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Traeger Lid Not Closing All The Way
Manufacturer’s defects, gunk building up around the hinges, and excess wear and tear can cause a Traeger’s lid to not close all the way.
Understanding what to do about it, and whether a lid gap is covered by the warranty can be a little tricky.
If your Traeger grill is new, or within the three-year warranty period, you should contact Traeger’s customer service at 1-800-Traeger. They can help assess if it’s a manufacturer’s defect, and might even be able to send you a replacement lid.
Sometimes all you need to do is clean soot and grease away from the hinges to close the lid gap on a Traeger grill. With the material cleared away and the hinges lightly lubricated the grill lid might once again close all the way.
If the hinges need to be adjusted, you can usually do so with a simple Phillips head screwdriver.
You might also need to work some metal shims in place to help tighten the hinge screws down after adjusting.
If the lid gap on your Traeger grill is a quarter-inch or more, you might want to get some Lava Lock or Smoker Chef XXL gasket material. You can buy it online or at select hardware stores to add a simple gasket to help better seal your grill’s lid.
Why Is My Traeger Lid Not Closing all the Way?
If you have a new Traeger wood pellet grill and you find that the lid won’t close all the way after assembly, it might be a manufacturing defect. Traeger’s warranty will cover it and you can contact their customer service department at 1-800-TRAEGER.
If you’ve had your grill for a while, and it’s out of warranty when you notice the lid won’t close completely, then you might need to make a few minor adjustments to the lid or the hinges.
Adjusting The Hinges on a Traeger Grill
Most Traeger wood pellet grills have a pair of robust hinges on the top. There are a few different things that can affect these hinges, which will influence what you need to do to make your Traeger lid close all the way.
Sometimes soot, grease, or other debris can get into the hinge causing the lid to not close all the way. Some careful cleaning to remove any noticeable gunk and a vigorous spray of penetrating lubricant like WD 40 might be enough to close the lid gap.
Sometimes changes in the metal can cause the hinges to sit too tightly at the top. In a case like this, you can use a small Phillips screwdriver to partially loosen the screws until the lid gap is gone.
If you tighten the screws down again and the lid gap returns, then you might need to loosen them and insert a tiny metal shim under the screws. You can use a small piece of aluminum to act as a spacer when tightening the hinge screws down again.
Install A Gasket On Your Traeger’s Lid
If the lid gap on your Traeger grill is around a quarter inch, and adjusting the screws hasn’t had the effect you want, you might want to try installing an aftermarket gasket. You can buy a self-adhesive heat-rated gasket tape online or at some hardware stores that sell grills.
Lava Lock is one of the most popular grill gasket options. You can get it in varying thicknesses ranging from 1/8th to ½ an inch. Smoker Chef XXL is also another popular heat-rated temporary gasket that can help seal a 1/8th to ½-inch lid gap on a Traeger grill.
Make A Warranty Claim For A Replacement Lid
If your Traeger grill is less than three years old, you might be able to file a warranty claim through Traeger’s customer service. They will want pictures of the lid gap, and the hinges and will likely ask you key questions about how the wood pellet grill has been used.
If they approve your warranty claim, they will ship a new lid to you. While their warranty doesn’t specifically cover installation costs, replacing the lid on a Traeger grill is relatively easy, and won’t take you more than half an hour.
How Do I Make My Traeger Lid Close More?
Cleaning the hinges and adjusting the screws that hold the lid to the top of the smoking chamber is usually sufficient for closing the lid gap on a Traeger. Though you might need to add some small metal shims around the hinge screws to help them seat tightly again after loosening.
Should I Be Closing the Lid on my Traeger All the Way?
Ideally, you want the lid on your Traeger grill to seat firmly. This traps smoke inside the primary chamber with enough density to deeply permeate the meat.
Traeger Lid Hinge
The hinges on a Traeger wood pellet grill can get soot and grease trapped in them causing a minor lid gap. If thoroughly cleaning the hinges isn’t enough to get the lid to close all the way you might need to mechanically adjust the hinges.
This calls for using a Phillips screwdriver to slightly loosen the screws holding the highest at the top rear of the smoking chamber. This minor amount of slack in the hinges should allow you to seal the lid gap on your Traeger.
You might need to insert some thin aluminum shims under the edge of the hinges before tightening the screws down again. This will ensure that the screws seat firmly, while the Traeger’s lid gap remains closed.
What To Do If My Traeger Lid Won’t Close all the Way
If your Traeger grill is new, or within the three-year warranty period, you should call Traeger’s customer service department at 1-800-TRAEGER. They can walk you through your options, determine if it’s a manufacturing defect, and might even send you a replacement lid for your Traeger grill.
If you are outside the three-year warranty period, then you might be able to adjust the hinges yourself with little more than a Phillips screwdriver and some metal shims.
If the lid gap on your Traeger is a quarter-inch or more, it might be easier to simply install an aftermarket grill gasket on the underside of the lid. Lava Lock and Smoker Chef XXL sell self-adhesive grill gaskets online that are perfect for this DIY repair.
Does Traeger Have a Lifetime Warranty?
All Traeger grills are backed by a three-year warranty against manufacturer defects. This includes problems with the lid.
Some of the higher-end Traeger grills like the new Timberline Series and the Ironwood come with extended warranty coverage of five, seven, or even ten years. Some of these warranty policies include coverage for defects with the lid.
Final Thoughts
Traeger grills are made in China with exacting manufacturing standards. Yet it is possible for rare manufacturing defects or problems caused by wear and tear to cause a Traeger grill’s lid to not close all the way.
If your Traeger grill is less than three years old you might want to start by contacting Traeger’s customer service at 1-800-TRAEGER. They’ll assess if it’s a manufacturer’s defect, and might even be able to send you a replacement lid.
If you have a slightly older Traeger, grease and soot deposits can build up enough on the hinges to keep the lid from closing. After a good cleaning and lubricating, the grill lid should close all the way.
If the hinges are clean, then they might just need some minor adjustment. This can be done with little more than a simple Phillips head screwdriver, and perhaps some aluminum metal shims.
If you have a lid gap on your Traeger grill that is a quarter-inch or more, you might want to get some Lava Lock or Smoker Chef XXL gasket material. You can usually find it at hardware stores that sell grill or you can buy it online through vendors like Amazon.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.