please help with fixing my performer


 
J

Jeff Davidson

TVWBB Super Fan
Hi Folks,

I have an old, stainless steel performer with a green lid that I picked up on craigslist 5 years ago for around $50. It was in perfect shape but I've made a couple mistakes with it. The biggest mistake was leaving the kettle lid on the rail of my deck while cooking and then accidentally nudging it into a 50 foot fall to the grass below. The lid is now out of round, dented and no longer creates a perfect seal. This makes it hard to control temps and burns all the charcoal when I "turn off" the grill by closing vents.

This problem led to another, rain moves into the kettle because the lid is out of round and, due to the weight of rainwater, has caused the charcoal catcher to loosen from the bottom of the kettle.

What do you think my prospects are for fixing these problems? Perhaps I should look for parts online?

tia,
 
If having a green lid isn't important look for a 22.5 silver on Craigslist to get a good lid. Around here you can get them for $20 or less. Depending on what let go on the ash catcher you should be able to get what you need from Ereplacmentparts or Weber.
 
You should be able to give the lid a hug and bend it back to round. Be gentle and just hug a little at a time, you may have to flex it several times to git-R-done. Measure it with a tape measure to find the long side and start there.

Post some pics of the dent and maybe I can advise on fixing that too, it'll never be new again but it'll always have character.
 
If the dent is in the edge/rim of the grill, it will be difficult to fix. If it's elsewhere, you might be able to carefully beat it back into shape with a rubber mallet. helps to have a bean bag type of thing or a bag of sand on the backside when hammering. As Ray said, if the lid is just out of round, you can hug it back into shape.

Alternatively, you might go with Rich's idea. Contact this seller and see if his Weber is still available.

http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/for/5279799906.html


Pics of the lid and the ash catcher would definitely help.
 
the performer comes with a fancy lid bale to hold the lid when not on the kettle!!! Bummer. I would try to "kettle hug" it back in place. To get it perfectly round again is tough. If that does not work you may be needing a replacement lid...
 
Hi Jeff,

The above tips should get your lid back into usable shape- except for a lid that has been run over by a vehicle or rusted through, I've yet to see one that can't be put back into use. If you aren't up to it but you have travel plans up towards Albany, I have several green lids laying around that would work for you, or I could just get yours back to round. PM me if you want to go that route and we can work out something.

As for the ash catcher issue, it sounds like the support bar for the ash catcher ring might be sagging, or perhaps has failed entirely. You can try to bend it back into position by hand if it is sagging, but still intact. If it is too far gone, I believe Brian makes them (as well as sweet wood handles) since Weber doesn't supply the part any longer. There are other alternatives as well to hold the ring tight to the bowl without the bar, such as using wire to tie it to the leg sockets of the bowl. It can all be fixed, bottom line.
 
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