22-1/2-Inch One-Touch Cleaning System Kit for Weber Grill Replacement Parts, 7444 Weber Grill Parts for 22″ Master-Touch, Performer, Original Kettle Series Charcoal Grills, Sturdy, Easy to Install

The vanes of the bottom air control vent on my Weber grill had gotten bent or warped over the years to where they didn’t shut off the airflow very well, so I jumped at the chance to try these replacements.There were no instructions with the replacement parts kit, but figuring out how they go together is pretty straightforward, with the old ones as a guide. The vanes are numbered, the disk with the two “ears” goes down through them from the top,, the flat disk goes on from underneath the bowl of the grill, and the shaft of the handle goes through the two holes to hold it all in place. (First photo, before they went onto the grill. Note the notch above the hole on the nearer ear, and the lug on the handle shaft that keeps it from getting it pulled out accidentally once it’s rotated. It is vital that the notch be on the side you are inserting the handle from.)The hardest part in my case just getting the old parts off of the grill. After years of neglect, they were so gunked up with soot and grease that the shaft was completely frozen in place. It took soaking in penetrating lubricant for a couple of days and twisting the shaft back and forth with vice grips to finally free it up. (Second photo, after applying the penetrating lubricant)I bent one of the new vanes very slightly to get a better fit against the inside of the bowl, but this may not be necessary for everybody.The second hardest part, where the helper came in, was pressing the assembly down tightly enough to get the shaft through the holes.It all shows that just because Weber grills are almost indestructible, it doesn’t mean that they don’t benefit from periodic TLC, at least cleaning and winterizing in the Fall. I’ll certainly be sure to clean that shaft assembly regularly from now on!UPDATE, March 30, 2024:We’ve finally had a couple of days nice enough that I felt like using the grill, so now I can report on actual performance of the new vanes.The picture of burnt charcoal in the grill was made after closing all the grill vents when I finished cooking, to see how quickly the fire would go out. It was lump charcoal, which usually burns up more completely than briquets, and as the photo shows, there is quite a bit left that can be part of the next fire.I’d always been a little disappointed with the performance of this Weber on completely sealing against airflow, compared to others that I’ve used. I think that with these new control vanes it actually is “better than new!”