22" Kettle Premium Build Struggles.

[yippee]

Hello again everyone.

I finally got around to setting up my 22" premium kettle tonight that I picked up from Target. I had quite a few issues putting it all together, I'm not sure if I got a dud or these issues are common and I'm worrying too much about it.

I followed the directions step by step, which is unusual for me but I wanted this grill to be put together perfectly. It started off rough from the beginning. I had a heck of a time getting the ring for the ash bucket on the bottom of the kettle. I finally squeezed the ring on and chalked this up to it being my first ash bucket grill. Once it was in place the tabs that go in the slots on the leg sockets were a real pain to get in. One fell right into place, but the other two were really a struggle to get in place and even then I'm not 100% they're in there exactly the way they're supposed to be. There were a few minor details on the leg sockets like some chipped porcelain around the edges and almost bare spots inside the sockets.

Then came the legs, they were a pain to get into the sockets. Almost like the  sockets were just too small for the legs. After some serious convincing I was able to get them in the sockets.

Then the thermometer didn't seem like it fit well in the bezel or the bezel to the lid, but that was minor. Then as a whole the lid seems to have a pretty poor fit on the bowl. Another minor detail, on the flip grate one of the flip up parts seems like it fits really tight into the stationary part and doesn't seem to close all the way. Once full assembled the whole thing seems kind of wobbly on the legs. You can take the handle and gently move it side to side and it wobbles a pretty decent amount.

I was just curious if I got a dud and should try another kettle or if this is all typical for the new 22's and should just deal with it. I'm not sure if I'm making too much of a deal out of it and critiquing it too much. It tends to bother me if things don't fit right and I have to force things together, just doesn't feel like it's built properly to me.

My 18" snapped together with no issues and just overall seems more well put together. I am looking to get some feedback to decide which route I should take from here. Sorry if I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill, I just didn't feel like the build quality of this one fit the high expectations I had for a Weber kettle.

[Kain]

I've personally never had the chance to put together a new 22. But I know my new 18 snapped together without a glitch and is sturdy. I would probably make the same fuss as you have. Good luck with it


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[ReanimatedRobot]

I've personally never had the chance to put together a new 22. But I know my new 18 snapped together without a glitch and is sturdy. I would probably make the same fuss as you have. Good luck with it


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club

In the last year I have assembled a premium and disassembled a LE and put the legs on a premium kettle for a kettle pizza set up.  I will admit that sometimes it can be a pain to get them to go together right especially it you haven't done a few before.  A lot of times the legs are difficult to get in and out. I think it is meant to be this way to limit wobble.  Unfortunately the larger the kettle is and the taller the legs are then more wobbly it will be.  That is why some guys want to drop a 26 in a cart or make a mini ranch with it. 

The colored finish around the sockets is sometimes not perfect.  It wasn't with my LE, but I really hoped it was just that run of kettles. 

It's hard to say if you got a lemon or it just really didn't meet your expectations.  There might be ways you can upgrade it to meet your expectations or it may be something you just return and try with another one.  Up to you really. I just hope whatever solution you go with makes you happy.

Sent from my SM-G925R4 using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[socal-griller]

What @ReanimatedRobot said. Hard to tell through simply text if the grill is set up incorrectly, or whether build issues exist. IIRC, the legs were the most difficult part of the setup. A few twists were required. Otherwise, the Weber 22 isn't exactly a model of fit and finish perfection. It's rickety (vs something like a PK or models such as the Summit), but you get what you pay for.

[DaveG74]

the legs were the most difficult part of the setup. A few twists were required.

I agree, I believe they have snaps that lock in place and have to be in the correct socket.

[hemi_charger]

I had the same issues with the legs but until I took the retainers and put them in the leg instead of the socket and they went right in.

[yippee]

I had all day to think about it while I was at work, eventually the fear of the unknown got to me. I knew it would bother me if I didn't get another one to compare it to, because I would never truly know if the first one fit together the way it was supposed to or not. After work I came home and ate a quick dinner then went off to Target again. I returned grill number one for grill number two. I came straight home and got right to building grill number two. The new grill went together much easier without any fight and the fit and finish is miles apart. The end result was much better and more stable.

The ring for the ash bucket went straight in and actually snapped right into place. The legs took just a little bit of twisting to get them to settle into the socket as most have described here, as well as what I remember from my 18". The thermometer fits the bezel correctly, which fits the lid correctly, which fits the bowl correctly.

On the first kettle, pretty much everything had to be forced together to make it work. On the second grill everything went together like I would have expected. This is more what I expected from the Weber name, and I am quite happy with the end result.

Needless to say I am out in the driveway, just about finished with the first chimney of charcoal for the new grill. Glad I went ahead and bit the bullet on trying another one.

[DaveG74]

Nothing like over thinking all day long, Glad  there was a happy ending!

[ReanimatedRobot]

Glad it worked out man.  Unfortunately when these go through the factory they are all built within certain tolerances and some might not come out just perfect if the tooling on a machine is at the end of its life.  Most of the time the range or variance doesn't make a difference, but maybe you got a small run (or just that one kettle) that was on the edge of tolerances or end of life for a few things. 

Thats why I think it is important to assemble your own grill if you are buying it new so you can look it over really well.  A lot of times they aren't assembled quite right or they have aftermarket replacement hardware at the store if you grab them already built. One of my local stores has a number displays where they handle is horribly loose and chipping the porcelain, the wheel caps are a different color, and etc.