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Access Door Modifications

Originally posted: 04/01/2001
Last updated: 02/02/2008


In this topic:

Here is an easy modification to improve the access door of the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker, and the story of the upside down access door.

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


Access Door Latch

Marked access door knob

Marking The Door Knob

Have you ever latched the access door, only to have it fall off the cooker as you take your hand off the knob? Sometimes it's hard to know when the door is latched securely.

To solve this minor irritation, you can mark the door knob to indicate the fully latched position. Remove the door from the cooker and turn the knob so the latch on the inside is pointing straight up in the 12 o'clock position, as shown in Picture 1. Next, mark the knob in the 12 o'clock position using one of the following:

  • A small strip of colored tape.
  • A symbol from a sheet of adhesive vinyl lettering (Picture 2). The top portion of the "!" symbol makes a nice little arrow; you could also use a "*" or "^" symbol.
  • A thin line or dot of paint.
  • A flat spot or notch filed on the edge of the knob.
  • A shallow divot drilled into the knob, filled with paint or white crayon. Thanks to Rob Gazzo for this suggestion.

Rob Kelso With His Upside Down Door

Upside Down Access Door

On several occasions I've met WSM owners who insist on putting the access door in their cooker upside down, with the knob on the bottom.

The first person I met who did this was Rob Kelso, shown in this picture. Rob said that this is his "secret weapon" in barbecue competitions. His reasoning: less smoke escapes around the door this way, and if necessary he can place something under the door to prop it open to increase air intake into the cooker.

Does an upside down access door work? I don't have the foggiest idea.


Adjusting The Access Door

If you've come here looking for information on how to adjust the fit of the access door, see the Parts Troubleshooting page.

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