I picked up a 22.5 OTG off CL for $10. I’ve been waiting weeks for the right deal to come along. I did a few mods that I thought would be worth sharing. Normally I just lurk.
The OTG is a 2001 model, it came complete. The kettle was in good condition other than a few minor dents. All the pieces were included including a chimney which was a bonus!! The legs were real wobbly and the front leg tended to fall out. Since I intended to keep the grill long term I wanted to do it right. I have read many posts on the site regarding wobbly legs and determined that pinning the legs in place was my best option. I bought 1 ½ stainless bolts, nuts and lock washers and began drilling. For structural support I did insert 3 inch long wooden dowels into each leg. As you can see I ran the hardware thru the leg and thru the ash catcher assembly. I gotta tell ya, the ash catcher assembly is rock solid now. The other benefit acheived by bolting the ash catcher to the kettle is that it was pulled into perfect round so the ash bowl rotates in and out flawlessly. The Kettle is very stable now, with absolutely no noticeable wobble. My only suggestion is to use 1 ¾ length hardware because as you can see mine are almost too short.
I did the usual cleaning. I did 3 sessions of oven cleaner on the kettle and lid. The hinged grate cleaned up real well with a drill and wire brush. The tool caddy also cleaned up real well with steel wool and WD40. The only thing I had to buy was a new charcoal grate. So in total I am into this OTG $27. I couldn’t be happier…..Let the grilling begin!
BEFORE:
AFTER:
The OTG is a 2001 model, it came complete. The kettle was in good condition other than a few minor dents. All the pieces were included including a chimney which was a bonus!! The legs were real wobbly and the front leg tended to fall out. Since I intended to keep the grill long term I wanted to do it right. I have read many posts on the site regarding wobbly legs and determined that pinning the legs in place was my best option. I bought 1 ½ stainless bolts, nuts and lock washers and began drilling. For structural support I did insert 3 inch long wooden dowels into each leg. As you can see I ran the hardware thru the leg and thru the ash catcher assembly. I gotta tell ya, the ash catcher assembly is rock solid now. The other benefit acheived by bolting the ash catcher to the kettle is that it was pulled into perfect round so the ash bowl rotates in and out flawlessly. The Kettle is very stable now, with absolutely no noticeable wobble. My only suggestion is to use 1 ¾ length hardware because as you can see mine are almost too short.
I did the usual cleaning. I did 3 sessions of oven cleaner on the kettle and lid. The hinged grate cleaned up real well with a drill and wire brush. The tool caddy also cleaned up real well with steel wool and WD40. The only thing I had to buy was a new charcoal grate. So in total I am into this OTG $27. I couldn’t be happier…..Let the grilling begin!
BEFORE:
AFTER:
