Jay D in Jersey
Closed Account
In reality, no one can say that newer Webers will not stand the test of time like the decades old ones under similar standards of care and maintenance.
Is this worth the trouble?
- Thread starter JonathonROKC
- Start date
LMichaels
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
I don't recall the model(s) but DCS grills back in the day were sidewinders with front controls. (see it could be done). On top there was a rock bed that had grates above and underneath. When you wanted rotisserie the whole rock bed and the burners would tilt up in back leaving the bottom of the grill relatively open so drippings would simply fall through with no flame ups. They were ingenuous. I only came across a couple of them. But they were really a cool design. Now re the tilting bed I don't think Weber could have done that. BUT, they certainly could have actually improved on the original Genesis AND kept it a "Genesis" by simply plumbing the manifold to the front.
JonathonROKC
New member
Thank you for all of the feedback! I am set to go and look at it tomorrow and will take all of the advice in making my decision.
DanHoo
TVWBB Olympian
looking on a larger screen they do look like SS rod, which is a plus.
Michael Iron
TVWBB Member
What maintenance would you recommend? I have to agree with @LMichaels on this one even though I am not sure if he has yet to come on board with the beauty and benefits of grillgrates, on all grills
I spent 20 years working in the engine and boiler room of Navy ships doing operations and maintenance of the steam plants in a very hostile environment. Including making recommendations to Planned Maintenance Schedules, PMS for equipment.
Just finished cutting a plywood floor plate for my 2016 Genesis it was the short year between the sidewinders and the Genesis II. Now that I test fitted it I can spend the rest of Memorial Weekend 2023 grinding rust and applying rust converter. Then self etching primer then Massey Ferguson gray paint. Which is close to Navy machinery grey and closer than haze gray and underway on the hulls of ships.
Burn through on the cookbox, exactly what maintenance would you do to prevent it?
Panels on cabinet have rust blistering through even on areas that are not on edge. Exactly what maintenance would you do to prevent it?
The straw that broke the camel's back and is causing me to rehab the whole grill is the manifold bolts that attach to the cookbox rusted off and the manifold fell off. Exactly what maintenance would you do to prevent it?
Not how I would like to spend the next 3 days and already have more hours into it than I am willing to admit just researching. But thanks to this site it has paid off or at least hope it does in the long game.
They are a shadow of what they used to be. My kettles and WSM are still solid as a rock. The gasser not so much. Hopefully I will get another ~5+ years out of it. Once rust starts it is a never ending battle that I have fought before. I paid $800 all in 8 years ago. If I fire it up 2x a week for 8 years that is a dollar a pop for hitting the ignitor to date. Which is pretty close to accurate. The new ones are around twice that much. I stuggle with justifing the cost at $2 a cook. And that is not counting fuel cost.
And I use mine year around doubt many people use theirs as much as I do with the exception of those on here. What is this grilling season people talk about?! I have grilled in the twenties below zero but call it quits in the thirty belows. Wind Chill not taken into account.
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I think if you look at a Genesis 1000 vs. a current model Genesis you would have to conclude that there has been a significant shift in emphasis.
The 1000 has a firebox with notably thicker cast aluminum in the firebox and a frame made from thick, real steel tubing. Otherwise, everything is simple and basic.
In contrast, the current Genesis model offers a seat burner, a multitude of accessories and even digital electronic temperature monitoring. Yet when you look at the much thinner firebox and the “frame” made from bent steel, there has been a corresponding loss in stoutness.
A new Genesis probably CAN last a decent amount of time IF given good care. That to me means keeping the grill clean on a regular basis and storing out if the elements. Keep your grill clean and dry is the key to longevity.
The 1000 has a firebox with notably thicker cast aluminum in the firebox and a frame made from thick, real steel tubing. Otherwise, everything is simple and basic.
In contrast, the current Genesis model offers a seat burner, a multitude of accessories and even digital electronic temperature monitoring. Yet when you look at the much thinner firebox and the “frame” made from bent steel, there has been a corresponding loss in stoutness.
A new Genesis probably CAN last a decent amount of time IF given good care. That to me means keeping the grill clean on a regular basis and storing out if the elements. Keep your grill clean and dry is the key to longevity.
Steve Hoch
TVWBB Hall of Fame
I did something for the first time last fall, I brought my grill into the garage instead of leaving it on the patio all winter. I did it for two reasons, I have to admit that I'm just not that interested in grilling in the cold anymore for one. The other was just to keep it out of the winter elements bearing in mind that it is a twenty five year old grill although it is still in excellent condition. I honestly wouldn't expect a new Weber Genesis to survive more than ten years no matter how much you babied it. It is after all something that is by design meant to stay outside most of the time and the older ones were just built to last under those conditions. I would be happy to field test a new one under the same conditions that my 1998 grill has happily endured the last quarter century, but only if I don't have to pay for the grill to do it.
Jay D in Jersey
Closed Account
You've covered a lot of ground here on multiple topics so I'll condense it down to relevant ones at hand:What maintenance would you recommend? I have to agree with @LMichaels on this one even though I am not sure if he has yet to come on board with the beauty and benefits of grillgrates, on all grills
I spent 20 years working in the engine and boiler room of Navy ships doing operations and maintenance of the steam plants in a very hostile environment. Including making recommendations to Planned Maintenance Schedules, PMS for equipment.
Just finished cutting a plywood floor plate for my 2016 Genesis it was the short year between the sidewinders and the Genesis II. Now that I test fitted it I can spend the rest of Memorial Weekend 2023 grinding rust and applying rust converter. Then self etching primer then Massey Ferguson gray paint. Which is close to Navy machinery grey and closer than haze gray and underway on the hulls of ships.
Burn through on the cookbox, exactly what maintenance would you do to prevent it?
Panels on cabinet have rust blistering through even on areas that are not on edge. Exactly what maintenance would you do to prevent it?
The straw that broke the camel's back and is causing me to rehab the whole grill is the manifold bolts that attach to the cookbox rusted off and the manifold fell off. Exactly what maintenance would you do to prevent it?
Not how I would like to spend the next 3 days and already have more hours into it than I am willing to admit just researching. But thanks to this site it has paid off or at least hope it does in the long game.
They are a shadow of what they used to be. My kettles and WSM are still solid as a rock. The gasser not so much. Hopefully I will get another ~5+ years out of it. Once rust starts it is a never ending battle that I have fought before. I paid $800 all in 8 years ago. If I fire it up 2x a week for 8 years that is a dollar a pop for hitting the ignitor to date. Which is pretty close to accurate. The new ones are around twice that much. I stuggle with justifing the cost at $2 a cook. And that is not counting fuel cost.
And I use mine year around doubt many people use theirs as much as I do with the exception of those on here. What is this grilling season people talk about?! I have grilled in the twenties below zero but call it quits in the thirty belows. Wind Chill not taken into account.
1. Maintenance, as in inspecting, cleaning and addressing known areas of rust and corrosion by known methods(see #4) before they become a problem.
2. Grillgrates has nothing to do with the discussion.
3. Charcoal burning kettle grills have nothing to do with the discussion.
4. Cleaning, oiling, scraping and painting...you know, PMS as you mentioned before known problems become problems. Things most consumers pay little attention to.
5. Not sure what cooking at -20 has to do with it it but maybe something.
6. Cost per use is an extreme variable...some buy new, some buy used, some find at the curb, some get gifts, etc...
7. I'll go out on a limb here and state that from my experience and observations, the Weber GS4 burner setup is superior in every way vs the older round tube burners and vulnerable crossover tube system. Better, thicker, superior design, better stainless steel.
I'm not sure what "burn through on the cookbox" is. I've never seen it and don't recall seeing any mention of it here. Either way it's not a common issue. Warped cookbox, yes but doesn't seem to be a very common issue either and seems correctable.
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LMichaels
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
Steve, not weird at all. It's why I have 2 pellet poppers. The pellet grills are what I now gravitate to most of all. So now the smaller Member's Mark will live in the garage, Ready for use when I have a hankerin' for Q and don't want to freeze my cajones off or chisel off 3 inches of ice to get to it. If I can wiggle a bit more room in there, I may even stick the Q in there as well. Of course on a nice (ha) day. I could still work my way out to the deck grill(s).
Rich Dahl
R.I.P. 7/21/2024
I still can't wrap my head around Larry having two pellet grills, it just doesn't compute. Welcome to the dark side Larry.
I was going to do the tri tip today on the performer but 25-30 mph winds with gusts to 50 has put the stop to that.
So, the camp chef gets the call today, because wind doesn't affect it at all.
LMichaels
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
Michael Iron
TVWBB Member
Well that is quite the list I only asked about 3 things LOL.
Scraping? More like wire brushing what is left of the metal. Way too young to look like this.
And then epoxy primer or at least Eastwood Encapsulator. Then paint. Not enough of the bottom panel left to deal with so moved into the world of fabrication. $125 for a replacement panel that will do the same thing, hard pass. I've had cheaper grills that went a lot longer and didn't rust this bad.
Toyota truck frames are well known to rust until they fail. My Taco is 10 years old and since the first year have hit the frame with Fluid Film. It is gooey, sticky and messy but it works to prevent rust. Haven't read anyone using it on the metal on this site but on others some have used it on the metal then wipe it off leaving residue behind. Apparently it works and will be part of my yearly maintenance from now on.
There are plenty of examples of cookbox burn through on here and elsewhere. Here is another one, mine
The most often suggested remedy is JB Weld. Doing a hard pass on that and using google stumbled on a page on here by Chris REMEMBER YOUR WARRANTY Great info the new one is sitting in the driveway waiting on other parts to come in. Perfect it has a 25 year warranty which takes me to the age of 90. I doubt that I will need it to last beyond the age of 82.
Notice the upper part of the box the metal is scaly and there are pinholes all through it. Going from -20 below to 500 is a lot different than 80 above. Or even 20 above for that matter. But what is more critical is how fast aluminum transfers heat once it is turned off. Ambient air being cold enough it is like quenching steel and changing temper. Hoping it is just a bad casting and will know in a few years.
The third one was the manifold that fell off in my hands.
Classic galvanic corrosion, and really cheap steel. Along with bad metal prep and coating (paint).
Waiting on the new manifold to come in so I can order all new stainless steel hardware. Already have Cu Anti-Seize on hand to prevent galvanic corrosion.
I wonder for those that purchase rebuilt grills which those on here have done have any idea how much better of a grill they are getting than out of the box.
Steve Hoch
TVWBB Hall of Fame
The manifold bolt rusting through is a new one on me. I thought those were made out of stainless steel. The rust on the arms of the manifold is to be expected, although yours looks salvageable. Are you getting the new one under warranty as well?
Michael Iron
TVWBB Member
No they said it wasn't covered under warranty. I tried using a pin punch and driving the bolt though but the head is pretty much "welded" to the manifold so I ordered a new one on my dime. At some point will drill through it and see if I can chisel the head off. Failing that I will use the angle grinder. Then get rid of the burnt paint and rust and hit it with Eastwood Encapsulator then it will go in my spare parts box for the grill.
Besides the cookbox they did replace the burners under warranty as well, both have a 25 year warranty on my model. She had me send her a picture of them and she didn't hesitate. The customer support at Weber is part of what makes them worth it to me. I thought the burners were border line at worst but still they are hell for stout compared to the burners on most grills. Maybe not up to par with burners on a 1200 psi modified D Babcock Wilcox boiler that drives the main engines on an aircraft carrier but for the job they are asked to do I am impressed with them.
Steve Hoch
TVWBB Hall of Fame
Aircraft carriers are definitely slightly more impressive. I've had the opportunity to tour two of them, and they are about the most impressive thing I've ever seen close up.
Michael Iron
TVWBB Member
Thanks for that! Went back and checked and it is only 10 years on the burners for some reason I thought it was 25.
IIRC she said the parts that are replaced under warranty don't start over again with the warranty, it only goes back to the date that the grill was purchased. I'm keeping the old ones just in case they someday no longer become available.