Warmer Grill Char-Griller mods

Hello,
I am not sure if this has been asked before:
I was wondering what everyone does with the warmer grill on their Char-Griller. I have left mine off as I want to be able to cook items that will conflict with where the grill is located when the lid is shut. Has anyone come up with an easy way to take the grill off and on? This is one area where I think that the grill could be improved. I have a gas grill where it is easy to take the warmer grill off or add it back.
Thoughts?

When I put mine together I left mine off also. I recently fitted the unit with bolts that stay on the unit (and they are a little longer). What I’m going to do is, drill a small hole in the end of the bolts to fit a snap pin, in each. This way when I do something that requires more room, the warming shelf will come out by just taking out the 4 snap pins.

Let me know if this is confusing… I’ll take some pics and post them.

Mine pops in and out quite easilly. The two long bolts act as the pivot points and the legs are flexible enough that by squeezing them inward it comes out quite easilly. No pins necessary. You may have reversed which bolt goes where and made this impossible.
It should come in and out quite easilly.

I agree with G.S.,
The rack pops right out if you don’t install the 2 hex nuts the traps the arms on the long bolts. And no pins are needed. The warming rack won’t slip off until you squeeze the arms as G.S. said. It takes few seconds to remove it. But I really like this rack and I often use it. If you’re using the side firebox to smoke, the warming rack becomes another cooking surface. And when grilling in the main chamber, the warming rack becomes a place for things that requires indirect or longer cooking time. However, I too have to remove it from time to time to allow some things to fit.
So to answer your question, the only mods you may have to do is remove the two hex nuts that trap the arms, and you’ll be all set to add or remove the warming rack.
I hope this helps.
rjones welcome to the board, if you have any other questions about this grill/smoker, please click on the link below. And while you’re there, place a post and a number to join the Char-Griller family.
http://www.barbecuebible.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=1467

GS & Z

I'm kinda confused about what your talking about. I didn't put my rack on either. What I see is you have the long bolts, that are the pivots at the top of the rack. Then, you have the short bolts, where the legs attach. When you say to squeeze the legs inward, is that towards each other, front of the grill, or back of the grill? Could you please explain more? Thank you.

The way I put rack on, before taking it back off, is like this: I put the long & short bolt through the holes. I then slid the holes for the rack over each bolt. Then I put the nuts on to hold the rack. Are you saying to put the bolts in the holes. Put the nuts on each bolt to hold the bolts to the grill . Then just slide the holes in the rack & legs over each bolt?

Maybe this could help:
Before removing the lower leg

After removing the lower leg

Before removing the upper support

After removing the upper support

Let me know if this did not clarify the procedure.

Z, if rjones is anything like me, he won't get past the manicure.
not that there's anything wrong with that....

you've blown the image i had of a gnarled, grizzled pit boss with hands beaten down by years of "naaah, i don't need the oven mitts.".

Thanks Z

I figured thats what you were talkin about. I actually got home from work & tried it that way. Your pictures confirm what I tried. I guess thats how you learn things, is by trying them.

Sorry to choke this back up, but Hey. I'm searching before I ask most questions.

I am looking at the first grill mod of lowing the stack down to grill level.
However, as you may guess, with the warming rack, you can't close the lid with the double elbow to lower the pipe..

Back to searching.. however.. I like this method for rack removal..

v.

never mind...

ok.. went back to the hardware store and opted for 3in alumium vent duct.
now it closes..

I also mounted my 100-500 deg Candy probe into a cork and a like quick presson fastener on the inside.. it's not going anywhere...

I used the flexible vent to extend my exhaust chiminy as well. I can get the warming rack on quite easily and the lid closes...although the 3" vent tubing got a little squashed.

Beyond that, I would add one caution....be careful about putting food anywhere near that end of the warming grill. I squashed the heck out of a home-made chicken sausage the other day.

The good news?? The insides fell on the grill and cooked up nicely--a special treat for the cook !

Thanks for the Tip..

The last cook I did, the warming rack collapsed on me and the chicken fell everywhere on the grates....some got burned.
Is there a way to make the rack more secure without sacrificing the ability to remove it when necessary? I think what happened is when closing the lid, the part that goes around the bolts got squeezed and it fell.

Also, is there any harm in cleaning the rack with a good degreaser once in a while? It's not like it has to stay seasoned like the cast iron grates.

I just put my CG(Super)/SFB together, and I'm cooking my first ribs on it right now.

I left the warming rack off because I won't use it, and it'll get in the way. But I find it's great if I hang it upside down from the fire grate hangers. I set all my drip pans on it, and it's holding them up very nicely.

I haven't installed my warming rack yet because when I ordered it, CG forgot to send the parts -- one of several dubious performance problems with the CG "store,"but that is another story. Anyway, I notice from many of the pix posted here and elsewhere that the flat, level, side of the rack is in the rear. However, the instructions from CG (which are only included in the Cooking Pro [not Smoking Pro] model ( can be viewed online) shows that the part of the rack with the upward bend is supposed to be in the back, not front, of the hood.
Just an observation since, as I said, I haven't received the parts from CG cs to put it in yet.