Mods all done an ready for breaking it in today


 

Mike Leiter

TVWBB Pro
I had posted in the other WSM forum about my first WSM coming and it was damaged and missing parts . The new one arrived last night and got started right away with the " Upgrades " and mods I have seen and have been recommended by others on this site.

I bought extra Weber handles and used some 3/4 stock to make my own handles for the sides using the factory holes for the inside brackets. Handle part # 80671 which is the plastic outer handle only and got from Amazon. Painted the brackets with high temp grill paint to match the WSM
I bought a extra 22" charcoal grate #63014 and 18" charcoal ring #63007 I can use for smaller loads when needed. Not necessary and more $ but....Wired them together with rebar ties..Added stainless u-bolts to make it easier to pull out
Wired the WSM charcoal grate to the ring an added a smaller grate from HD # 7441 to the middle of the ring so I can run lump easier with less fall through..Used longer eye bolts for handles to make it easier to pull it out when needed.
Added stainless U-bolts to second cooking grate .
Added 2 stainless washers to the inner bracket top holes and one to the bottom hole. Makes the racks fit better on the pegs as well as the water bowl if I ever fill it...
Added the probe hole mod using the electrical piping and a gas pipe plug to block it off when not needed. Prepped and painted with hi-temp grill paint to match the WSM..Will see how well the paint holds on this metal
Added 100lb each 2" locking wheels to the legs making it easier to roll around on porch. I have assorted grills and usually wheel the one/s I'm using to edge and away from house when grilling/smoking. It was fun getting them so they were 100% true up and down and not angled so it would hold the load better. If they start to push out I can always add flat stock to create a brace around all 3 of the legs or create a triangle out of something and bolt it down to that first.

Hopefully will get the Cajun door down the road as the stock one is lightweight BUT this one fits really nice for now. I`m really glad in my debate over a 18 or a 22 that I went bigger. This will hold so much more when needed and I can adapt for smaller loads when needed too with smaller ring loads..

Wife was leas than impressed with me assembling in the house at 9:00 pm but she will grateful for the smoked chicken we have for dinner Wed. If you decide to assemble in the house as I did, put old sheet down or towels as the grates in these are very oily from the box. I did do all the drilling and clipping of rebar ties outside.

A few pics
100_1848.jpg~original

100_1847-1.jpg~original

100_1846.jpg~original

100_1850.jpg~original

100_1851-1.jpg~original
 
Last edited:
Dang! looks good... cant believe you got to do all that stuff without firing it up for the first time. Happy smoking!
 
Dang! looks good... cant believe you got to do all that stuff without firing it up for the first time. Happy smoking!

Been reading the boards for awhile and ordered a WSM and had bought some parts already. First WSM came damaged and missing parts so I had some time to wait. I was able to use the damaged one to mock up the parts so when second complete WSM came it was real east to just install all of it on that. Modded last night and smoking 2 chickens on it today!!
 
Nice work Mike. I want to put handles on mine and a fixed, analog thermometer at the grill level.

Bob
 
You planning on cooking with that thing inside...:cool: I put my handles on so that they were horizontal, as it seemed easier to pick up that way... Good start, now it is time to cook...................david
 
As I'm sure you read/saw my mod thread, I also did the mods before sparking it up for the first time. Nice & clean to work on, but not anymore. lol
 
Thanks for the compliments guys. I figured it was easier to do it all while it was clean like Chad also mentioned and not have to worry about messing with it later.

David, No cooking inside here..LOL It was late at night and didn't feel like hauling it all outside after pulling it all out to inspect for damages. Just laid some old sheets down in family room and put it all together. Its the last time it will ever see the inside of the house and now resides in the storage room out back.. I thought about doing the horizontal handles and it would be easier to pick it up that way. I just didn't want to drill 2 more holes in the body after already making one for the probe port..
 
I really like the clean look of the handles you made. Looks pro. I used genie garage door handles (they work fine) but may upgrade to your design for appearance at a later date.

I like they idea of the 18" charcoal ring for smaller cooks as well. For smaller cooks I put less coal in the 22" ring but the idea of having a smaller ring appeals to me. Though I've seen others do this I am not sure: what's the advantage of the smaller ring vs less fuel?

Did you put handles on the lower cooking grate? I think this is my next improvement.
 
Last edited:
I really like the clean look of the handles you made. Looks pro. I used genie garage door handles (they work fine) but my upgrade to your design for appearance at a later date.

I like they idea of the 18" charcoal ring for smaller cooks as well. For smaller cooks I put less coal in the 22" ring but the idea of haing a smaller ring appeals to me. Though I've seen others do this I am not sure: what's the advantage of the smaller ring vs less fuel?

Did you put handles on the lower cooking grate? I think this is my next improvement.

Ive had problems using a small amout of coal in the 22 because they are spread out and the fire occasionally doesnt spread the greatest where I could see the 18" ring allowing for "stacking" of the coal better
 
I really like the clean look of the handles you made. Looks pro. I used genie garage door handles (they work fine) but my upgrade to your design for appearance at a later date.

I like they idea of the 18" charcoal ring for smaller cooks as well. For smaller cooks I put less coal in the 22" ring but the idea of haing a smaller ring appeals to me. Though I've seen others do this I am not sure: what's the advantage of the smaller ring vs less fuel?

Did you put handles on the lower cooking grate? I think this is my next improvement.

I did put handles on the lower cooking grate too..Just don't have a pic showing it here. I bought a bunch of stainless U bolts from Lowes since they were doing clearance on them and selling $6.00 plus ones for $1.10 or so and some as little as $.80c. I did use stainless eye bolts on the larger charcoal grate since they were taller. I went with the smaller 18" ring since its more compact in design and I can keep the coals more contained for better burn with less amounts of charcoal on small runs. I used it instead of the 22" on my first run with 2 chickens and some ribs and it worked great over 5 hrs. Choked it out and still had a good amount of charcoal left in basket. The handles were fairly easy to make and stayed really cool during 5-6 hr first run so can easily be used during smoke if needed.

Chris Bjork
It did work out great for that and I was hoping it would allow for that and less coal needed for same heat levels in smaller runs..It worked great on first smoke the next day.
 
Nice looking upgrades Mike. Not to change subjects but whats up with the damaged or missing parts on new orders? That doesnt speak to well for the company. Mine will arrive tomorrow, hope i dont have to send it back.
 
Nice looking upgrades Mike. Not to change subjects but whats up with the damaged or missing parts on new orders? That doesnt speak to well for the company. Mine will arrive tomorrow, hope i dont have to send it back.

I really don't think mine was shipped from Weber this way. Once I got the new one and I had them both here I could compare. The parts box on the first one had the tape cut and all parts missing and the dividers in the box were broken/torn. Also all the bubble wrap and plastic was removed from the parts on the first unit that the second one had.. The first one also had 2 wood strips across the top the cooking grates were attached to and the new one did not or even have room for them.I think it may have been a return that Amazon may have reshipped out or ?? The damage to the box may have been from shipping it with the shipper or returned due to it and sent back out. The new one I got had a box that showed it had been slid around a bunch in shipping but the inside was packed solid and protected. Both of my Weber Golds were nicely packed too so I think you will be fine on yours coming..
 
An update on the vertical handle mod. After reading the earlier posts I went to Lowes. Found they had a pair of Blue Hawk garage door handles (# 2586761) for $ 3.98.
Only very minor modification required to adapt them vertically to the Grate Support. They did not have the Genie, or Stanley handles mentioned in the Tips and Mods Section.
Happy Cooking
 
I had posted in the other WSM forum about my first WSM coming and it was damaged and missing parts . The new one arrived last night and got started right away with the " Upgrades " and mods I have seen and have been recommended by others on this site.

I bought extra Weber handles and used some 3/4 stock to make my own handles for the sides using the factory holes for the inside brackets. Handle part # 80671 which is the plastic outer handle only and got from Amazon. Painted the brackets with high temp grill paint to match the WSM
I bought a extra 22" charcoal grate #63014 and 18" charcoal ring #63007 I can use for smaller loads when needed. Not necessary and more $ but....Wired them together with rebar ties..Added stainless u-bolts to make it easier to pull out
Wired the WSM charcoal grate to the ring an added a smaller grate from HD # 7441 to the middle of the ring so I can run lump easier with less fall through..Used longer eye bolts for handles to make it easier to pull it out when needed.
Added stainless U-bolts to second cooking grate .
Added 2 stainless washers to the inner bracket top holes and one to the bottom hole. Makes the racks fit better on the pegs as well as the water bowl if I ever fill it...
Added the probe hole mod using the electrical piping and a gas pipe plug to block it off when not needed. Prepped and painted with hi-temp grill paint to match the WSM..Will see how well the paint holds on this metal
Added 100lb each 2" locking wheels to the legs making it easier to roll around on porch. I have assorted grills and usually wheel the one/s I'm using to edge and away from house when grilling/smoking. It was fun getting them so they were 100% true up and down and not angled so it would hold the load better. If they start to push out I can always add flat stock to create a brace around all 3 of the legs or create a triangle out of something and bolt it down to that first.

Hopefully will get the Cajun door down the road as the stock one is lightweight BUT this one fits really nice for now. I`m really glad in my debate over a 18 or a 22 that I went bigger. This will hold so much more when needed and I can adapt for smaller loads when needed too with smaller ring loads..

Wife was leas than impressed with me assembling in the house at 9:00 pm but she will grateful for the smoked chicken we have for dinner Wed. If you decide to assemble in the house as I did, put old sheet down or towels as the grates in these are very oily from the box. I did do all the drilling and clipping of rebar ties outside.

A few pics
100_1848.jpg~original

100_1847-1.jpg~original

100_1846.jpg~original

100_1850.jpg~original

100_1851-1.jpg~original
I just got my 22" WSM smoker. Do you still have the photos of your mods on installing handles on the side of the cooking chamber?
 

 

Back
Top