top grate stability?


 
M

M Rudko

TVWBB Member
Okay. Did my first overnight on a couple of bone-in butts. Got up this morning to find the temp at 215 after 10 hours (temp between 225 and 265 when checked at night) and fired up a chimney full of charcoal anticipating I'd need to bring the temp up and keep cooking.

Surprise, surprise, surprise! Things were falling off the bone when I lifted the lid. No more time needed. Got one butt off and foiled and when I went for the second, managed to tip the cooking grate, and land the meat in the water pan!

So has this happened to anyone else? I noticed when I set things up last night that the top grate just kind of rests on the supports. Actually tips. Doesn't really drop in or sit real steady. I wish those supports were just a little longer so the grill had a little more metal under it.

Anyway, nothing too badly damaged. Managed to retrieve the dunked butt, drip dried it and set it on the cooking rack for a few minutes to air out and then into the foil.

Just curious if anyone else has encountered issues with stability on the upper grate?

-Mike
 
i can say i havent even come close to that happening!! your grate may be undersized. it should measure either 22.5" or 18.5" in diameter. if it is less then you have the wrong grate. the grate should sit square and evenly on the grate suport tabs.

you may be using the lower grate on top instead of the bottom. the 22.5 and 18.5 inch grates will fit on the lower section and the lower 22" and 18" grates will fit but just barely on the top.

one distinguishing feature of the 22.5/18.5 vs the 22/18 is that the 22.5 and 18.5 have handles the 22/18 do not.
 
I have a 2009 18" and have also noticed that the top grate has to rest "just so" on the supports; otherwise, it is prone to tipping over as you describe. A slightly longer support would solve that problem, but may make it more difficult to install the water pan and lower grate. So I just have to remind myself to be careful when handling the top grate.
 
I was taking another look yesterday and two of the tabs sit slightly higher than the others lending it a bit of a teeter-totter effect. I suppose I could loosen the bolts and see if there is any play that would allow me to adjust them slightly, but more than likely I'll just practice caution. Mine is a 2009 18" as well.

That said, my pulled pork was fantastic. Can't imagine producing any better all summer. Pulled and served it with a little Dr. Pepper Barbecue sauce that was also great. When I think of the time and effort that went into getting a pork butt off my kettle with spotty results, I don't know why I didn't grab a WSM before now.

All hail, the Weber Smoky Mountain!

-Mike
 
you two should probably get a hold of weber and describe the issue to the rep as that is not suppsoed to be like that with the tabs. the grate is supposed to sit evenly in the smoker and not wobble. that wobble can cause you to be burn if it tips and smacks bare skin.
 
If I recall correctly, when my WSM was new (several years ago) the top grate wobbled a bit, too - but it was because of the grate, not the tabs. Before you go messing with the tabs, set the grate on a table or other flat surface to be sure it's flat.

I did a little bending to get mine to sit flat (which it does, no matter how it is oriented). I also did a little work on the middle section of the WSM to make it as round as possible. The combination worked for me.
 
Thanks a million, Larry. You were right. The grate just needed a little bending and now it's sitting perfect. Thanks again. This site and its members are invaluable.

-Mike
 
I got my 2009 18" a few months ago (my first WSM). For the first cook I thought I would just do some chicken thighs as I was just learning to use the WSM. I put the thighs on the top rack, didn't put the lower rack in (why get it dirty).
Part way into the cook we lifted the lid up and added a couple of sausages and carefully replaced the lid. We stood back and heard an odd sound. I lifted the lid and there was the rack tipped sideways, and the thighs and sausages were in the water. Laughed, cursed and ordered Chinese takeout.
The tabs on this WSM were definitely too short.
The next day I went to a friends BBQ shop and he gave me some heat resistant fiber washers. I removed the bracket screws and placed the washers between the bracket and the inside wall. This moved the tabs inward so the top rack now stays in place.
I'm surprised that after making the WSM for over 2 decades they can't be consistant on the size of their parts.
At least my first cook was memorable !
 
I noticed my top grate is not exactly perfect. I get the wobble too if it is not on there just right. I have to rotate the grate until it sits flush on the tabs.

I also had my top grate fall off the tabs once when I was brushing it with crumpled aluminum foil after cooking. I don't know if I was just a little too rough, or maybe just got it in there perfect, but that hasn't happened since.
 
As long as your spatula goes along the grates, I can not imagine this happening. Do not try to put the spatula against the grates or it could get under one and tip it. I usually use my hand to make sure it's secure before lifting.
 
I wonder if some measurement has changed. There is no way any of my racks could tip in either wsm. Is it possible you had one edge under the finger when you first put it on?
 
The top grate might wobble a bit, but it should never come off the grate straps and tip over on you!
You all should check your dimensions compared to this.
It could be Weber is having a brain fart and sending out undersized grates.
I dunno but I would p-od on that one.
icon_mad.gif


Tim
 
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