Remove taco handle heat shield?


 
M

Mack Manning

TVWBB Super Fan
I understand many don't like the taco heat shield, but did find any reason besides appearance. It appears I could easily pop the shield off the studs before installing the handle.

Has anyone done this?
Anyone have arguments for or against leaving it?
 
When the handles were made of wood there was no heat shield. The newer plastic handles get really hot so they added the heat shield.
 
I just wondered if people found it got in the way, or if the shield itself would get hot and burn you if you bump it. I keep gloves on the grill cart, but I'd prefer not to use them every time I open the lid.
 
I've got an older kettle that doesn't have the taco shield. The handle can get super hot if the charcoal is in the middle like with the baskets or the vortex. I put a fancy wooden handle on it to help. It doesn't get as hot as the plastic but it can still get hot. Personally if it came with it, I'd leave it. But it looks like it would come off pretty easily if you want to remove it. These days I almost always cook with the Slow N Sear in the kettle so the handle never gets that hot. It probably does add some stability to the handle though and might save some wear and tear on the screw holes.
 
To be perfectly honest, my initial reaction upon seeing a taco handle for the first time was Wow, that's cool - they installed a heat baffle on the handle! Later, I found out that they're practically blasphemous in the eyes of Weber purists. I get that the fasteners that come with them are kind of chintzy, and the screw holes are a potential rust failure point, but the engineer in me really believes that the pros outweigh the cons. On my 26" and Jumbo Joe, I replaced the sheet metal nuts with a pair of jam nuts and a #12 fender washer on each stud - that way I could get a good, solidly torqued joint while still limiting the contact force on the enamel.
 
LeeHarvey said:
To be perfectly honest, my initial reaction upon seeing a taco handle for the first time was Wow, that's cool - they installed a heat baffle on the handle! Later, I found out that they're practically blasphemous in the eyes of Weber purists. I get that the fasteners that come with them are kind of chintzy, and the screw holes are a potential rust failure point, but the engineer in me really believes that the pros outweigh the cons. On my 26" and Jumbo Joe, I replaced the sheet metal nuts with a pair of jam nuts and a #12 fender washer on each stud - that way I could get a good, solidly torqued joint while still limiting the contact force on the enamel.
Click to expand...
Are the studs 1/4-20/?
 
Apparently the forum breaks links to mcmaster.com. The nuts I used were 18-8 stainless thin wide hex nuts. McMaster catalog number 91851A620
 
I have no problem with the new handle, as the old style hot real hot and this new style much much cooler .
Sometimes change is good and this is one of those times.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top