Adding A Lid Vent Damper - The Virtual Weber Bullet

Adding A Lid Vent Damper

Originally posted: 03/01/2008
Last updated: 08/07/2008

Bob Hunter from Orange, CA, likes to cook butterflied chicken at high temperature in his Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. In order to increase the airflow through the cooker, he added another vent damper to the lid.

As always...click on any of the pictures to view a larger image.

Mark And Drill The Lid

Order a WSM vent damper replacement kit from Weber at 800-446-1071.

Cover the surface of the lid opposite the original vent damper with two layers of painter's tape. Place a vent damper over the tape and mark the center hole and three vent holes with a pen.

Drill the center hole with a 1/4" metal drill bit. Drill the three vent holes with a 3/4" metal drill bit. The Unibit #4 Step Drill Bit is ideal for making the 3/4" holes.

Close-up of new damper fastened with BBQ Guru eyelet

Attach The Damper

The WSM vent damper replacement kit includes fastening hardware: a 1/4-20 x 5/8" truss head screw, a 1/4" flat washer, and a 1/4-20 inch acorn nut. Use these to fasten the damper to the lid.

Bob used a BBQ Guru eyelet (Picture 1) instead of the Weber fasteners. This allows him to insert a probe thermometer through the center of the damper to measure cooker temperature.

Picture 2 shows the final installation with a probe thermometer cable running through the center of the new damper.

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