Any tips for applying the gasket kit on a 22.5 WSM?


 
Dustin Dorsey

Dustin Dorsey

TVWBB Hall of Fame
I got the gasket kit recently for my 22.5 WSM. I mainly wanna do the lid and the door. This WSM has been used a lot some I need to know how to remove the gunk from around the lid and door safetly.

Also I hate that the color of the RTV sealant is red. I tried using it to seal my offset smoker at one point and hated the way it looked and pulled it all off. I really don't wanna see the RTV on my WSM but I know its easy to get everywhere. Anyone tried painters tape?
 
I have gaskets at the top and bottom of my center barrel and around my CB Stainless Steel door. I used a green scrubby pad and some dish soap to clean the areas where I was going to be putting the gasket.

- I put my top gasket on the top flat part of the barrel where the lid sits.
- I put the bottom gasket on the barrel, on the flat metal that goes into the bowl, just below the bump that keeps the barrel from going in too far. This was REALLY tight when I first put it back together, but has compressed since then due to use and fits just right.
- For the door, I put the gasket on the inside of the door so it is not visible.

I squeezed a bead of the RTV out, and then spread it, roughed it up using a toothpick. I don't see any of the RTV. My gaskets have been installed since February and nothing has come loose.

Let me know if you have ay other questions...
 
I like the idea of putting it on the door. I have the cajun bandit door as well. At first, it fit perfectly but I'm paranoid that I bent it drilling the hole for the compression latch. The thing would probably be hard to bend some I"m probably being crazy. Leaks just a little bit at the beginning of the cook. The gasket would do the trick. I hate the look of the gasket with the original door mounted around the door's arch. putting the gasket on the door would work perfectly for me because it wouldn't be visible either way. Thanks for the tip!
 
Just a fyi... Here's the gasket I used. Slit length-wise. Applied to top and bottom of middle section. No RTV required ;)
Will probably replace it sometime before the end of summer. Has lasted 2 1/2 years with zero problems.

Bob
 
Hi Enrico,

The XL worked well for the 22.5. Almost enough left over to do it twice. Some of it went to the Stoker bowl & fan (just a few mods that seemed to help), so just short of enough for that twice...
You do need to have as clean a surface as you can get. Also, after installing, I assembled the WSM to form everything.

Bob
 
I also used the self stick nomex gasket. Applies real easy then just let the parts 'mate' for 24 hours before use so they can conform to each other. I have only had my gasket on for about 2 months but it has stopped alot of air leaks.

Dave
 
Update on the gasket used :

Originally purchased on Feb 7, 2012 from High-Que via Amazon. Was a Nomex gasket like Dave indicated above. For 2014, High-Que upgraded their offering to a Kevlar and Nomex gasket.

Link to the High-Que Gold Standard High Heat Gasket with Adhesive.

You can purchase this from Amazon thru Chris' TVWBB link at the top of the page. Search for 'Gold Standard High Heat Gasket'.

When ready to install, slit the 7/8" wide gasket length-wise so that you end up with two 7/16" wide pieces.
 
THoey said:
I have gaskets at the top and bottom of my center barrel and around my CB Stainless Steel door. I used a green scrubby pad and some dish soap to clean the areas where I was going to be putting the gasket.

- I put my top gasket on the top flat part of the barrel where the lid sits.
- I put the bottom gasket on the barrel, on the flat metal that goes into the bowl, just below the bump that keeps the barrel from going in too far. This was REALLY tight when I first put it back together, but has compressed since then due to use and fits just right.
- For the door, I put the gasket on the inside of the door so it is not visible.

I squeezed a bead of the RTV out, and then spread it, roughed it up using a toothpick. I don't see any of the RTV. My gaskets have been installed since February and nothing has come loose.

Let me know if you have ay other questions...
Click to expand...

How did you apply it to the door? Did you you just do a rectangle on the inside of the door or did you do the gasket on the door in the shape of the opening?
 
Dustin Dorsey said:
How did you apply it to the door? Did you you just do a rectangle on the inside of the door or did you do the gasket on the door in the shape of the opening?
Click to expand...

Sorry, was away for a couple days. I applied it to the sides and top of the inside of the door, close to the edge, like a rectangle. No reason to install to the bottom.
 
Well I finally bit the bullet and installed the gasket on the top of the barrel and the cajun bandit door. I think I managed to bend my door when I installed the compression latch when I was expanding the hole, and the fit was worse with the gasket. I basically had to grab the door by the upper corners and bend and got it right back into shape. I didn't install the gasket on the bottom. I'm wondering if this is necessary. I've never seen any smoke leak there but I don't think it would. Maybe I can still get air in?

The RTV is kind of a pain. Anyone ever remove the RTV? I'm just looking at down the road when I wanna replace the gasket. I'm looking forward to firing this thing up and hopefully I'll be able to maintain lower temps worth a damn.
 
If you are not seeing any smoke leakage at the bottom, then you may not need it. I did on mine, but I also did it when the smoker was still really new and hadn't got gunked up yet. I haven't had the pleasure of trying to remove the RTV yet.
 
THoey said:
If you are not seeing any smoke leakage at the bottom, then you may not need it. I did on mine, but I also did it when the smoker was still really new and hadn't got gunked up yet. I haven't had the pleasure of trying to remove the RTV yet.
Click to expand...

I used your tips from you modifications post. Thanks for the info! I found on the Permatex site an RTV remover. Not sure how toxic that stuff is but it can't be worse than RTV.

http://www.permatex.com/products-2/...overs/permatex--rtv-silicone-dissolver-detail

At one time I tried sealing up my offset with the red permatex and thought it looked terrible and wound up scraping it all off. It was a massive pain.
 
Well I have just fired up the smoker and I have no leakage around the door or the lid. Where do I still have leaks? The silicone thermometer hole plug and for some reason around the lid thermometer. Is this at all normal? I expect to see it around the plug obviously but not around the lid thermometer. Regardless it's sealed a heck of a lot better now.
 
I have never seen smoke come from the thermometer probe grommet or the dome thermometer. Can you tighten down the lid thermometer? I think there is a nut on the back.
 
Hey Dustin,
I'm curious how you applied the nomex tape. This is probably a very goofy question, but if the tape is straight, how did you apply it to the circular WSM? Like where the top meets the middle section. Did you have to use multiple pieces, or did you use one long piece? Also, did you end up making a rectangle around the door, or did you do a semi-circle there as well?

Thanks for your help!
 
I did it in a rectangle on the tops and sides. I basically copied THoeys post on this forum. He links to the bbq brethren site and I had to join to see the pics of the door. The curvature of the lid isn't a problem.
 
Sorry, I didn't know you couldn't see the thread unless you joined. I'll create a thread here so it can be seen.

Please look for a link in my signature soon with all my mods.
 
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