Need an opinion


 
LMichaels

LMichaels

TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
So the burner tents (flavorizer bars) on my Wolf are beginning after so many years of use (est about 25 or so) are beginning to finally burn away along the lower edges. I was going to look for perhaps something else (as OEM are about $85 EACH), and came across some 304SS "tents" of some sort on EBay. Got all 6 for $22. Not the heaviest gauge but quite serviceable EXCEPT the angle of them is off. I don't have access to a "brake". Just curious on feedback if using such a shallow angle tent will cause any real issues. Photos of OEM and what I found

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If they ride over the burners like they do on a Weber grill, I think it will be a huge issue. That shallow of an angle will essentially "snuff" out your flames. I guess the only way to know for sure is to try them first.
 
If the width is the same you should be ok as long as the heat vents. I would use a combo of the old serviceable and new ones

In my opinion protecting the burners is job one
 
Steve Hoch said:
If they ride over the burners like they do on a Weber grill, I think it will be a huge issue. That shallow of an angle will essentially "snuff" out your flames. I guess the only way to know for sure is to try them first.
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They ride quite a lot higher odd the burners than they would in a Weber . They "float" off of 2 studs. One in front and one in back.
 
Steve Hoch said:
If they ride over the burners like they do on a Weber grill, I think it will be a huge issue. That shallow of an angle will essentially "snuff" out your flames. I guess the only way to know for sure is to try them first.
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I'm inclined to agree with Steve. Does the flame touch the new flavor bars? If it/they do, then I would say that you are reducing performance of your grill, and probably using just as much gas
 
Make a brake to to bend the new ones. Clamp 2 boards to each side, place one side in a vice and use the boards on the other side for leverage to bend to the correct angle. Can always bend one for a trial fit.
 
ChuckO said:
I'm inclined to agree with Steve. Does the flame touch the new flavor bars? If it/they do, then I would say that you are reducing performance of your grill, and probably using just as much gas
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Because of how they ride on 2 small studs the peak would be at no different height regardless of which one is used. I was more concerned with the somewhat "flatness" relative to the OEM ones. Part of me thinks they might trap more heat and part of me thinks less heat because it would not be trapped by the steeper angle tents I guess I could run 2 burners ea with a different tent. Then shoot a temp off of each. Maybe tomorrow. Cooking dogs tonight and getting ready to watch the White Sox, and have a New Glarus Pilsner mmmm mmmm goooood
 
LMichaels said:
Because of how they ride on 2 small studs the peak would be at no different height regardless of which one is used. I was more concerned with the somewhat "flatness" relative to the OEM ones.
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I don't think there's a concern since there's no difference in the height. Hard to say if there's a benefit or not with the flatter surface. That's where an infrared thermometer would come in handy
 
That old heat tent looks in pretty good shape to me. Are the rest of them worse off?

Also, did you check with RCP to see if he could make you a set for a reasonable price?
 
ChuckO said:
I don't think there's a concern since there's no difference in the height. Hard to say if there's a benefit or not with the flatter surface. That's where an infrared thermometer would come in handy
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Yeppirs, that's what I am gonna do. Try tomorrow. Got 2 mixers on the bench. Was crippled up pretty bad from that fall I took 3 weeks ago, then over weekend threw out the knee I fell on carrying Lily up the deck stairs. Big pop and it buckled. Wife had to go out and buy me a brace. You know you're getting old when carrying a little 2 yo peanut cripples you :D. I am thinking though the only real "negative" I might see is the drippings being slower to roll off and perhaps getting more flare up. Hard to say
 
Bruce said:
That old heat tent looks in pretty good shape to me. Are the rest of them worse off?
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Oh yeah. Most of them are completely burned through at the bottoms. Still work pretty well though. I contacted Dave Santana last year he said he had Covid and he'd contract me after he was feeling better. But he never did and never responded to my repeat attempt(s) so I have kinda given up. These were just too cheap to pass on.
 
LMichaels said:
Yeppirs, that's what I am gonna do. Try tomorrow. Got 2 mixers on the bench. Was crippled up pretty bad from that fall I took 3 weeks ago, then over weekend threw out the knee I fell on carrying Lily up the deck stairs. Big pop and it buckled. Wife had to go out and buy me a brace. You know you're getting old when carrying a little 2 yo peanut cripples you :D. I am thinking though the only real "negative" I might see is the drippings being slower to roll off and perhaps getting more flare up. Hard to say
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That is the issue that I wonder about. I know Weber worked hard back in the day to find the right angle for grease to run off but still sizzle.
 
I would look for a metal supply shop and see if I can get some stainless angle the same thickness and width and cut them to length to fit the grill.

Gerry
 
Cheap, always seems a good idea at the time, quality lasts far longer! I’m done on this one Larry! Just stop falling!
I suppose the modification with the flatter ones might be serviceable but, never as good as one that was designed for it. Here endeth the sermon.
 
In this case they're "cheap" but excellent quality. They're 304SS and I figured I did not have much to lose. $22 for all 6. If I can make them work (or if they work fine as is), I am a winner. If it fails. It's not a huge loss. Just was curious what others thought. As soon as I can I am going to run the grill as a normal run but with a couple of these flatter ones and the OEM ones. Test them with my IR and see what temps look like directly on the steel. And then on the grate level. Will report back. If they fail to work well, I may simply buy some Weber type ones longer than 18" and cut them to fit. I really just could not pass them up for the $$$$ I spent
 
Since they ride on elevated studs I would think you'll be OK flame-wise, as long as there is enough room for them to sit side-by-side and not block air flow too much.

Your test with the old and new bars sounds like a good idea. But I think I'd run two tests - one with all of the originals and one with all new. That way any cumulative temperature issues should show up.

Don't know if any of this kind of stock would help (depends on dimensions) but a while ago I bought some SS door way protectors for a project (got them on Amazon). I think they were 302 SS and two inches on a side. They were available in several sizes (up to six feet long). So you'd have to see what length gives the biggest bang for the buck in your application. Also available in 1.5 inch.

Picture here shows what the material looks like. I drilled all the holes - they come blank. For polished surface on the outside (grease side) you want "outside corners" (that's what these are). I would think that would drip better.

Of course the link at Amazon no longer works but a search for: "Stainless Steel Corner Guard 72” Long (Outside Corner)" brings them up. Just make sure the dimensions are what you want.
 

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