Help on 22.5" Charcoal grate interferes with vents

[Chris from OHIO]

On my 2009 22.5", the charcoal grate interferes with the closing of the vents at the bottom. When I try to close those vents down completely, I meet resistance (the weight of the grate plus the charcoal) and when I release the vent, it moves back to slightly open due to the weight forcing it back. I have flipped the grate upside down to see if that was the problem but I experience it both ways. I can get it to where 2 of the vents have no interference but never all 3. Is this common? Does anyone have a recommendation? Thanks in advance.

 

[d keen]

Get a pair of pliers and bend the tab back and forth and it will break off. All of the 22.5 WSM have this problem. Leave the tab on the btm to stop the vent in the right position.

 

[George Curtis]

i tried to find the discussion on this but no luck. someone welded some spacers on the rack to clear the tabs.

 

[Chris from OHIO]

Thanks for the replies - the snapping of the tab sounds like the easiest solution.

Thanks again.
Chris

 

[TomB]

Thanks for posting. Just putting my 22.5 together and noticed the same thing. Pliers more handy than welding equipment. Thanks.

 

[Jon Merka]

i used pliers on mine and removed two of the tabs.