Dome alignment and “openbite” or “overbite” issue

Hey everyone,

I recently picked up a used Kamado Joe Big Joe 3 (unknown age) and I’m trying to get it into good working shape. I’m fairly new to these, so I’d really appreciate the wisdom of this community. The ceramic body is in great shape and the leafs aren’t cracked, which made me think the rest of the issues could be sorted out with some TLC.

Here’s what I’ve noticed so far:

1. Lower band droop – When I first looked at the hinge, opening the dome caused the lower band to “droop.” I assumed that wasn’t normal, so I tightened the band until it no longer did that.
2. Alignment problems – No matter how I position the lower band, I can’t get the dome centered. If the band sits lower, I get an “open bite.” If I set it higher, I get an “overbite” (but mostly closed). A mechanically inclined friend helped me and we still couldn’t dial it in.
3. Hinge arms – At rest, the Air Lift hinge arms are splayed apart, which makes it almost impossible to drop the whole hinge onto the 12 bolts. The only way I can install it is by putting the hinge onto the lower band’s 6 bolts first, then dropping the dome into the top two arms. Is that normal? The arms being splayed also push the upper arms forward, which seems to force the dome into an overbite.
4. Creaky hinge – The hinge creaks loudly when opening. Is this typical, or a sign of something wrong?
5. Previous owner’s workaround? – The latch on the front is missing, which makes me think the last owner gave up on the alignment/overbite issue.
6. Other minor issues – I repaired a loose upper/lower gasket, and the Kontrol Tower’s outer metal is peeling.
7. Condition so far – I did a high-temp clean since it hadn’t been used in over a year, and it seems to run fine.

I’m happy to video call with anyone if that would make it easier to talk through ideas. Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/qdFFQeNxwjfR9sCa9

Thanks in advance for any advice, tips, or troubleshooting steps!