Someone please confirm '09 18.5 WSM char grate dimensions


 
M

Matt Simmons

TVWBB Member
*IMPORTANT* Please keep in mind that I/we are not sure yet if there was even a grate update for the '09 18.5WSM. It seems I may have accidentally stirred up some confusion off of information given to me earlier. We are still waiting for a reply directly from Weber to confirm the '09 charcoal grate design to see if in fact people are receiving the incorrect grate or not.

So, I thought I had this grate issue solved when Weber sent me the correct part number for my 09 18.5WSM. However, the part is IDENTICAL to the old model part they sent me last week. Did they mix up the parts but list the correct pn on the manifest or is the grate in fact the same? Can someone with an 09 WSM 18.5 confirm the dimensions of the charcoal grate for me and confirm you have the same issue with it that I do (coals falling through on the edge)

My ring measure just over 15" in diameter and those gaps measure about 1.75" on both sides. That gap allows coals to fall through them into the bowl below.

that 1.75 is measured from the last grate to the edge of the GRATE ring not charcoal ring

ring.jpg
 
I also have the same problem with the coal grate as you .Ive contacted Weber (uk) but they were not sure if this was the right grate or not and would get back in touch when they contact there main office.I will give them a ring and post again on any development as its been over a week now and no answers.
 
Well let me see.
IIRC from your other post, you now have three identical coal grates, though not the improved stock one you should have received with your 09 WSM.
Short field, stack two and rotate the top one @ a ninety to close the cursed gap.
On the plus side, you now have the grate mod to burn lump.
icon_wink.gif

Tim
 
Originally posted by Rick Hughes:
The improved charcoal grates are for the 22" WSM. The 18" grates still have the gaps.
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Are you sure? I was pretty certain the new 18" WSMs got an upgraded charcoal grate too.
 
My Pre-2009 18" WSM has the same charcoal grate with the gaps. It isn't a problem when using the charcoal ring, and especially isn't a problem after I put a 16" replacement grate (5 bucks at academy) on top of the WSM charcoal grate so that the rods in the grate are perpendicular to each other - I do that because I use lump charcoal and it keeps the smaller pieces from falling through.

Pat
 
Originally posted by Chris W.:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rick Hughes:
The improved charcoal grates are for the 22" WSM. The 18" grates still have the gaps.
Click to expand...

Are you sure? I was pretty certain the new 18" WSMs got an upgraded charcoal grate too. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No I'm not sure. I was told that by someone else. Sorry about that.
 
I don't know if this will add more confusion, but my brand new 09 18.5" cooker has the old style grates with teh openings at the sides as well.
 
Well, I am pretty certain that the new and old WSM 18.5 models have the same gap. On a positive note, because Weber sent me a replacement grate... I now use both, grates perpendicular to each other, and no coals fall through. Great idea Pat


now if only I can learn to cook a brisket without getting large dry parts like the one I cooked last night
 
I sent an e-mail to Mike Durso, our friend who designed of the new WSMs at Weber. He confirms that they were to close the gaps on the 18.5" grate. So either they're shipping the wrong grates or they changed their minds about the grate redesign.

I have sent an e-mail to my contact at Weber for an official response. I'll let you know what I find out.

Chris
 
I currently just offset 2 char grates. I am very happy with my WSM gap or no gap. Like you mentioned though, I just want what I paid for that is all. If they come back and say "we did not make the modification for the new 18.5" I would just say oh well. BUT, if they say they did and I just got the wrong part, is it wrong to want the correct one? I am in no way upset, just trying to get everything correct.
 
Originally posted by george curtis:
i understand wanting the right thing but why all the head banging when you can just weld on a piece of rod to "fix" the gap ??
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Not all of have welding tools, nor the knowledge to use them. Like me.
 
Not to add confusion, but . . .

I registered my new 18" WSM over the weekend. I asked the (very nice) customer service representative about the grate. She had not heard about a design modification for the grate (and I was the first person she encountered that asked about it). She then took a tape measure and went around the corner to measure the grate on a model WSM that they had in another room. She came back and told me that there was a 1-1/4" gap between the last bar and the edge of the grate (which she described as a little bit bigger than the gaps between the other bars). That was the same as my gap, measured from inside edge to inside edge (because of the way we were measuring, the numbers may be slightly different, but I definitely have a gap).
 
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