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‘Help! My Weber gas grill has fallen and it can’t get up!’ 
Pardon the slight adaptation of that old commercial slogan but I’ve got a slight dilemma on my hands here. OK…so it’s not quite on a level anywhere near what the astronauts on Apollo 13 went through but’s it’s a problem, nonetheless. I bought my smokin’ red Weber Genesis 1000 back in the early 90’s and, unfortunately, it has seen better days.
It has been the best (well…the only) gas grill I’ve ever owned. Nearly every homeowner owns a grill these days. I love mine so much that I’ve bought quite a few replacement parts and accessories for it over the years to keep it up and running. But now rust has reared its’ ugly head and limited my options on prolonging the life of my friend…ol’ Red.
If I can resuscitate ol’ Red, I will, but I might need to face facts and send him to that big grilling party in the sky.
Why would I want to toss out a grill that’s given me 15 years of nearly flawless service and delicious meals?
I don’t want to toss out my old gas grill. The replacement part that I’ve ordered for it are the guide rails for the drip catch tray under the cooking box.
I didn’t find this particular part in Home Depot or Lowe’s or Weber’s online replacement parts store so I contacted customer support online at Weber. I explained what I needed and what model I had.
I received an email back the following day stating that they had the part(s) I needed and that if I supplied my mailing address and phone number, they would send the parts to me. Of course I emailed him back asking for the cost of the parts and the shipping fee. Would you believe that they offered the parts at no charge and free shipping!!! In addition, my grill had far exceeded the warranty period. These emails that we were sending back and forth were being answered within hours, not days or weeks, mind you.
That’s what I call customer service!
I figured it would take about 4-5 days to arrive and I was right. I grabbed the box off of my front porch to see if I had received the correct parts. (There are so many models from over the years that I wasn’t sure if I had correctly communicated the exact part I needed.) The parts were the correct ones to get ol’ Red back up and running.
Fact: Did you know that there were 17 million grills sold in the US and Canada in 2006 and that 81% of US households own a barbecue grill and the number of grill owners steadily increases year-after-year?
So yesterday I get out my tools to remove and replace the guide rails. Problem. The old screws were slightly rusted (understatement). What now?! WD-40 to the rescue! I sprayed all four screws and gave the WD-40 time to penetrate to loosen things up a little. I end up being able to remove only 1 of the screws. The others will have to wait until I gather more patience and give it another shot.
Here’s a list of what I’ve replaced over the years:
- Porcelain-enameled Flavorizer bars (twice)
- Porcelain-enameled cooking grates
- Lid handle: The original handle was wood.
- Catch pan and holder
- I originally had wood work tables but I replaced them with Durawood tables when the originals rotted.
I also purchased a couple of grill covers and a very handy rotisserie years ago that provided excellent service and still does on occasion.
My first grill after becoming a homeowner was a large Weber kettle grill. I later decided to purchase the LP gas grill for ease of use and quick, outdoor meals. Once I had the gas grill, the charcoal kettle was pushed to the side in favor of the quick and easy gas model. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago when we were at a friends’ house having a cookout and they were serving up charcoal-grilled hamburgers. I had almost forgotten how great the unmistakable flavor that charcoal lent to burgers. It wasn’t long after that cookout that I went out and got another (smaller) charcoal kettle grill. It now shares the outdoor cooking duties with the gas grill.
If all of the items mentioned above had needed to be replaced all at once, I would have said ‘screw it!’ and bought another grill. But that’s not the way it played out.
Another reason why I’ve kept it all of these years is because the burner tubes and electronic spark igniter have never needed to be replaced, although the igniter has just begun to require several clicks to start the flame. I’ve noticed over the years that the igniter on lesser-quality grills quits working not long after the first season, or two, so I’ve been pleased with my Weber, to say the least.
I’ve also discovered that the cooking box itself has begun to rust out near the bottom corner. That’s not a problem that will prevent me from using the grill if I can replace the tray guides, though.
If I do need to replace my grill, you can bet that it will be none other than a Weber. But for now, I’ll just cover it and stoke up the briquets of my Weber One-Touch kettle grill.
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I started as a home-stalker… visiting brand new homes under construction in the neighborhoods near my house. That inspired me to write about home building and home renovation projects — chronicling homes during different phases of construction from a consumer's point-of-view. Basically, the tips you'll find in my articles are a collection of checklists for what I think should (and should not) go into building or remodeling a quality home.
I’m so happy to have found this blog. I just purchased a G1 @ the Salvation Army for $35. What a steal. Having to replace the lower front bar of the frame and maybe adding the GCC regulator seems well worth it after seeing the years of service the G! has provided to others.
Thank you for saving me, I have the same exact grill when I called Weber they could not help me unless I had the correct serial number which had faded away your picture along with the Genesis 1000 was the key to my success. I called weber back gave them the number they where able to get me the correct Regulator and hose which wil be here in 7 business days. Hopefully I will be back and grilling soon.
David…
Excellent news! Sounds like you’re going to be grilling out in no time.
I came across the picture of your grill while searching google images in an attempt to show a friend what my ‘new’ grill looked like. What a great article. My $45 garage sale find was filthy upon first inspection, but after a good clean up, my father (an owner of a new Weber Genesis) and I found it to be in great condition. All but the wooden handle looks the same as yours. The original owner stated he has replaced only the bars beneath the cast iron grill with stainless steel ones a few years back, but other than that it is original. After using it a few times, I am sold. This grill will be repaired before it will be replaced for years to come.
Matthew
I’m glad to here about your garage sale treasure. Enjoy it. Hey…drop me a line using the contact button on the top of the page and let me know if you live near Atlanta. If so, you can come by and pick up my old grill for parts. It’s got a cover, too.
I apologize if I missed this somewhere in blog/article…but we have this grill and were thinking of sending it to grill heaven also..but dont want to either. We cant figure out what model of grill it is to get replacement parts? We for sure need burners! Thanks for any help in advance!
Danielle
Gardner, KS
Danielle…it’s a Weber Genesis 1000.
i’m rebuilding a old genesis 1000, and found your blog. The cook box has a lifetime warranty from Weber, call them and they will send you a new one….
If you are still planning on giving away the grill, call them first, then me as I do live near Atlanta! 404 579 7631
Chris
Chris… I’ve purchased a new Weber. You’re welcome to the old one. I called Weber and they do not manufacture the cook box for that model anymore.
Randy,
I have a Genesis 1000 that doesn’t have a handle. Where did you get a metal one?
Thanks,
Ty Alexander
Ty…the handle is plastic or a material similar to plastic, not metal.
Randy,
Can you tell me where to get one?
Hi Randy- I’m thinking of buying this exact grill second hand! Would you recommend it?
Rebekah…I had mine for over 15 years without any real issues except to replace a few parts that had worn out. What I liked most about that grill was that it always started on the first click. The only thing you might want to check into before you buy it is if you can still buy replacement parts for it. I replaced Ol’ Red with a Weber…so there you go.
Randy,
Where can I find a replacement handle like you have for your
Genesis 1000?
Thanks,
Ty
@f40c06a470778e25de26b84d28f430b5:disqus Try this link to locate a handle for your Weber Genesis 1000 –> http://j.mp/jk6hg9
We bought our Weber in the mid-90s. Still working. I replaced the cooking grates last year and the flavorizer bars this year. I cannot tell you how much we love this grill. I’ve cooked everything on it. And I have the side burner, which I didn’t use as much as I thought. But I have used it to cook rice and veggies.
Their customer service is just fantastic! I would highly recommend their products.
I have same problem with guide rails. Weber sent new, but old ones too rusted to remove.
Try a hack saw.
I have the same Weber grill (also purchased in the early 90’s) I love this grill! The only parts I have replaced are the burner covers & the cooking grate. I am currently looking for the new gas regulator/hose hook up for the new (well not new anymore) LP tanks as refill stations will no longer refill me old tank
Same grill – same parts replaced – almost exact same decades-long relationship! When I tried to replace the drip tray rails, the new screws could not get a foothold – too much rust over the years, I guess. Just curious if you had that problem – and whether you found (or could suggest) a solution. I was going to try to glue a nut (w/ JB Weld) and try to secure the rails to the nut with a screw. Great write-up! And Weber customer service has always been amazing in my experience, as well.
We inherited (from a great client) a good “ole Red”, too and need to replace the side tables, and handle, also. I have seen a few different sites that have all the parts (one has the screw kit, too!), but none that have ALL of them from the same site. I wanted to know if you recommend replacing the knobs, even if we have not had problems with them… How are yours holding up? Ours is in good shape, rust-wise (crossing my fingers here!), but definitely want to buy a good quality cover, too. I did email Weber CS recently, but have not received reply yet. Hoping they will have same superior CS as you described. I am happy to pay for the parts, as long as I can get what I need to spruce up my hubby’s little baby! Hope yours is still kicking!
I’ve got Red’s cousin I bought new in 1995. I love my Weber. We have used it at least twice a week since then – and made a whole lot of people happy. Its a nice smoker too … My original wood tables are still in excellent shape – but I have a rust issue and will need a frame, bottom rails and a catch pan. The frame seems to be the big problem – any ideas out there ? Is there another model maybe that it would fit into (and yes – I do have the tools to do it…). How about drawings with dimensions?
Just read most of the articles on RED, I too have the same one came, with side burner and Durawood tables from the mid-90’s, it was a prize from Ralph’s Supermarket (California) has logo right in front of cover, first thought it was a joke. At first, was too big for my family of four, had a decent smaller grill (Pro-chef) used it until it couldn’t stand upright. Now old reliable RED is functioning perfectly, with some minor repairs and replacements, Weber website is fantastic. Once a year I give it a through cleaning, clean every manifold opening to get even fire. Love my grill/smoker best roast pork, ribs, veggies and fruit. Nothing better, than grilling after work listening to a ballgame with a cold beer, thank you Weber!
I recently acquired my 2nd Red genesis 1000. My first acuisition cost $20 and the guy threw in the propane tank. A set of flavorizer bars and that thing gave me 10+ years of great service.
Last month i struck gold again and acquired my 2nd red genesis (free w cover) and have already begun swapping parts between the two.
I will take my time with the project, but i suspect when im done i can probably still sell the lesser of the two for more than $20 (without tank or cover).
Replacing those drip pan rails is on my short list because my pan fell last weekend. I don’t think i will b able to swap rails between my grills (both are nearly totally rusted). I plan to heat the screws, but im prepared to cut em off or drill them out if needed.
My original Genesis 1000 is going on 13 years. Replaced some of the same items, flavor-bars (twice), burners and starter (once), porcelain grates (once) – cast iron grates(now). Funny part is when I first had it delivered, the place I bought it from noticed that the top lid had a small scratch in it so they contacted Weber who promptly sent out a replacement lid. I asked them if they wanted the original sent back and they told me to (if I wanted) leave the original on and when it wears out, swap in the replacement. Needless to say, that red replacement lid is still boxed up! Big purchase this year will be a new canvas cover.