Why bother?
Loaded with water, charcoal and a couple of pork shoulders, a Weber Smokey Mountain is genuinely heavy and awkward to lift. Most owners end up dragging it across the patio or doing a two-person carry out of the garage. Adding wheels fixes that for good: you wheel it out to cook, wheel it back under cover after, and never lift it again. Two of the three wheels lock, so it stays rock solid while it smokes.
What you need
- 3 swivel castors rated well above the loaded weight, ideally 2 with locking brakes and 1 free-swivel. Around 50mm wheels are perfect.
- A bolt, washer and nut for each castor (the castor usually bolts through a single hole).
- A 10mm drill bit (the WSM legs are aluminium, so any decent metal bit works).
- A drill, and ideally a centre punch to stop the bit wandering.
Step by step
Mark the spot
Work on one leg at a time. The drill point is at the very bottom of the leg, on the flat of the foot where it meets the ground, centred across the width. Scuff the foot on the patio to find the exact contact point, then punch a small divot there so the drill bit cannot wander.
Drill the hole
Drill a single 10mm hole straight through the foot at your marked point. The legs are aluminium so it goes through easily. Take it steady and keep the drill square to the surface.
Bolt on the castor
Pass the bolt through the castor plate and the new hole, add the washer and nut on the inside, and tighten. The castor hangs just below the foot. Give it a firm wiggle to check it is solid.
Repeat and roll
Do the same on the other two legs. Put the two braked castors on, lock them while you cook, and use the free-swivel one for steering. That is it, your smoker now rolls wherever you want it.
A few tips
- One hole per leg is all it takes. It does not affect how the smoker cooks, and it is exactly how the popular US kits work.
- Use plated or coated castors and bolts so the fixings do not rust outdoors, and keep the smoker covered when it is not in use.
- Lock two, leave one free. Two brakes hold it dead still while you cook; the free wheel makes steering easy.
- It works on any WSM. The 37cm, 47cm and 57cm legs all take the same approach.
Or skip the shopping list
We put the whole job in one box: three heavy-duty castors (two locking), the bolts and washers, the right 10mm drill bit and simple instructions. Everything you need to roll your smoker this weekend, fits every WSM size.
Get the WSM Wheel Kit · £27.99