Need to tighten my stove door a scoash.

[rhetoric]

My stove (Lopi) door w/ the new gasket is a hair loose. The next size up would be WAY too big. There are washers between the stove door and the inner latch so I'm figuring I can remove one and it should be just right. But I can't get the inner latch off to get the washer out. It goes, nut, inner latch, washers, door, and then, of course, the handle. The nut came off easy. Does anybody know if that inner latch is threaded onto the threaded handle/bolt? It has about an eighth of an inch easy play now, but beyond that, nothing. Oh, and if it matters the handle threads don't go all the way around. It's one of those bolts that looks like the threads on one side are cut off -- like the bolt isn't really round -- almost "D" shaped. I have WD40ed it, but still, nothing.

Yes, I already know I should find the absolute perfect gasket, but I'm pretty sure the washers are a compensation for a gasket that was too big, so just help me w/ the latch. Thanks.

 

[rhetoric]

Hmmmmmm. Upon closer inspection the D shaped handle/bolt goes through a D shaped (female) inner latch. So that means the latch won't turn off the threads. But then the handle should pull through that inner latch and off from the outside -- but it won't. So what's it hanging up on?

 

[rhetoric]

since i know you guys are worried sick about my problem i thot i'd let you know i fixed it. not going to tell you how. just going to leave you in suspense.

 

[burntime]

Some topics just don't get the attention they deserve! ;-P

 

[Patapsco Mike]

I had the same issue this morning! I got the nut off, which wasn't easy, then the washers just would not pop off. I tried everything. I knew from looking at an exploded diagram that I was doing what needed to be done, so I persisted. What worked was laying the door across a chair and smacking the inside of the handle (where the nut had come off) with a hammer. A couple careful whacks drove the handle through the washers. I removed one washer, put it back together, and it worked like a charm.

 

[rhetoric]

OK. I'll tell ya. I gave up, went to a different dealer and got some proper Lopi gasket. Sigh.

yours humbly,

 

[crazy_dan]

ok so you did not use the 7/8" gasket the first time?

 

[fossil]

I was worried sick. :sick: I'm glad you found a suitable solution to the problem. Rick

 

[rhetoric]

Well, I went to two local stove dealers, both carried Rutland gasket. Both carried a size to small and a size too big. The second dealer used to be a Lopi dealer and just happened to have an old box of gasket. I should have bought it all if the Lopi has an odd size.