh duh" solution/fix for this. Can any of you Clydesdale owners take a quick peak at your door and maybe post a quick pic?

 

[Firedancer]

 

[begreen]

Ping stovelark to see if he can answer this question.

 

[nwohioclydesdale]

thanks so much..this is exactly my issue. In Firedancer's pics you can see either the bushing or washer sticking out past the door-whereas my latch does not. I was wondering if the solution is as simple as adding a washer or something in the front so it cannot move in?

 

[jrems]

It looks like you could replace it with a standard bronze bushing. You should be able to get one with the same id x od at ace hardware. You can get a longer one and cut it to fit.

 

[nwohioclydesdale]

I guess I wasn't sure exactly how long to make it. What I just did tonight was "scrap" the factory washers on the latch side and substituted a regular washer that now sits against the door. Now the door shuts like a hand and a glove. I think this was never right from day 1. I would of never thought that an item like a bushing would cause such an issue lol. So I guess it comes down to cutting a bushing a little longer and using factory washers or is it ok to use a stainless washer like I have done? Let the brain session begin!