HOW TO: Weber Burner Cleaning

[Bruce]

WHAT: This is a How To on Cleaning Weber Gas Grill Burner Tubes

WHY: To bring back the even flame and performance of your gunked up Weber burner tubes. You really only need to clean up the burner hole area, but I do the whole top of the tubes for my flip grills as it makes them look more presentable.

WHAT YOU NEED:
o Weber burner tubes
o Angle grinder and Wire Cup brush or Drill and wire wheel.
o Leather gloves and safety glasses
o Jawhorse or similar device to hold the burner tubes. I have used Stanley workmate tables and clamped the tubes between the two adjustable boards.

Here is a quick video I did while I was cleaning up one of three Weber Genesis burner tubes. This one took me less than 5 minutes and whole set will take you about 10 minutes. When you are done, I suggest knocking the loose junk out of the burners, but other than that, they should be ready to go back in the grill and should perform as well as a brand new set as long as they are structurally sound.

 

[Jon Tofte]

Bruce,
You are getting to be a video star!

Thanks for another great how-to. Little by little we are getting some really good resources assembled here that will help new comers and experienced grill restorers, too. Video is the most powerful medium for this kind of thing, so you taking the time to create and post these videos is very cool!

 

[Stefan H]

My approach is a bit different. 150 grid wet sand paper and water. Wrap the sand paper around and rub along. This will get them nice and shiny. Then use a tiny screwdriver to poke any clogged holes open. And rinse later and flush all debris out at the end.
One one more hint: since the upper side of the burners is mostly less nice then the lower side: just flip the front and rear burner to get the shiny side up.

 

[Bruce]

Stefan: Good points. Definitely more than one way to skin a cat or clean a burner. I just can't stand having to stick the screwdriver in every one of those holes. I have never had to do that after wire brushing them. I like the idea of swapping front and back burners as well.

Jon: Yah, that clip was done from start to finish with no breaks. If you don't try to get too fancy or perfect about it, it isn't that big of a deal to create and post a video. I am hoping others will start doing similar videos or just write ups with photos of different steps in rehabbing these grills. It is so much easier and IMO nicer to point to one of these how to's when a newbie comes in and asks: "What is the best way to clean the burners in my Silver B?". And I am not saying that my method is the only method or even the best method, but now I don't have to try to explain it every time I respond to someone that asks that question.

 

[Jon Tofte]

Since I don't have a JawHorse, but do have a small bench grinder/wire brush, I find it easier to use the wire brush on that and just run the burner tube back and forth rotating it as I go along.

Stefan,
Maybe you could post some before and after pictures the next time you clean a burner tube. I could see that sandpaper might make the stainless tubes shine more, although the high heat does change the tone of stainless over time. It is not likely you can get a well-used burner to lose its gray color in my experience, no matter how long you clean it.

 

[Ralph Meyer]

I've taken a grinder with a flap wheel to the last couple I cleaned up. That will bring the shine out No befores, but here are the afters-

 

[Chris Allingham]

Bruce, tag each of these using the tag "how to" and they will all be findable via search, like we're doing for the restoration threads. I've already tagged the first two you posted.

 

[Bruce]

Chris: Thanks, I will do that. If I can figure it out now....LOL

 

[EddF]

Love these videos bruce! It's becoming my morning routine to have a cup of tea, and enjoy it while watching your how to's. Can you do a firebox cleanup video (outside and inside) in the future? I know we'd all love to see your technique.

 

[Bruce]

Edd, while I used to clean them out with that same angle grinder and wire cup brush, I stopped doing that this year and went with the Sams Club oven/grill cleaner and house hold steel wool. It gets them clean but not Shiny clean like the angle grinder does. The grinder is just too dang messy.

I do still use it to strip the paint on the outside of a firebox and end cap however.

 

[Joe Anshien]

I've taken a grinder with a flap wheel to the last couple I cleaned up. That will bring the shine out No befores, but here are the afters-

Ralph, I think you have the burners in wrong as the crossover tube holes are not facing in and there is no crossover tube so the middle and back burners are not going to light.