Weber Repair, Issue and Screw Replacement


 

Dave Z

TVWBB Member
Big Weber fan and owner. I have two WSM, Weber Firepit, portable Weber and and a Genesis II S-410.

I was doing work on the Genesis II S-410. I needed to replace a burnt out crossover tube but the screws in it had rusted off. Not a big issue as I could pull the crossover right off. But I could not attach the new crossover due to this (you screw the crossover into the top of the bracket). So Weber sent me new brackets.

The issue is I can not get the new brackets in as I cannot get the old ones off. The screws are corroded / rounded before I even touched them. Really disappointing. I applied PB Blaster over several days and then tried Easy Out Sockets, Vice Grips, Easy Out Bits and even cut a slot in the bolt head with a Dremel. I got a flathead in and got good purchase but the bold head snapped half way off. Really frustrated at the poor quality bolts.

The crossover works and the grill works - so it's not an emergency. But I do want to sort it. Nuclear option is to get a new bottom box once things fail but that will be a few years and is overkill (but an option).

I have a friend who is a jeweler. He has some high end kit and will come over and we will try to get the bolts out either with a high end left handed bit. Or worst case, drill them out. We will also put some heat on the bolts and/or bolt well.
  1. At this point, I prefer to get them out with the left handed bit to preserve the existing threads - agree?
  2. I could also try to take some material off the sides and try to get the extractor socket on the bolt?
  3. Or I could square the edges and try a wrench - but the tops are really corroded.
  4. If that fails, I will need to drill them out. Any advice? Never done this. My friend can do it but any tips would be welcome
  5. Does anyone know the size of the screws (width and depth) for the brackets (66514) and crossover (66168) so I can try to source replacement ones that are a bit better quality? I would try to get stainless steel. Any suggestions on where to source these in the UK? I can also source in the USA and my son can bring them to me.
Any advice would be most appreciated.

THANK YOU!

PS - I attach some pictures. It shows the new (cheap) replacement bolts. It also shows the current situation. I have tried a ton of things to get these off and feel drilling or drill extractor is my only remaining option. You can see the crossover bolts are totally gone (highlighted at the top of the bracket). That's not an issue. Its the bottom bracket bolt that I need to get out.
 

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I don't see a crossover tube in there. IIRC those grills needed each individual burner lit in lieu of a crossover tube. As for those screws. If I'm in your shoes no way I am using cheap screws. Get yourself some good stainless steel ones and use a Never Seize compound on the threads
 
Like Larry said, the Genesis II model does not use crossover tubes at all. There is an igniter on each of the four burner tubes themselves. To light them, you open the valves for each burner, then press the igniter button.

Nothing from that grill is “missing” based on your photos.

If you needed to replace a burner tube at some point, the actual burner tubes sit inside the brackets (as shown in your photos), and those burner tubes can be removed in about 2 seconds by simply twisting the burner tube counter clockwise, then pulling it up and out of the bracket.

So to reiterate, when you say “You can see the crossover bolts are totally gone (highlighted at the top of the bracket).”, there is no missing bolt in your highlighted top square, because nothing goes there, because this grill doesn’t use crossover tubes.

That grill is good to go as is.

IMG_1306.jpeg
 
I don't see a crossover tube in there. IIRC those grills needed each individual burner lit in lieu of a crossover tube. As for those screws. If I'm in your shoes no way I am using cheap screws. Get yourself some good stainless steel ones and use a Never Seize compound on the threads

I removed the crossover to show the situation better....I will for sure get good screws if I can get the old ones out. If you have any ideas on that, please advise? Will try some heat around the area next
 

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Like Larry said, the Genesis II model does not use crossover tubes at all. There is an igniter on each of the four burner tubes themselves. To light them, you open the valves for each burner, then press the igniter button.

Nothing from that grill is “missing” based on your photos.

If you needed to replace a burner tube at some point, the actual burner tubes sit inside the brackets (as shown in your photos), and those burner tubes can be removed in about 2 seconds by simply twisting the burner tube counter clockwise, then pulling it up and out of the bracket.

So to reiterate, when you say “You can see the crossover bolts are totally gone (highlighted at the top of the bracket).”, there is no missing bolt in your highlighted top square, because nothing goes there, because this grill doesn’t use crossover tubes.

That grill is good to go as is.

View attachment 103333

Mine is a UK model? Maybe that is the difference as it comes with a crossover?

I was unclear in that the bolts to hold the crossover in place are gone - corroded off. I removed the crossover for the photo so folks could see the bracket the the crossover bolts "gone" (corroded off) and the burner bolts that are rounded.

I know I can replace the burners when needed. But I am hoping to replace the brackets that hold both the burners and crossover.

Sorry I was not more clear.
 

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I am thinking that cook box is under warranty. I would call Weber and see about getting the cookbox replaced.
 
you don’t need to remove the brackets to remove the burner tubes. They are tool less.

Just twist and lift
 
This shows my situation...

I have taken off the crossover for the photo.

You can see at the top where the screw to attach the crossover is "gone" - corroded off.

The issue I want to solve is to remove the bolt (also highlighted) so I can replace the 4 brackets where the burners sit and the crossover attaches.

As I can slot in new burner tubs when needed - I ok. When needed, I could just slot in the new burners.

But if I could replace the brackets, I can then also attach the crossover with (good) screws. Right now it is just sitting there - barely clipped in. I really would like to attach the crossover with the screws.

So I need to get the brackets out....

Make sense? Thanks!
 

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I am thinking that cook box is under warranty. I would call Weber and see about getting the cookbox replaced.

I tried that - they will not. They supplied a new crossover and new brackets and told me I would need to drill out the bad bolts. :-(
 
you don’t need to remove the brackets to remove the burner tubes. They are tool less.

Just twist and lift

Understood. I should have been clearer. I want to replace the brackets that hold the burner tubes. So I can attach the crossover. The crossover attaches to these brackets. As you say, when needed, I could replace the burners pretty easy. Thanks!
 
Dave Z: I am sorry to hear Weber expects an end user to "Drill out" screws and bolts. I am pretty happy with Weber C/S over here in the US and I would expect that they would ship out a new cook box if it is under warranty. You might want to call back and tell them you don't have the tools or know how to drill them out and cannot find anyone to do it for you. Sometimes, just talking to a different rep gets you "different" results.
 
Dave Z: I am sorry to hear Weber expects an end user to "Drill out" screws and bolts. I am pretty happy with Weber C/S over here in the US and I would expect that they would ship out a new cook box if it is under warranty. You might want to call back and tell them you don't have the tools or know how to drill them out and cannot find anyone to do it for you. Sometimes, just talking to a different rep gets you "different" results.

I totally agree. I was surprised. They were not going to even give me the new brackets at first!

I keep getting the same person (using email). I am going to give heat and some high end tools a go.

Then maybe I call support rather than use email? Thanks!!
 
Understood. I should have been clearer. I want to replace the brackets that hold the burner tubes. So I can attach the crossover. The crossover attaches to these brackets. As you say, when needed, I could replace the burners pretty easy. Thanks!
Hi Dave, the ones I have had here in the US did not have a cross over tube. Yours does #10 in the diagram.

General statements on blind hole firebox bolts - to remove I heat the bolts with a torch.
If the bolt looks pretty bad I leave it in place and drill and tap a new hole in the same area. Once the new hole is set, I shear off the head of the old bolt. That avoids drilling out a broken bolt
 
If you cannot resolve the problem, Call, yes. Call them. I think you will get a better response....especially after you tell them everything you did to try to resolve the issue on your own.
 
I totally agree. I was surprised. They were not going to even give me the new brackets at first!

I keep getting the same person (using email). I am going to give heat and some high end tools a go.

Then maybe I call support rather than use email? Thanks!!
Call first! A phone call seems to be more productive than email, here anyway, people seem to be more inclined to help when you actually speak to a human.
 
Hi Dave, the ones I have had here in the US did not have a cross over tube. Yours does #10 in the diagram.

General statements on blind hole firebox bolts - to remove I heat the bolts with a torch.
If the bolt looks pretty bad I leave it in place and drill and tap a new hole in the same area. Once the new hole is set, I shear off the head of the old bolt. That avoids drilling out a broken bolt

Sorry for the confusion - I should have been more clear. I appreciate your input on a possible fix - it is good advise. I wonder if I will have room to drill a new hole? I think I might...so frustrating as I take good care of the grill but did not think about these rusting out.
 
Hi Dave, the ones I have had here in the US did not have a cross over tube. Yours does #10 in the diagram.

General statements on blind hole firebox bolts - to remove I heat the bolts with a torch.
If the bolt looks pretty bad I leave it in place and drill and tap a new hole in the same area. Once the new hole is set, I shear off the head of the old bolt. That avoids drilling out a broken bolt

On a side note - I am note sure what the crossover even does. I can light all the burners easily, on their own. The only thing I see it doing is allowing me to start one burner and then turn the others on (and they then light).

Its just as easy to turn on burners as needed and light them as needed with the igniter button?

I don't get it...
 
One of the benefits of the crossover is that if a burner blows out from wind or whatever, it will reignite off the other burners. Without that, you could wind up with all burners eventually blowing out or having raw gas build but inside the cook box.
It might be a requirement in the UK for safety reasons and why your grills have it and ours do not.
 

 

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