Remove pins that connect cookbox to lid?


 
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EricGCollyer

New member
Hello all! I'm currently in the process of restoring a Weber Genesis Silver B Grill. I acquired the grill for free and it was in pretty rough shape. I replaced most of the internals last year and the grill worked great. The Cookbox is the last piece that needs replacing. While attempting to disconnect the lid from the old cookbox I've run into a problem. The pins don't want to come out! I've removed the clips that make sure the pins don't accidentally slip out, but I cannot seem to remove them. It doesn't look like they are too badly rusted, and the lid still rotates just fine. I've tried using PB blaster, but it hasn't made a difference. I've used a flathead screw driver to try to pry the pins out. I've used a hammer to try to pry them out. I've used a hammer to try and pound them out, but they don't seem to want to move. Anyone else got any suggestions?
 
Well you have tried all of the things I would have. I would try tapping them out with a hammer again. That is what I did with my Genesis 1000 that I am rehabbing. If that won't work you could consider using a hack saw and saw of the end and then drill the pin out. While this is a rather drastic approach, it would be a last resort. You can order the replacement pins and clips from Weber. The only thing I can think of is that the pins have somehow mushroomed so they can't come out. Good luck and let us know what finally works.
 
Be careful hammering on them. The aluminum casting WILL break. PB Blaster let it soak, hit it again with more blaster (does not take a lot just consistency in application). Use a small drift punch and VERY small ball peen hammer/machinist hammer (like no larger than 8oz). Do NOT use a carpenter hammer. You WILL break it (the grill not the hammer)
 
Was just looking at the pins on mine and was wondering if the pins moved freely on both the lid and the cookbox? Is the problem with both pins or just one?
 
Bob Ivey said:
Was just looking at the pins on mine and was wondering if the pins moved freely on both the lid and the cookbox? Is the problem with both pins or just one?
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The problem is with both pins, not just one. I just assumed they should be able to easily slide out since they had a clip at the end of the pin. They move horizontally very freely on the cookbox, and they rotate on the coobox, but they refuse to budge on the lid.
 
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Then try using the PB Blaster or other penetrating oil for a while. Then try rotating the pins gently with a pair of channel locks or vice grips. If they are able to be rotated in both the lid and box then they should come out. Also try taking some sandpaper and sanding the ends to clear any protrusions that could stop them from coming out. Keep us updated.

Update: When I removed my lid, I did have to use a hammer to pop them out. As LMichaels stated, us caution. After a few taps, they did come out. This is a 96 Genesis 1000. Good luck.
 
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Bob Ivey said:
Then try using the PB Blaster or other penetrating oil for a while. Then try rotating the pins gently with a pair of channel locks or vice grips. If they are able to be rotated in both the lid and box then they should come out. Also try taking some sandpaper and sanding the ends to clear any protrusions that could stop them from coming out. Keep us updated.

Update: When I removed my lid, I did have to use a hammer to pop them out. As LMichaels stated, us caution. After a few taps, they did come out. This is a 96 Genesis 1000. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll try applying PB Blaster for a while. How often should I reapply? Ever hour? Half hour? 10 minutes?
 
I us a different penetrating oil and I just go by sight. I like to keep it semi wet. Once an hour should be fine. At the end of the first hour, try gently rotating the pins and see what happens. keep this up for a few hours.
 
Mine was froze up bad....didn't have any penetrating oil.....just sprayed with WD40 and let it sit for 15 minutes or so....used vise grips to twist back and forth...l had to respray a couple of times before I could tap them out. Good luck.
 
Welp, it looks like I am going to have to go the hacksaw/drill route. After applying PB blaster a dozen times today and trying to use vice grips to rotate the pins I got no results. I then tried to use a hammer to tap them out. When that didn't work, I tried to wedge a screwdriver in between the grill lid and the cookbox. I ended up breaking the plastic off the bottom of the screwdriver :/. Any other ideas before I use the hacksaw?
 
Don't heat the pins heat the surrounding metal. If you heat the pins they expand and get tighter
 
If you have to use the hacksaw and drill, be very careful and start with small drill bits and work your way up. If you have access to cobalt drill bits use those. Those are the bits that you can drill stainless steel so they tend to cut better. They are more brittle but that is all I use anymore. Good luck. Might help to heat the surrounding metal and then turning the pin while doing it as LMichaels suggested. Same idea applies when I can't get a jar open. I run the lit under hot water and then I can usually open it.
 
Aluminum expands faster than SS or steel fasteners when heat is applied. If your in the general area the aluminum will expand before the fastener has a chance to expand.
It's an ole Carpenter trick I use on SS hinges attached to aluminum frames.

Tim
 
I took a bit of a different approach. Since I was replacing the bottom cookbox, I went ahead and broke the head of the pin off using a combination of drill bits and pliers. After that was broken, I pried off a piece of the cookbox that allowed me to slip the top right off. I'll use a hacksaw to cut the pins as close to the lid as possible. Then I'll use small drill bits into progressively larger bits to drill out an hole large enough for the new pins to fit in. Thanks for all your help guys!
 
I think you're going to WAY too much trouble here. I think PB Blaster and small amount of heat tapping with a drift pin would have done the job. I'm sure they're just carboned up. Probably could have just turned the burners on and it would have heated the aluminum enough
 
Quick update on this. I finally got the pins out. I did have to use a hacksaw and a few drill bits, but I got em out and have replaced the cookbox. Thanks for everyone's help! Next step, wait for the temperature to rise above 50 so I can finish repainting my frame.
 
Just another caution on drilling out steel pins in aluminum, had this problem drilling out the steel bolt which had held the grillbox to the left side frame crossmember, which i cut off on the outside with a hacksaw. When drilling steel it will naturally tend to resist and push the drillbit sideways (or allow it so to drift), but this if you're not really careful puts you into the aluminum, and once started it's hard to reposition the bit. On mine, the casting for this bolt inside the grillbox was sufficiently large (about the size of a dime, mas o menos) that rather than fight the steel I allowed it to slide 2 mm or so into aluminum only, but still keeping it within the casting on the inside (when it finally emerged). So beware. ALSO, damn Weber's aluminum casting was tough to drill through, even when it was just the aluminum not the steel pin now firmly embedded and corroded into the original hole. I was very, very surprised, I mean the drilling produced a constant flow of alum. chips, but it took 6-8 minutes, not 30 sec. which is what I expected. Anyway, see the repair at the post made today. Thanks.
 
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