Properly Assemble a Weber Charcoal Grill (That Won't Collapse)
The Weber One-Touch Gold 22.5-Inch Charcoal Grill is our favorite kettle grill, but it has a flaw...
If you don’t install the three-leg assembly supporting the kettle correctly the first time, there’s no going back. Removing and reassembling certain parts will cause them to loosen, and sooner or later when you try to move the grill around your backyard, it will start to fall apart or even collapse. With its illustration-only manual, Weber doesn’t make this critical assembly easy—nor does it warn you of the consequences if you don’t get it right the first time. Here are some tips to help properly assemble the grill.
1. ATTACH 2 LEGS TO TRIANGLE: Following manual, slide 2 legs that get wheels onto long rod of triangle "shelf."
2. PUT HUBCAPS ON STRAIGHT: Slide wheels onto rod next to legs, then gently tap hubcaps on with hammer, taking special care to put on straight. If hubcaps go on at angle, DO NOT REMOVE. Their interior is made of soft aluminum that will mold itself around rod. Removing and reattaching will loosen fit, making hubcaps—and wheels—more prone to falling off.
3. IDENTIFY WHERE WHEELED LEGS GO: Turn kettle upside down and identify 2 short tubes directly opposite 1 handle. This is where you will insert legs with wheels. If you insert wheeled legs in wrong tubes, rolling grill will stress contact points, loosening legs and causing grill to become unstable.
4. INSERT WHEELED LEGS; DON'T TWIST! Insert legs straight into tubes without twisting or rocking. DO NOT REMOVE. Small buttons inside tubes create indentations in soft aluminum of legs as you insert them, ensuring tight fit. Twisting, rocking, or removing and reinserting can lead to too-wide grooves and loose legs.
5. ATTACH TRIANGLE TO THIRD LEG: Insert hooked point of triangle into third leg, making sure it goes into hole pointing UP, so it will point DOWN when kettle is turned upright, helping to hold legs together.
6. INSERT THIRD LEG INTO KETTLE: Insert third leg into remaining short tube without twisting or rocking.
