Weber Genesis 1200 Skyline grill


 
Bruce said:
Likely the cook box was not "Welded" to the crossmember. That corrosion is due to the dissimilar metals being in contact with each other and is exaserbated by continuous heat cycles being applied to it. That cook box is probably fine if you can get the bolt out of the hole. You might want to put a non-metalic shim in between the two in the future. I wish you luck.
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A big stainless steel fender washer with the new stainless steel bolt?
 
John_NJ said:
A big stainless steel fender washer with the new stainless steel bolt?
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I have thought of that same idea and even have bought some. Maybe some others will chime in on whether this idea has merit.

I posted earlier about my very old Jr. box with a broken off manifold bolt stuck in the threaded hole used back then. I opted for the drilling method and am glad I did. Started with a relatively small cobalt bit and worked my way up. I then drilled out the hole I created and the other one that still had thread to make 1/4" holes so I can just use regular stainless bolts. At a minimum, I plan to use regular size stainless washers, but those big fender washers look tempting. I think they would have the most merit between the firebox and the frame cross-member where the worst issues always occur. Maybe inside the firebox, too?
 
Jon Tofte said:
I have thought of that same idea and even have bought some. Maybe some others will chime in on whether this idea has merit.

I posted earlier about my very old Jr. box with a broken off manifold bolt stuck in the threaded hole used back then. I opted for the drilling method and am glad I did. Started with a relatively small cobalt bit and worked my way up. I then drilled out the hole I created and the other one that still had thread to make 1/4" holes so I can just use regular stainless bolts. At a minimum, I plan to use regular size stainless washers, but those big fender washers look tempting. I think they would have the most merit between the firebox and the frame cross-member where the worst issues always occur. Maybe inside the firebox, too?
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Yes, I definitely think that is the way to go. It is curious that there is such a huge spectrum between no issues whatsoever and really bad on grills roughly the same age and of the same model. I don't have 100 grills under my belt like some of you, but I think have pretty much seen everything now.
 
It is pretty amazing what years of high heat, grease and food salts can do to even decent bolts. I did one last year where I was certain that no regular bolt had been used. When I finally got it all apart I realized the bolt had disintegrated to little more than a smooth plug!

I think using 304 stainless - or if possible, even better 316 stainless - will help, but no material can stand up to what a hot, greasy, salty grill can ultimately throw at it. The use of stainless fender washers makes sense to me creating a wide barrier between the aluminum firebox and regular steel frame tube. Of course, that is just an accountant talking, so what do I know:sneaky::unsure:!
 
Grind the bolt flat and then drill a series of tiny holes right up next to and all around the bolt in the aluminum cook box. When you get enough holes to suit your comfort level (8-10 for me), whack the bolt gently with a center punch and then clean up the hole with a step drill out to 3/8” diameter. Drill out the crossmember to 3/8” and install new 3/8” SS bolt, nut, and washer. Voila!...problem solved. With this method, there’s so little of the aluminum cook box material left in contact with the bolt that the risk of a cook box shattering is eliminated.
 
On the cookbox, I never succeeded in straightening my red head's cookbox. I put it on the "back burner" for now since Hank has given me a replacement (and, also I'm working on the other, "daily driver", grill right now). But, I did press it quite a bit in an attempt to straighten it - and I stopped, worried it would just "explode" into shattered aluminum. The aluminum seems to be pretty "springy" and behaved, to me, like it was hardened (maybe from the heat?). So, as Larry said, a lot of heat and a press might get it to relax back into position.

On the rust and corrosion issue between the aluminum and steel (frame-to-cookbox and manifold-to-cookbox) I really think insulating (electrically) the dissimilar metals will help. I made thin insulator strips out of mica for my daily driver grill (the cranberry Silver C). I don't know for sure how well this will work but on aluminum trucks they always insulate steel and stainless parts from the aluminum, sometimes just with thin tape.
 

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I used a MAPP gas torch to heat up the cookbox around the bolt. It pretty much fell right out after about 15-20 seconds of heating. There are a couple of pin sized holes around the casting for the bolt. I imagine a washer on each side would seal it/reinforce it sufficiently.20221031_191902.jpg20221031_191956.jpg
 
Maybe some Jb weld on the outside around the bolt hole would work also. I think someone here has used it on a cookbox before.
 
Yes, I was going to suggest that. You can use the High Temp JB Weld. I have used it on a couple cook boxes to fill in holes. I did this on my personal grill and it is still good 5 years later.

For your situation, you can use it much like Bondo for car body repairs and just spread it over the area that is corroded around the hole. It might even wind up being a good barrier between the cook box and steel cross member.
 
Bruce said:
Yes, I was going to suggest that. You can use the High Temp JB Weld. I have used it on a couple cook boxes to fill in holes. I did this on my personal grill and it is still good 5 years later.

For your situation, you can use it much like Bondo for car body repairs and just spread it over the area that is corroded around the hole. It might even wind up being a good barrier between the cook box and steel cross member.
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If it has your seal of approval I will use it, at least I got the bolt out without causing any more damage. I'm going to clean the inside of both of these cook boxes and check for any more damage, and then test to see how those Hongso grates will fit in the bowed one. I may have two usable options yet.
 
One thing to note with the high temp JB weld. It sets fairly quickly. Also, make sure the area is as clean as possible prior to applying it. Once you apply it, don't stress out a whole lot about getting it pretty, no one will see it and you can sand it after it dries. But leaving a little excess over the area might be a great thing to keep a barrier between the cook box and steel crossmemeber. Also, note that it is basically a one use product. Once opened, it will harden in the container even if you recap it.
 
I've used it before as a kind of Bondo on a frame to fill in rust spots. I'll remember to do it all at once because this frame will end up with a few spots on it I'm sure.
 
Steve Hoch said:
I've used it before as a kind of Bondo on a frame to fill in rust spots. I'll remember to do it all at once because this frame will end up with a few spots on it I'm sure.
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If the frame needs the stuff, it might be better to just replace the metal. I have only used the stuff on the aluminum cook boxes. It might work fine on the steel frames as well, but I have not used it there.
 
It works well to fill in little pits and pinholes, especially on top of the frame where even a good frame might have a little rust on it that I'm going to grind off and want to have a nice, smooth finish after it's painted. I wouldn't, for example, try and rebuild the rotted out crossmember on that other frame I just picked up with it. For little spots though it works great.
 
So I took the cookbox that is bowed out and cleaned the edges where the grates sit. I then cut a piece of wood to 17.5", the same length as the Hongso grates Bruce posted a link for in this thread. The fit ranged from nice and tight at both ends to an acceptable amount of play at the center. I guess the bottom line here is this box is usable as long as I order those grates for it.20221101_162319.jpg20221101_162332.jpg
 
If you have a decent grinder you could probably customize those grill grates for a looser fit at the ends.

Not sure if the stainless and cast aluminum expand at different rates and if that might cause issues with fitment.

Just a thought.

Edit: just checked and aluminum has a much greater rate of thermal expansion so you should be ok at the ends.
 
Steve Hoch said:
I wonder if anyone makes grates that are slightly longer than the stock Weber ones? If anyone knows of something let me know.
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I have cut down stainless rod grates to fit grills.

The Summit grids in the picture have a lot of material beyond the cross braces so they can be cut down a couple of inches and still keep the structural integrity.
 

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BPratt said:
I have cut down stainless rod grates to fit grills.

The Summit grids in the picture have a lot of material beyond the cross braces so they can be cut down a couple of inches and still keep the structural integrity.
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That's an interesting possibility as well. What do you use to cut them, and how much of a pain is it? I could see making a template to cut each rod to the desired length to fill the space better.
 
Steve Hoch said:
That's an interesting possibility as well. What do you use to cut them, and how much of a pain is it? I could see making a template to cut each rod to the desired length to fill the space better.
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Hi Steve, I use a cut off wheel on a grinder. Stainless is hard so I go through a couple of wheels.

I use an existing Silver B sized grate for a template and make a score on the material with the cut off wheel.

Takes about 20 to 30 minutes to do 2 grids.
 
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