Brand New WSM 22" Not happy


 

DBono

TVWBB Super Fan
Hi All Has any body come across this problem with a brand new WSM 22".. All vents top n bottom have pin holes openings in them. I can see the daylight coming thur.
Going too be very hard to regulate temps and shut down the smoker,when done. Also the door is going to need a lot of work..Don't want to spend for a CB door.

I'm hoping after a few cooks maybe the the grease will help close the pin holes some. If not I'm right back to square one same as my with old WSM 22.
Dan
 
All vents top n bottom have pin holes openings in them. I can see the daylight coming thur
Do you mean that you can't close them all the way? There's a "stop notch" in the daisy wheels, maybe yours aren't bent correctly and causing you wheels to not fully close? A little tooling should do the trick
 
Weber customer support is excellent and if you have a defective part they will replace it. I would call them.
 
Do you mean that you can't close them all the way? There's a "stop notch" in the daisy wheels, maybe yours aren't bent correctly and causing you wheels to not fully close? A little tooling should do the trick

Hi Right they don't close ALL the way, I see daylight coming thru..I tried to bend one of the tabs/stop notch and broke it off.

Weber customer support is excellent and if you have a defective part they will replace it. I would call them.
Then I would have to send back the bottom bowl? I sent them them an E-mail waiting for their reply.

My Email to Weber

For what's it's worth this brand new model that I purchased, has the same problems as the WSM 22" that I just got rid of. The the bottom vents didn't close all the way.
When I put together the new one I could see openings in all 3 bottom vents, guess I have to get out the foil tape once again. I can see daylight thru them the openings, going to make hard to shut down! Also the top vent has openings and is very loose.
Other then that it went together pretty easy. Haven't fired it up yet. I'm hoping the vents aren't going to be a problem,like the old one.
Thanks Dan
 
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Sorry double post


Do you mean that you can't close them all the way? There's a "stop notch" in the daisy wheels, maybe yours aren't bent correctly and causing you wheels to not fully close? A little tooling should do the trick

Hi Right they don't close ALL the way. I can see pin holes and daylight coming thru. I tried to bend one of the tabs/stop notch and the tab broke off.

Funny thing is I got rid of my old WSM 22 cause the vents were not closing all the way and made it hard to adjust temps and shut down.
 
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The poor fitting doors have been a known issue since the 22.5" debuted in 2009. Your only choice is to work on it patiently to bend it back into a shape that fits well or to buy the Cajun Bandit replacement...and some people report here that even those replacement doors don't always fit perfectly.

Breaking off one or more of those tabs/stops, while not ideal, is not a show-stopper. By the time you get to adjusting the fourth damper, you'll have it down to a science. :D No, you shouldn't have to do this. A phone call to Weber at 800-446-1071 is always the fastest way to resolve such issues with new smokers under warranty.
 
Chances are Weber will send out replacement daisy wheel vents. The only drawback is you'll have to drill out the old rivet(s), and screw on the new vent fastener(s). I have a kit myself, but I never needed them like I thought I would. Glad to have extras on hand though.
 
With all due respect, and absolutely no disrespect intended, I've never understood why there is a need to get these cookers 100% airtight.
They were not designed or built that way.
I have no problem cooking on them just the way they are.
Never had a problem adjusting temps or getting them to shut down.
 
Mine have never closed all the way. There's just a teeny tiny bit of an opening because of the tab which must be by design. Mine will still shut down pretty well with the top vent and the bottom vents closed. I think your only option is to get the kit and file the tabs down if you want it completely closed. I like the cajun bandit door, but I'm kind of with Bob on this one after cooking with mine long enough.
 
With all due respect, and absolutely no disrespect intended, I've never understood why there is a need to get these cookers 100% airtight.
They were not designed or built that way.
I have no problem cooking on them just the way they are.
Never had a problem adjusting temps or getting them to shut down.
What he said. Other than a few minutes of tweaking the fit on the door I haven't had to do anything to my WSM in the past 15+ years to make it work. It isn't air-tight, and even has a couple of extra holes where I installed grommets to pass wires through, and it cooks just fine.
 
Mine have never closed all the way. There's just a teeny tiny bit of an opening because of the tab which must be by design. Mine will still shut down pretty well with the top vent and the bottom vents closed. I think your only option is to get the kit and file the tabs down if you want it completely closed. I like the cajun bandit door, but I'm kind of with Bob on this one after cooking with mine long enough.

My old 22" WSM that I bought off of Craiglist had tiny openings in the bottom vents, and was a MPIA to shut down and to regulate temps.
Didn't want to change the vents in that one, so a new WSM was in order, to resolve the problem..The door I can work with to make it fit better.
Sending back the bottom bowl would be an another MPIA, unless Weber sent one first, just put the damage one in their box and send it back.

I'm glad to hear that some who have openings in vents came away without any major problems.
The WSM is mainly for over night smokes

Thanks for your replipes Dan
PS Can't get any good pics showing the openings

My old WSM
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I think you are probably spoiled by the build quality of that Shirley fabrication rig! I'm so jealous. Once my wife gets out of nursing school I'm going to buy a smoker. They are the main one I'm looking at.
 
Mine have never closed all the way. There's just a teeny tiny bit of an opening because of the tab which must be by design. Mine will still shut down pretty well with the top vent and the bottom vents closed. I think your only option is to get the kit and file the tabs down if you want it completely closed. I like the cajun bandit door, but I'm kind of with Bob on this one after cooking with mine long enough.

Hi So you also had tiny openings on the vents. Have you had any problems regulating temps and getting it to shut down.
The door I can work with.. I did mange to do it with my older WSM.
Maybe I'm being a little paranoid after messing with my old WSM.
Thanks Dan

PS Best way to get the rubber temp gourmet in?
 
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My 18" WSM vents do close down all the way.

My new door was a sloppy fit, and the more I tried to bend it, the worse I made the seal.

Bit the bullet and bought a gasket kit and that has helped alot!

Still, I don't care what the product is - having to tweak a brand new product cuz of bad fits, designs is just not right...it...should...be...right from the get go. imho, of course.
 
My 18" WSM vents do close down all the way.

My new door was a sloppy fit, and the more I tried to bend it, the worse I made the seal.

Bit the bullet and bought a gasket kit and that has helped alot!

Still, I don't care what the product is - having to tweak a brand new product cuz of bad fits, designs is just not right...it...should...be...right from the get go. imho, of course.

I agree with you 100% I shouldn't have to mess around with anything!!!
 
Weber customer support is excellent and if you have a defective part they will replace it. I would call them.

WOW I'm impressed with Weber sent them an 2 Emails regarding my concern over the openings in the vents..Got an Email reply today a new bowl is on its way:) Made my day!!!
Can't beat that for customer service!!!!!
Dan
PS I think Weber must be reading these forums.
 

 

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