Need An Opinion...Kettle Bowl Damage


 
M

Matt Heebner

TVWBB Fan
I would like for you guys to look at the pictures I snapped last night grillin some steaks. I occasionally check the bowl for any tye of damage, and last night I saw this. It looks like its getting worse as I do not remember seeing anthing like this the last time I checked.

Worth a call to Weber or am I just being too worried ?



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Well I ended up calling Weber, as I grill about 4 times a week during the summer and I don't feel safe cooking with that grill. I just sent them pictures so we will see what becomes of it. Date code is DR so I am with in the 10 year warranty yet on this.
 
Resolved !! Another gold star for Webers customer service. They are sending me a new bowl with dampers. Email stated I should be receiving in 10 days.
Thanks Weber !!!
 
that is a result of coals burning hot on one side repeatedly. mine are like that also. one is worse and one is not that bad.
 
I'm glad to hear the issue has been resolved!

But I'm still having a hard time figuring what I'm looking at in those close up photos. All I see are scratch marks. Another photo showing some context (not a close up pic) would be helpful.
 
My brick red bowl did the same thing last year. I had a replacement ASAP. As George Curtis points out it is from banking very hot coals to one side repeatedly. Mine got that way from doing steaks. I now use the charcoal baskets to elevate my coals right under the cast iron in the CENTER of my grill. so far no problems.

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Matt, thanks for posting those pictures. THAT is exactly what happened on my 2010 Platinum. I just called weber and have to send them pictures, before they will send me a new one. I can't wait to get home from work to do it. I can see that yes I do bank coals (I mostly use Royal Oark hardwood, which burns hot anyway) in that particular area on one side or the other because of the way the lid is situated. But once I get my new one, hopefully, they will send it...I will be sure to keep the coals away from it. Did you find it easy to take apart and install??? I did not put mine together I had the guys at the BBQ store do it for me:)
 
Regina, It is not hard at all. 4 main bolts hold it to the cart. You also have some hardware holding the gas assist in, dont forget about that. Then you have to remove the lid bale (holder) there are 3 nuts for this and they may be a bit hard to get off since they are on the inside of the bowl. Finally you will need to remove the ash catcher by gently prying back the retaining clips on the inside. Lastly is the ash sweeper itself. To remove this you need a flat screwdriver to allow the handle to rotate and release from the blades. I have the instruction sheet for this that I will scan in tonight and post here.
 
Timothy Hoffman said:
Regina, It is not hard at all. 4 main bolts hold it to the cart. You also have some hardware holding the gas assist in, dont forget about that. Then you have to remove the lid bale (holder) there are 3 nuts for this and they may be a bit hard to get off since they are on the inside of the bowl. Finally you will need to remove the ash catcher by gently prying back the retaining clips on the inside. Lastly is the ash sweeper itself. To remove this you need a flat screwdriver to allow the handle to rotate and release from the blades. I have the instruction sheet for this that I will scan in tonight and post here.
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Thanks Timothy, I appreciate it. I do have a folder with the original paperwork and warranty, I will look that up in my file.
I have NOOO idea why that angry face is on my post! I am not angry!! I tried to edit it and it did not work. I used to be on this forum a lot in the past and just started back again with my old password restored by Chris....so please forgive the bad emoticon!:)
 
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Thanks Timothy,...I have NOoooo idea why that angry face was at the start of my post!!! I was on here awhile again and just started back, but always a scanning the posts. So I am new to posting again
 
And Thanks again George and Timothy! I learned my lesson...I am going to use my baskets in the middle for steaks etc...
 
OK, I finded them! If Chris is reading this, feel free to add them to the archives.

The important step is 4b. If you do this backwards the closed vent position will be in the middle instead of the left.

I am also including a photo of how I set up for high heat searing.

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Hey all, just got back from a week long fishing trip in MN and saw that this thread has grown since I was last here. Got the bowl and dampers in like three days from the day I called Webers CS but it had to wait till today to actually replace. Everything went pretty smoothly EXCEPT the nut/bolt holding the bottom of the lid holder was completely rusted tight. Had to bust out the metal cut-off wheel to cut the nut off the bolt. A quick run to the hardware store remedied that issue (those bolts/nuts/washers are all 1/4" in case someone needs to know)

I guess I too will have to start utilizing the middle of the bowl instead of the left side....:p
 
If this is indeed a common occurance, all because of banking hot coals in direct contact with the side of the bowl, then I would expect Weber to honour the warranty as this appears to be a glaring deficency. So far, Weber has replaced the bowl but I should think that at some point they may bawk and accuse some of wilfully damaging the bowl.
However, they say nothing about not banking coals against the side and as a matter of fact, say to do just that for indirect heating with the charcoal rails (that they sell). If they would want us to use the baskets, then said baskets should have been provided in the price of the kettle or a directive to not bank coals against the side.

No, I will continue to bank coals on the side of the kettle when I do a slow cook, and woe to Weber if and whenever the porcelain starts to crack. I will expect a FREE exchange or repair for the full 10 year warranty period. Of course what I expect and demand may be completely different to what I actually recieve.
 
it has been said many times and it needsto be said again. weber hardware is junk. worse than that even. replace all hardware with ss stuff. especially when putting together a new unit. that rust will damage the porcelain in time.
 
George Curtis said:
it has been said many times and it needsto be said again. weber hardware is junk. worse than that even. replace all hardware with ss stuff. especially when putting together a new unit. that rust will damage the porcelain in time.
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Said again! You're right George. I'd never seen a sheet metal nut before that is until I bought a Weber.
 
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