Bayou Classic Banjo Cooker Assembly Problem (Model KAB4)

I recently received my Bayou Classic Banjo Cooker (model KAB4) in preparation for my first brewing session. The cooker is mostly assembled but I still have to attach the propane regulator hose's brass fitting to the cooker's circular air intake shutter. There is a spring that goes between the circular air control shutter and the brass hose fitting.

The air control shutter (which you initially have to cap on) fits very tightly in the first place and takes some force to turn but it can be done without the brass fitting and spring attached. My problem is that I can't screw on the brass fitting and spring to the shutter without causing the shutter to become stuck/immobile and you need to be able to turn this disk for proper air control. The manual states that the fitting needs to be lightly wrench tightened against the spring/air control shutter but there is no way I can tighten it (even lightly with a wrench) without the shutter being too tight to turn. I don't want to fire up this thing without having everything PROPERLY assembled but I can't find a solution to what should be an easy assembly step.

Has anyone else run into this problem with this part of the assembly and if so what did you do to resolve it? I've attached a picture of the air shutter and spring in question.

Thanks!

I just received my Banjo Cooker KAB4 today and am running into the same problems as you. The air control shutter becomes stuck and I cannot turn it as well.
Did you figure out how to resolve this issue?
Thanks
Tom

The solution is relatively simple and easy to do. The problem is that the casing is fairly rough and the air shutter does not slide over it easily or smoothly. You can fix the problem by smoothing off the casting with a file or coarse emery cloth. I would take a grinder to it if it were really rough which it sounds like your may be. Pay particular attention to the outside at the end of the venturi part of the casting. This is where the flange part of the air damper rides and it should be relatively smooth if you want the damper to rotate easily. You only need to lightly snug up the brass orifice fitting to the burner. Typically, these are designed to allow the gas line to swivel.

thomas13: I ended up just opening the air shutter a little ways (maybe 1/4 turn) and then attaching the brass hose fitting (without the spring) with the hope that the shutter was allowing the right air mix, since I wouldn't be able to adjust it. It still worked great and it turned out I didn't need to adjust the shutter anyways as the flames were mostly blue, but it would still be nice to be able to adjust it on the fly if need be to control the 'color' of the burn.

Catt22: Thanks for your advice! I will try the filing approach and see if that works.

Thanks guys, I'll give both suggestions a try. I just didn't want to have to struggle with the air shutter a whole lot while the burner was burning.
Thanks for the response.