Can a warped firebox be straightened out?

[Stefan H]

How about bamboo??

 

[LJCurtis]

I had a bowed box on my genesis platinum. I tried the clamp method and had no luck.

 

[LJCurtis]

My solution was to drill holes in the front and back of the cook box under the grate ledge.
I ran a threaded rod and used an acorn nut and hex nut to draw the box back to square. Used another hex nut to jam the first and prevent back off.

 

[Bruce]

I would find a new cook Box from another grill

 

[Mark H (Ottawa)]

My solution was to drill holes in the front and back of the cook box under the grate ledge.
I ran a threaded rod and used an acorn nut and hex nut to draw the box back to square. Used another hex nut to jam the first and prevent back off.

I tried the clamp method and got no joy. I will try your idea, thanks

 

[Ed P]

A word of caution, though...if it's a piece of all-thread and other hardware found at the local hardware store, it is likely to be plated steel and the plating may not be something you want in your dinner when it burns off.

 

[Bruce]

Much better solution is to find a donor grill to snatch the cook box from.

 

[Jim C in Denver]

I'm the original owner of a 2000 Silver B. Works just fine.

But my firebox is bowed out a bit in the front -- still holds up the grates but they could lose support if the bowing went any further. I also have a few rust spots on the front lid of the porcelain on my lid.

Until reading this thread, I had no idea that the firebox has a lifetime warranty and the porcelain has 25 years. Would Weber really send me a new cookbox and lid at this point?

Should I bother to try to get those? Like am I tempting fate by starting to tear apart my currently working just fine grill? Or should I get the new parts so this grill will wind up with my grandchildren?

 

[LMichaels]

Until reading this thread, I had no idea that the firebox has a lifetime warranty and the porcelain has 25 years. Would Weber really send me a new cookbox and lid at this point?

In my experience Weber's "warranty" is nearly as useless as the roll of paper product hanging in your bathroom. They like to fall back on "we don't support that product"

 

[CWalker]

I'm the original owner of a 2000 Silver B. Works just fine.

But my firebox is bowed out a bit in the front -- still holds up the grates but they could lose support if the bowing went any further. I also have a few rust spots on the front lid of the porcelain on my lid.

Until reading this thread, I had no idea that the firebox has a lifetime warranty and the porcelain has 25 years. Would Weber really send me a new cookbox and lid at this point?

Should I bother to try to get those? Like am I tempting fate by starting to tear apart my currently working just fine grill? Or should I get the new parts so this grill will wind up with my grandchildren?

if you are the original owner I would reach out for sure! I have a new hood being delivered today after speaking with them on Monday about the end caps that were discolored and starting to pit. They have been great to me!

 

[JBaker]

My solution was to drill holes in the front and back of the cook box under the grate ledge.
I ran a threaded rod and used an acorn nut and hex nut to draw the box back to square. Used another hex nut to jam the first and prevent back off.

I recently used this same method when repairing a Silver B, 20 years old, when the lower casting should have really gone to the scrapper. There were other issues with the z bracket mounts in the casting, unable to remove the screws, so I wasn't too concerned with "ruining" the grill. That grill is back in use almost daily now for at least a couple of months. Should be good for another 10 years.

I'm not too concerned about the plating on the all-thread, have you ever left a piece out in the elements? Rust starts pretty quick, if there is any plating I imagine it'd burn off pretty quick.

 

[Bruce]

I'm the original owner of a 2000 Silver B. Works just fine.

But my firebox is bowed out a bit in the front -- still holds up the grates but they could lose support if the bowing went any further. I also have a few rust spots on the front lid of the porcelain on my lid.

Until reading this thread, I had no idea that the firebox has a lifetime warranty and the porcelain has 25 years. Would Weber really send me a new cookbox and lid at this point?

Should I bother to try to get those? Like am I tempting fate by starting to tear apart my currently working just fine grill? Or should I get the new parts so this grill will wind up with my grandchildren?

I would be surprised if they send you a new cook box and lid. Let us know if they do.

 

[Mark H (Ottawa)]

A word of caution, though...if it's a piece of all-thread and other hardware found at the local hardware store, it is likely to be plated steel and the plating may not be something you want in your dinner when it burns off.

I used 1/4 inch SS rod. Worked great. Front edge is bowed in a bit now but the new to me SS grates fit much better now.

 

[Bruce]

For those of you who have the bowed front and want an easy solution. You can buy the SS solid rod grates that Honsgo makes. They are slightly longer than the standard grates and fit "Snug" in a normal cook box, but unless you have a serious bowing problem, will still sit just fine on a bowed cook box.

 

[Ed P]

I'm not too concerned about the plating on the all-thread, have you ever left a piece out in the elements? Rust starts pretty quick, if there is any plating I imagine it'd burn off pretty quick.

Of course, do as you see fit...but if you are going to rely on burning off a toxic material prior to cooking your dinner directly over it, why not buy unplated or stainless from the get-go?

 

[Mark H (Ottawa)]

For those of you who have the bowed front and want an easy solution. You can buy the SS solid rod grates that Honsgo makes. They are slightly longer than the standard grates and fit "Snug" in a normal cook box, but unless you have a serious bowing problem, will still sit just fine on a bowed cook box.

Might be easy but is way more expensive than the threaded rod solution

 

[Bruce]

True Mark, but if you are in need of grates or just want some good low maintenance grates, it might be a good time. I wonder if over time and the cook box going through many heat cycles, it might start to bow back in with the constant threaded rod pulling on it??? Keep us posted.

 

[Mark H (Ottawa)]

Interesting how a switch from PCI grates to SS rod grates (found in a grill being tossed) highlighted the bowing issue.
I guess the rod grates are slightly smaller. I will periodically check to see if, as Bruce mentioned, the box shape changes over time.

 

[Joe Anshien]

Thanks for the ideas. I just picked up a Q300 that was a mess for free. It had solidified grease up to the burners. I'm going to fix it up and sell it. It is just coincidental that I also just sold my own Q300 that I had been using for the last 2 years today;-) The only really thing wrong is the grates would not stay up as the middle had bowed. I now have 2 clamps with wood on it. I am hopeful that it will be fine by tomorrow.

 

[Michael-IL]

I joined this site to say thanks for the advice in this thread. We almost replaced our old 330 because the grates were no longer supported by the front lip due to warping. We decided to wait ‘till spring and save a winter’s wear. In the meantime, I searched for a fix and found this thread. I was about to try the threaded rod, but decided to at least try submitting a warranty claim. I registered my grill and submitted on a Monday. On Wednesday, I received a new cookbox. This past Thursday, I started scrubbing the lid in anticipation of rebuilding the grill this weekend. I noticed the lid liner was rusted through. I read on this site that most folks just remove the liner. I submitted another warranty claim, asking if I could replace the liner. On Saturday, an entire lid was delivered, and I rebuilt yesterday. So thanks to this thread, and thanks to Weber’s warranty, I’ve got a grill that should last for years to come. BTW, I found my receipt - I paid $817 in 2013.