Lead Plugs in Webers

[Fishcop]

Hi All

Chasing advice on what I do to replace lead plugs in webers when removed to clean up the galleries? Are they a specific part or do I need make them up somehow?

Cheers
John

[edmayo]

I'm sure Paul Abbott will have a better answer,,,,,but we just use fishing lure lead weights, might even be that you could use shotgun pellets?

[classic]

John, I seem to remember a section in an old weber manual that I have about replacing them....I'm off to LA today, I'll have a look when I get back, if you don't get a definitive answer.

[Ernie W]

John,
The Weber Service Manual on removing the lead plugs. The tool to install the lead plugs is a special size punch, details shown in the circle. The 3 Weber tool part numbers to the left of the punch correspond to the gauge size, and are listed as, 1mm, 1.5mm and 2mm. I can't find any listing for the plugs, but I'm sure you can find someone that reloads shotgun shells.

[1QuickS]

I used to cast my own tapered lead plugs but now I use .177 caliber lead pellets, Crossman makes several weights of these and I use the heaviest ones which have the most lead. I like to resize the orifice with a special stepped counter-bore reamer to be sure it is clean but this is over-the top. If there is any doubt about sealing efficiency use some Loctite "Green" which is more fuel/ethanol resistant then the others. I use a nailset (punch) with a ball bearing silver-soldered onto the tip to provide a nice, shallow spherical radius when seating the plug which has the secondary benefit of trimming off the excess lead.

Shotgun lead of the correct size is no longer available since the lead (goose shot) was contaminating the waterways. I even tried McMaster-Carr for lead balls but the sizes available just didn't seem to work out.

[Fishcop]

Thank you very much for your responses guys.

I can certainly get .177 cal pellets and have mates that reload. I may even be able to get the correct lead pellet size through work (my gov department disposes old ammo as a community service), do you know the correct size Paul? Fascinating tool you've made up too - it'll test my poor silver soldering skills!

Cheers
John

[1QuickS]

Don't know size, you could use a drill bit to check diameter of recess and use that as your guide. OEM balls were installed with a flat tipped punch that had a little divot which when used resulted in a flat plug installation that had a slight nipple in the center. I believe the lead ball was just enough to fill the recess.