Harman Door Pin Falling Out

[bungalobob]

I thought the first time this happened it was just because it wasn't installed correctly, but now that it has happened again, it's obviously an issue. A week ago I opened the door on my P68 to clean away the ash and clinkers, part of my three to four times a day routine. As I pulled the door open it came off the bottom hinge. The pin wiggled up a little bit I guess each time I opened the door. The first time it happened I banged it back down with a hammer and felt the problem resolved. Checked a few times over the next week and it did not budge. Forgot about it until today, opened the door and bam, there it is hanging on one hinge and me trying to be careful not to let the top hinge bend. Had the youngest run off to the kitchen and get some real manly oven gloves so I could put it back together. Was afraid to leave it untended in case it slipped from the doorway and then broke off the top hinge. Question that seems incredibly obvious to me is why are these pins not drilled out and a cotter pin installed for just this reason? Does it save the manufacturer a buck or so? Anyone else ever have this problem? Going to talk to the stove shop tomorrow and see if they have another style pin to install, if not I'll get my own. Hate to think how the wife would have handled this if I was at work. Long post, sorry.

 

[imacman]

...... A week ago I opened the door on my P68 to clean away the ash and clinkers, part of my three to four times a day routine.........

Hope you get the door pin fixed...why don't you just drill it & pin it yourself? It's not a big job, and i'm sure the pin isn't heat treated....should be able to drill w/ regular drill bit.

BTW, "clean away the ash and clinkers, part of my three to four times a day routine" ??????? YIKES! Now I know that my letting my stove go for a week w/o out opening the door or cleaning at all was a bit excessive, but scraping 3-4 x a day is WAY excessive, IMO.

Maybe once a day......

 

[bungalobob]

...... A week ago I opened the door on my P68 to clean away the ash and clinkers, part of my three to four times a day routine.........

Hope you get the door pin fixed...why don't you just drill it & pin it yourself? It's not a big job, and i'm sure the pin isn't heat treated....should be able to drill w/ regular drill bit.

BTW, "clean away the ash and clinkers, part of my three to four times a day routine" ??????? YIKES! Now I know that my letting my stove go for a week w/o out opening the door or cleaning at all was a bit excessive, but scraping 3-4 x a day is WAY excessive, IMO.

Maybe once a day......

When I was burning Hamers Hot Ones, I scraped once a day. Trying some of the two tons of New England Wood Pellets Tan Bag Red Lettering that I have, and they burn like sh@#! Can't wait to burn them off. They give good heat and acceptable ash, but lots of clinkers and ash in the burn pot. Darn near snuffed out a fire the day after I started to use them.
Yeah, I may drill it myself. Might be easier, but the stove shop is less than five minutes away and if they have what I need right there on the shelf, it would be quicker than me getting the project set up.

 

[imacman]

Bungalo, just sent you a PM.....

 

[stoveguy2esw]

pull th epi out and "scribble" on it heavily with an ordinary pencil , the pencil lead is graphite which is an excellent contact lubricant and its inert, (non-flammable) ive done this in the past with hinge pins on occasion with success

 

[imacman]

Rod, I've heard of the pencil trick before, but in this case, the pin is coming out....wouldn't the graphite just make the pin slide out even faster, or am I missing something? (probably...LOL).

 

[stoveguy2esw]

the pin is working out because of friction applied as the door swings one way . essentially there is a bit of side play in the hinges where the pin passes through , by making the pin slick you remove the friction and it shouldnt grip the pin and cause it to rise out when the door is moved

 

[imacman]

ahhhhhhhh...got it....makes sense.....hope it works.

 

[bungalobob]

the pin is working out because of friction applied as the door swings one way . essentially there is a bit of side play in the hinges where the pin passes through , by making the pin slick you remove the friction and it shouldnt grip the pin and cause it to rise out when the door is moved

Thanks, Mike. I'll give that a try. Makes sense that the friction would cause it to rise. I guess they machined it a little to close to tolerance.

 

[bungalobob]

the pin is working out because of friction applied as the door swings one way . essentially there is a bit of side play in the hinges where the pin passes through , by making the pin slick you remove the friction and it shouldnt grip the pin and cause it to rise out when the door is moved

Thanks, Mike. I'll give that a try. Makes sense that the friction would cause it to rise. I guess they machined it a little to close to tolerance.

And the pin had to be beat back down with a hammer as well. Ruined all that nice new black paint. Have to touch it up along with a few other areas.