Smokey Joe vents question.

[Finster]

Did a first cook on my smokey joe last night. Still had some coals left so decided to just use it again tonight. The bottom vents were frozen shut. Actually had to take a hammer and give it a pretty decent swat to break it loose. Even then, still not moving back and forth very smoothly or easily...
anyone ever have this issue?
Brand new out of the box.
Not pleased at all

[Attjack]

Yes, I have had that issue as well.

[02ebz06]

Don't have one, but just guessing here, could grease have dripped on to the vents and dried ?

[Jfrosty27]

Yes I have it happen too. Grease and ash get in there and becomes like glue. A whack with a hammer does the trick.

[Finster]

I'll check tomorrow. Grill is still hot from tonight's cook.
Seems crazy to me that would happen after one cook, and not a particularly greasy one with only about 20 coals used 🤷♂️

[Panhead John]

Following this……the Weber kettle I use at Mom’s has been having terrible issues with the bottom vents opening and closing. It’s not from pieces of charcoal stuck under the sweepers or crud buildup. I can’t figure out why it’s so hard to open and close the vents all the way either.

[Finster]

This is the smokey joe giving me trouble. No ash sweeper. Just a bottom vent that functions like the top one...or is supposed to anyway.
As to your issue, I was having the same thing happen, with the sweeper in my kettle not completely closing the vents. I replaced it with a brand new one from weber. Still doesn't quite close all the way. Better, but
still off. It does seem to move a little more smoothly though

[Panhead John]

Yep, I should have paid a little closer attention to your question. After Attjack brought it to my attention I deleted my response. I might have to get a new ash sweeper for it, won’t know till tomorrow. Mine closes all the way, it’s just hard as hell to move the handle for the sweepers back and forth.

[johnec00]

This was my solution to the sticky vent. Did the same for the top vent on smokey joe and 18" kettle.

1/4" bolt, 2 nuts and a hole in the vent tab.

[Mosca]

I did the same, it works. But I never use my Joe so it’s not an issue for me.

[Finster]

I assume you bent the metal yourself to accommodate the bolt?

[johnec00]

Finster The one on the bottom vent had to be bent, the one on the top was already bent upward. The vent disks are soft sheet metal.