16/44 Burners
Viking Grates: Rocking, Chips and What Sits Under Them
The cast grates over the burners and the small feet that keep them level and off the cooktop.
- Written by
- Hollis Yamada
- Works on
- Service technician — refrigeration and cooking
- Experience
- 21 years in the trade
- Published
What the grates do
Grates do more than hold a pan. They set it at the height the flame was designed for and keep it level, so heat spreads across the base instead of licking up one side. Where a grate sits on small rubber feet or bumpers, those feet stop it rocking and keep bare metal off the cooktop.
How it fails here
In the compact kitchens of North Issaquah and Gilman, grates come off often for cleaning, and each lift and drop wears the feet and knocks the coating at the corners. A grate that rocks scrapes the surface underneath, which is how damage reaches the porcelain burner pan. Left alone, those chips rust, and the range drifts toward chipped porcelain and rust under the burners.
Signs and thresholds
| What you notice | The line it crosses | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Grate rocks or a pan wobbles over the flame | Still rocks on a clean cooktop with the grate in its own place | A worn or missing foot; replace the feet, or the grate if it has warped. |
| Feet split, flattened or gone | Any foot missing, where the design uses them | Replace the set so the grate sits level again. |
| Chips in the grate coating with rust starting | Rust spreading or flaking onto the cooktop | Grate replaced before flakes reach burners and pans. |
| Scratches or chips on the surface under the grate | Marks that line up with where the grate touches | Sort the feet first, then look at the surface beneath. |
What you can do yourself
- Cooktop cold: lift each grate and check its underside for split, flattened or missing feet.
- Set it back in its own position and press the corners to see whether it rocks.
- Wash grates in hot soapy water, use a non-abrasive cleanser and a soft brush on stubborn marks, and dry them before refitting.
- Stop there. Anything past this is a job for Viking Repair Issaquah — call (425) 920-9484.
When to call
Ring when a clean grate still rocks, when feet are missing and you need the right replacements, or when coating flakes toward the burners.
Call (425) 920-9484Asked about the grates
Why does my Viking grate rock on the cooktop?
Most often a foot underneath has worn flat, split or come off, or the grate has gone back in a different position. Try it in its own spot first. If it still rocks, new feet or a replacement grate usually settles it. Viking Repair Issaquah can identify the right part; call (425) 920-9484.
Are missing grate feet worth replacing?
Yes, where your grates were built with them. Without feet the grate sits metal to cooktop, rocks, and chips the coating beneath it, and that chip is where rust begins. Feet are a small part set against a damaged cooktop surface. Viking Repair Issaquah can order the correct ones; call (425) 920-9484.
How should I clean Viking grates?
Let them cool, then wash them in hot soapy water. For stubborn marks Viking's guide suggests a non-abrasive cleanser with a soft brush or a soft scouring pad rather than anything harsher. Dry each grate before it goes back. If coating is flaking, Viking Repair Issaquah can advise; call (425) 920-9484.
