Kettle Wheel Upgrade


 

Joe F

TVWBB Pro
I'm not a fan of the OEM plastic wheels with their flimsy construction, inside "spider pockets" and Jeep tread.
I've seen where some have used golf cart wheels or lawnmower wheels for replacements, so I thought I'd give it a go.

I used these wheels...
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Shaft spacers...
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The operating room...
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Tools front to back...
Hubcap tool
Sharpie (not used)
Pen - used to mark cuts on shaft spacers
Mylar tape - used to shim shaft spacers
Small pry bar
Utility knife - for trimming Mylar tape
Scissors - for cutting tape
Pliers - for holding shaft spacers while cutting
Bastard file - for touching up OD of spacers
Chainsaw file - for touching up ID of spacers
4-1/2" angle grinder w/cut-off disk - for cutting shaft spacers

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Re-used the Weber "hubcaps" (push nuts)
The wheels have two ball bearings per wheel. (overkill, but cool)

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These wheels have a 1-1/2" long hub which is about the same as OEM but they have 1-3/4" wide tread which is 1/4" wider than OEM.
I used two nylon washers to space the wheels away from the legs.


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Most of the lawmower wheels have a 1/2" ID bearing bore.
The kettle has a 3/8"OD axle so you need a 3/8" - 1/2" shaft spacer.
I ended up with low tech, "rolled" spacers which needed Mylar tape shimming on their OD to snug up to the bearings.
Mylar doesn't compress much so it makes good thin shimstock, where electrical tape would be a bad choice because of it softness.
My shaft spacers were too long and had to be cut down to match the hub length.

It was an easy mod and I'm happy with the stoutness and the look.
Kind of "Little Red Wagon" retro.


I need a logo on this kettle...
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Last edited:
Nice mod, but no more off roading with that street tread:p
Yeah, but I can let the air out a bit and run the dunes at the Cape with my airplane tires.
That's the ticket, fishin' for stripers on the Outer Cape and grillin' in between fish.
And plenty of beer !

:)
 
Looks like the steel wheels would be relatively paint-friendly if someone wanted to match a colored kettle, too.
 
When I re wheeled mine, I went to the local old fashioned hardware store that still does lawnmower repair and got a pair of larger diameter wheels (free) to raise the grill height. The extra four inches has made my back very happy! I just spent ten days working on "factory height" wheels at the cottage and my back felt every day of it!
If I had had the funds for the same style as yours, it would have turned out even more grand that what I did! Nice upgrade!
 

 

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