18 vs 22 WSM distance from top cooking rack to charcoal grate


 
J

Justin Hood

New member
Thought I'd be able to figure it out based on all these measurements provided on the virtual weber bullet detailed specs page, but seems like I'm missing something to do so. Distances b/t each model's top and bottom cooking grates are there, & from their water pans to charcoal grates, but do not have distances from either top or bottom cooking grate to water pan (or charcoal grate), to calculate total distance from top cooking grate to charcoal grate for each.

Unless I'm missing something obvious from the table below, would someone with both these models mind just measuring the distance from the top cooking grate to the charcoal grate of each for me?


Screenshot 2021-07-02 3.38.28 AM.png
 
Not sure where all those come from exactly, I assume distance from grate to bottom of pan, thickness of pan, distance from bottom cooking grate to top cooking grate.. still not seeing how to relate cooking grate positions to pan and below. But anyway I'll trust your guys numbers... so 20.75" on the 18" vs. 26.25 on the 22" from top cooking rack to charcoal grate. And the difference in heights of the rib hangers I'm looking at from 18 to 22 is 3/4", so getting over 6" more dangling distance to the coals with that setup in a 22" vs. 18", was my end goal comparison. Much appreciated.


 
Last edited:
Justin -- the number you are looking for in the 18.5 is 21.5 inches.

That is the distance from the crossbar of my Hunsaker hanger down to the top edge of the charcoal ring. I don't think any of the other typical hangers sit higher than the Hunsaker -- they are the same or slightly less I think.

The full StL slabs I get from Costco are about 17.5 long. BBs are a little shorter. So a full StL slab fits, but the clearance is more like 3-4 inches than 6.

You can flip the ribs vertically mid-cook. Or cook half slabs. Or put a diffuser plate (I use a FireDial) on the ring. Or just have the one rib on the low end get kind of crunchy.

Hanging ribs (in the 18 or 22) works great and you can do lots of them at one time if you hang.
 
Last edited:
Justin Hood said:
Not sure where all those come from exactly, I assume distance from grate to bottom of pan, thickness of pan, distance from bottom cooking grate to top cooking grate.. still not seeing how to relate cooking grate positions to pan and below
Click to expand...
For the 22.5" WSM starting from the top down.
Cooking grates.
9″ between top and bottom grates.
Water pan.
0.5″ between top of pan and bottom cooking grate.
Pan is 4.25″ tall.
12.5″ between bottom of pan and charcoal grate.
 
Jim C in Denver said:
Justin -- the number you are looking for in the 18.5 is 21.5 inches.

That is the distance from the crossbar of my Hunsaker hanger down to the top edge of the charcoal ring. I don't think any of the other typical hangers sit higher than the Hunsaker -- they are the same or slightly less I think.

The full StL slabs I get from Costco are about 17.5 long. BBs are a little shorter. So a full StL slab fits, but the clearance is more like 3-4 inches than 6.

You can flip the ribs vertically mid-cook. Or cook half slabs. Or put a diffuser plate (I use a FireDial) on the ring. Or just have the one rib on the low end get kind of crunchy.

Hanging ribs (in the 18 or 22) works great and you can do lots of them at one time if you hang.
Click to expand...

Oh, the 6" I was talking about wasn't about the clearance from the end of the ribs to the coals, but the difference in the same measurements in 18 vs. 22; that is the distance between the top of each size's hanger (or just each size's top rack) to each size's coal grate in the 18" vs the 22". Just an apples to apples measurement of that sort. I could have sworn I thought I saw someone with both models listed in their sig on this forum.

Anyway I'm going to try to find someone with these on display (or not on display in case I accidentally rip a box open) and measure it myself.
 
Hanging ribs in the wsm shouldn't be any different than my pit barrel jr. They are within a couple inches of the coal's. At best I may have the very bottom bone end up crunchy but it's not bad. I call it pit masters treat.
 
^Hey I see you have a 22". next time you're near it and have a second would you mind dropping a tape measure down from the top rack to the bottom at the charcoal grate?

Ik the blackened ends shouldn't matter, and one could cut them in half it that bothered them any less. I was also thinking you could hook them deeper into the rib rack, holding it higher, than I see most doing it.
 
Last edited:
I have both a 2008 18.5" WSM and that number ( 20 3/4" ) is correct.
2012 22.5" WSM is 26 5/8" so that's off by the thickness of the grate I guess.
 
I just measured from the top grate to the top of the charcoal ring at 23inches. I also measured my pit barrel jr from the hanger rod to the top of the charcoal ring at 20 3/4inches and it's made to hang ribs and even brisket. Adding additional height with the hangers I would think in no way cause problems unless someone is running really high temps.
 
Jim C in Denver said:
Justin -- the number you are looking for in the 18.5 is 21.5 inches.

That is the distance from the crossbar of my Hunsaker hanger down to the top edge of the charcoal ring. I don't think any of the other typical hangers sit higher than the Hunsaker -- they are the same or slightly less I think.

The full StL slabs I get from Costco are about 17.5 long. BBs are a little shorter. So a full StL slab fits, but the clearance is more like 3-4 inches than 6.

You can flip the ribs vertically mid-cook. Or cook half slabs. Or put a diffuser plate (I use a FireDial) on the ring. Or just have the one rib on the low end get kind of crunchy.

Hanging ribs (in the 18 or 22) works great and you can do lots of them at one time if you hang.
Click to expand...

Got my 18.5" WSM, and am beyond impressed by results & ease of use so far. Should have done this a long time ago, instead of predicting & building snakes and trying to stay out of their way, keeping them breathing in a small space filled with meat & water pans etc. The wsm seems oven-like set & forget in comparison. Thanks Jim, & all.

If I get a rib rack for it, I do want what sounds like the tallest in the Hunsaker. I think I already know its height for the 18.5 (5"?), but Jim would you or anyone else with an 18.5" hunsaker hanger, mind looking at it one more time to share the diameter of the top ring? And they tell you the type of SS used, but also curious how thick a rod they use if anyone knows... closer to the the thickness of a weber charcoal grate steel, or weber cooking grate thickness?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top