Let's begin with the grill parts you are most likely to need to replace. The parts that wear out on your grill are, not surprisingly, just like the parts that wear out on a car- the parts that get used the most. For most Ducane grills, these parts are: the burners, the cooking grid and the heat plates. Without proper care, these parts can wear out even faster, so we'll go over basic grill care. But that's later.
Let's start with Ducane grill burners. Usually, these wear out the fastest. Most grills come with between two and five burners. They're easy to replace, but difficult to tell by sight when they've worn down. The only reliable way to tell if you need a new burner is one of two ways: if the burner completely fails to work (won't start at all) or if it works sporadically and your food isn't getting cooked well. If the burner just won't start, that's a pretty good indicator that it's time to order new ones. If your food is not being cooked thoroughly, it is likely the fault of an old burner, although you'll want to check the gas connection and the state of the cooking grid to make sure it's not one of those things.
As a side note, if one burner needs to be replaced, it's logical to assume that the other burners are close to the end of their useful life too. To keep your grill operating at top efficiency, it is highly recommended to replace all the burners at the same time. One awesome new burner mixed in with a few old, rusty ones will not help your Ducane grill to cook well. Think of it like car tires- if one need to be changed, it's better for the car to get a new set of four.
So that's for burners Now on to cooking grids.
With a Ducane cooking grid, it's pretty easy to tell when it's worn out. Is it visibly rusty? Is it cracked or broken? Does your food taste like rust? Good indicators. Cooking grids are the easiest thing to find, remove and replace on your Ducane grill. Just make sure that when you measure your current cooking grid to order a new one that you get the most exact measurements possible. Most cooking grids are measured to an eighth of an inch, and many online dealers (who are not big box chain distributors) can't afford to accept returns just because you didn't measure right. It's a sad but true fact of the industry that once you purchase your grill parts, you usually can't return them 'just because.' So measure carefully.
Cooking grids are the easiest part to replace; the second easiest part is probably the heat plate. The heat plate (a.k.a. heat shield, heat angle) sits just above the burner and below the cooking grid. It protects the burner from getting splattered by the food that drops through the grid. Heat plates also help to spread the heat evenly to the food above, so that the food directly over the burner doesn't get all the heat. Good heat plates= good food. When you can see rust or cracks in a Ducane heat plate, then it's time to replace them. Just like with burners, if one heat plate needs to be replaced, you're better off just replacing them all at the same time. Even heat distribution has A LOT to do with the quality of the food that comes off of your grill.
So those are, in no particular order, the three main parts that need to be replaced the most often on your Ducane grill. It's easy to find the parts online and have them shipped to your door, thereby extending the life of your grill for decades. These three parts are ridiculously easy to install, so you can do it yourself without a ten-page manual. In short, it's easy to keep your grill up to date and working smoothly for a long, long time. With a Ducane grill, you've got quality and top-notch design at your fingertips, so take care of it. It will be one of the few things you can pass on to your kids. Can you say that about your computer?
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I can't find my model number! How can I find the Ducane Grill Parts I need?!?!?
It's a common problem- you have an older model Ducane grill or you just can't find a model number anywhere on it. So you're stuck when it comes to ordering replacement Ducane grill parts. Or are you?
Did you know you can look for replacement grill parts with just the dimensions of your current parts? For example, if you have a cooking grid that you want to replace, and it's 16.25 x 24.25 inches, you can look on sites like Grill Tech to search for exactly what you need, using just the measurements. Same thing for burners, rotisserie accessories and heat plates. You can find what you need as long as you have the measurements.
A word of caution: sometimes the older models don't have replacement parts that are easy to find. Several have been discontinued, so that you're only option is to find something close to the measurements you need, and 'modify' it to fit. Depending on how close you can get to the actual measurements and how the parts attach to your grill, a half an inch to an inch of difference may not make any difference. Or it may make all the difference. If you do your homework, you should be able to tell. Just make sure you review the return policy of any company that you order from, so that you're not caught off guard.
In addition, any good company will have a representative standing by to help you, so take advantage of it! If they can't answer your question directly, they can usually talk to someone who can, so make sure to take advantage of their expertise.
With the right information, you don't need to know your Ducane model number to find the Ducane grill parts that you need. Use your ingenuity and common sense to repair your grill and have it working like new for much, much less than the cost of a new grill! It's worth the time and energy to be able to say that you did it yourself.