Please remove bottom vent fan/cleaner

[jjdbike]

Hello,

I need to replace the bottom vent on my 22" Weber charcoal kettle. The vent blades are bent / warn out. The nut holding it in & together is worn & corroded. I scarped as clean as I could, doused it in WD40, let sit for an hour and cleaned as well as I could. The top part inside the grill is worn almost flat. I can not get a wrench or tool on it. The bottom nut is totally rated and frozen. I can not pull out the handle that opens and closed the vent. I can't budge anything. I do not know how it's assembled or held together. I think I might be approaching it wrong.

I have a replacement kit which I believe is built and assembled completely differently than the one that's currently on it.

Please see pics below. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

JD

[Murdy]

Total Guess here:

Have you tried tapping that metal rod in the first 2 pictures that goes through the nut gently with a little hammer to see if you can dislodge it? Looks like it would have had to go through after the nut was in place, like some sort of set pin??

[jjdbike]

Yes,
Thanks!

[RiverJeff]

Looks like it's time get that 4 inch grinder out with a thin cutting wheel. Cut it and forget! Move on with the repair!
Turn the kettle over and cut the nut in half tap with hammer and done!

[Attjack]

...

[RiverJeff]

This shows how the new one works. The old one had the nut that tighten the fins than lined up with hole through than the rod handle went into it and the nut center has a set screw then would hold rod tight. looks like the set screw has rusted off.

[Attjack]

You will need to drill it out.

[jjdbike]

Thanks!
JD

[Purc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHFtKhikENA Here is YouTube video from Tom Horsman restoring a Weber kettle. Here is another YT video from JP BBQ removing the sweep. Hope both of these help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPBgmlV5o6g This is the better on to watch.

[Henrik]

I’m with the others, either cut it off with a steel grinder or drill through it. The former is gonna be easier. Just be careful so you don’t scratch the enamel around.

To be clear: I would cut off the nut on the outside. Place/hold the cutter disc level with the washer underneath the nut and cut through/off the nut right where it touches the washer. Like slicing a loaf of bread :-)

[jfmorris]

jjdbike curious to see how you get it off, as I have an old Performer (2007) that will eventually need new blades.

That said, I thought you were fixing to pack up and head across the country this week. You better get busy and quit playing with your grills, or SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) will let you have it!

[Attjack]

I drilled my old performer through the set screw to remove it. IIRC, I had to omit one of the spacers to install the new hardware.

[jfmorris]

Attjack thanks for the info. Should the time come, I'll keep it in mind.

[Attjack]

jfmorris I'll be interested if you find nd the same thing. I recall being frustrated that I couldn't get it all to fit in the stack as directed.

[hoovarmin]

I just installed a new one in mine but it didn't have the assembly that you have. Yours must be pretty old, so congrats on keeping a kettle in good shape for this long. What part of the country are you guys moving to? I'm guessing you must have had pretty low humidity where you've been living?

[jjdbike]

Thanks for all the advice!
I bought it use. We do have weather and humidity in the Mid - Atlantic region, SE corner of PA. Moving to SoCal for family reasons.
yes, don’t really have time to mess w/ this but I’m doing a last cook and may need to be able to dampen airflow to control temps.
JD

[RonB]

I've not had to replace one, but could that vent rod be threaded?