Author Topic: Fixed my BBQ with free parts from Weber  (Read 1970 times)

red_pill

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 284
  • Location: Canada
Fixed my BBQ with free parts from Weber
« on: May 07, 2018, 10:00:31 AM »
I bought my Weber Natural Gas BBQ in 2010 and it was a year old (bought it off the guy I bought the house from - for half price what it was new!).  The last two years it hasn’t been lighting well and the heat was very inconsistent.  I tried cleaning the burner tubes but it didn’t work.  It got to the point where to light the back two burner tubes you had to crank them on and then leave the lid partially closed until enough gas built up that it would all light with a concerning whoomph! . .  I don’t think I’ll be winning any safety awards any time soon.

My initial reaction (pre MMM mindset) was to go buy a new bbq. But then I came to my senses and called the bbq store to ask if they did service calls. He said they didn’t but suggested some names of people that did.  He also suggested I call Weber and get the parts replaced under their 10 year warrant.  I called Weber and they were awesome - didn’t even care I was the second owner of the bbq.  The parts arrived and when I looked at the instructions I thought it didn’t look too hard and decided to save the cost of a service call.   So instead my FIL helped me switch out the burner tubes.  Took us a few hours, but only because the existing tubes were held in by corroded bolts and a few broke off and we had to drill them out. But if it wasn’t for that it would have taken maybe 30 minutes. Super easy fix.

Saved easily a few hundred bucks, learned some new skills, and gained confidence for the next job that I could try on my own.   

BikeFanatic

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 826
Re: Fixed my BBQ with free parts from Weber
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2018, 04:26:25 AM »
Congrats! I alos hav an old BBQ I would like to fix, I worry about the gas connections if I can get them tight and leak proof.

Cali

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 163
  • Location: SoCal
Re: Fixed my BBQ with free parts from Weber
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2018, 10:23:34 AM »
Well done! I get such satisfaction from
fixing something someone else would have to pay to fix or toss.

red_pill

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 284
  • Location: Canada
Re: Fixed my BBQ with free parts from Weber
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2018, 02:05:37 PM »
Congrats! I alos hav an old BBQ I would like to fix, I worry about the gas connections if I can get them tight and leak proof.

That was my big fear as well. My FIL knows how to do that stuff but now that he showed me trust me when I say it’s dead simple.  Connect it as per the instructions.  Put some soapy water on the connection. Turn the gas on. You’ll see little babes forming if it’s not tight.  Just tighten it up.  I bet there’s you tube videos out there.   These are factory connections made for the lay person to connect. I feel ridiculous now that I see how easy it was and how that was going to cost me probably $100 or so for a service call.

Driver8

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 1
  • Location: Midwest USA
Re: Fixed my BBQ with free parts from Weber
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2018, 05:03:02 PM »
There's actually a pretty fantastic online community on rehabbing Weber grills.   Webers are built to last and the parts are readily available for their old grills and priced reasonably well.  (The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board - https://tvwbb.com/ )

I stumbled onto that site a few years back and have fixed up a few grills, mostly for myself and family and friends, but also sold one on craigslist.  That's the insane thing about grills - especially Webers - people will sell them dirt cheap or give them away on craigslist, and in many cases they just need a good cleaning and a few new parts (typically $100 or less) to get back to nearly as good as new and last many more years.  Sometimes it's just the ignitor button that needs replaced, but people decide to give up on the whole grill!  And I honestly, I wouldn't consider myself a handy/fix-it type of guy normally, but these grills are actually built really simply and one you learn the basic parts it's actually quite simple to take apart pieces/clean/fix replace things as needed.

My nicest one I've kept is a Weber Genesis Gold 3-burner from 2003 that I fixed up two years ago.  Bought for $50 on craigslist, I spent a bit more on the finishes, buying some custom stainless steel flavorizer bars on ebay and then getting good cast iron grates, but I'm pretty sure I can get another decade or more out of this grill easily....and for way less than the 500-750+ some people spend every few years on a new grill.

BikeFanatic

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 826
Re: Fixed my BBQ with free parts from Weber
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2018, 05:16:11 PM »
Thanks for the info, I am going to try it.

Brother Esau

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 648
Re: Fixed my BBQ with free parts from Weber
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2018, 07:30:41 AM »
Great story! I love our Weber Spirit. One of those items where the phrase ..."You get what you pay for" applies.