Hey guys, new to the forum and didn't see this topic previously listed (I searched) if it is already posted or if this is in the wrong spot please direct me accordingly.
Last year I "inherited" a late 80's 22in Bar-B-Kettle that had clearly seen better days. I already have a nice new 22in (garage sale find still in the box!) so the old kettle became my "spare". This spring I went searching for a decent outdoor firepit. Everything I found was cheap pot metal that wouldn't last a season out here on the East Coast. The more I looked the more I realized I already had the perfect pit. So the old kettle legs came off and I mounted it in a firepit stand (ironically the bowl of said firepit stand was rusted out by the elements). It's served a dual purpose all season. I fill the kettle with coals, drop on the grill, and it makes mean baked potatoes and corn in the husk! Potatoes go for about 40 minutes and that leaves the new 22in free for burgers etc. I toss the corn in with the potatoes for 5-6 minutes and when they're done we eat. After we're done I remove the kettle grill, drop in an apple log, and the kids roast marshmallows. Since this setup is around the kids (and at their height) I'm slowly adding a couple after market safety features. I found this lid damper
https://www.grillparts.com/weber/weber-charcoal-grill-parts.asp?product_id=63070. I liked the thought of it so much I picked up 2 (one for my new 22, one for the firepit lid). That made me think of the bowl dampers, which prompted a couple questions.
The bowl damper kit is here
https://www.grillparts.com/weber/weber-charcoal-grill-parts.asp?product_id=63016 The measurements appear to be the same as the lid damper kit previously linked. Because of the stand the bowl dampers aren't easily accessible. I typically leave them full open (both for firepit and for baked potatoes). I like the "thought" of having a single rubber thumb tab that would hopefully make the whole thing easier to adjust if needed. So the questions
- does the lid damper have the same concave bend as the bowl dampers?
- has anyone on here ever swapped out a bowl damper for this lid damper?
- would the proximity to the bowl melt the rubber handle of this lid damper?
As I said I've got 2 lid dampers on order (1 for each lid). The bowl damper wind nuts are rusted on. I'd like to avoid removing them unless I'm making the mod. So if someone knows the answer please share the wealth, but if not I'm willing to be the forum guinea pig! The downside is replacing all 3 would be more costly. I'll likely replace 1, test it, and verify it works as desired before proceeding.
Thanks everyone