defiant interchange

[mike w]

Can the top loading Defiant (circa 1988) stove top plate interchange with an earlier Defiant model (circa 1978)?

 

[Crane Stoves]

the answer is "maybe" hahaha... defiant 2 and defiant 3 (made from approx 1980-1988) are the same top plate (griddle), defiant 1 is slightly different (made from 1975-1980). I hope that helps bro.

Im not sure your from MA at all but if this unit helps you, you are welcome to it...
[img=http://imageshack.us/scaled/thumb/404/woodstovedefiant.jpg]

 

[mike w]

Thanks for the reply. My Defiant purchased new is pretty much worn out. I've found an older model which doesn't top load on Craigs List for a good price but before I check it out I'd like to be certain that my top plate with the hinged griddle will fit the older one. By the way, I,m in CA.

 

[Crane Stoves]

OK, here is a couple of the best places to try and learn more exacting info (VC does have people who were around back in the 70's and 80's still working at their foundry who would know instantly as long as you could provide them with the model stove. but these links should help you more... https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Vermont_Castings_Older_Stove_Models/
(broken link removed to http://www.discountstove.com/partsvcwbfreestanding.htm)

 

[defiant3]

Hold up there. Ther Defiant 3 top casting is DIFFERENT from any other Defiant top casting. Sorry, but you can't interchange it with a DII. However, if you also use the FRONT casting from the D II, you're good. The Defiant III top and front fit together in a strange way so they must be used together. Obviously you'll be losing the top load feature this way.

Go to grahamthestoveman.com and talk to him. He knows all about this stuff.

 

[Crane Stoves]

absolutely right defiant3... I was looking at the griddles in the diagrams here (broken link removed to http://www.discountstove.com/partsvcwbfreestanding.htm) (thought the griddle was the top but its simply the door on the top). TY for correction.

 

[whit]

Had a Defiant 2. Got a local guy to rebuild it, who purchased a new interior back panel kit as well as spare parts from a disassembled Defiant 1. The Defiant 1 and 2 parts don't fit together much at all. They switched the tongues and grooves in a bunch of them. So I ended up with a rebuilt Defiant 1. Burns okay. Maybe better, as the 2 had more of a curve on the interior plate to allow a bigger fire box, which tended to fire too hot, which ended up warping that interior plate, thus the main reason for the rebuild.

 

[defiant3]

Hmmmmmmmm. "Localguy".

 

[mike w]

Thanks for the responses again. Sounds like swapping top plates is problematic. I'm spoiled with the top loading feature of my worn out Defiant so I think I'll hold out picking up the Defiant I and wait for a Deliant III. to show up locally. By the way, the curved top fireback on my stove started warping after a couple of years use and the horizontal damper became inoperable 10 years ago. I've been burning straight up since but now both firebacks are burnt through and I'm not sure how much the safety of my stove has been compromised. Any feedback on comparing the durability of DI and DIII firebacks?

 

[defiant3]

If you need a Defiant 3 top, I probably have one. Does the pipe come off the top or rear of your stove?

 

[defiant3]

Firebacks wear all about the same, one Defiant much like another. Yours is not as hard to replace as the older D I's. (my opinion. I've lost count of how many I've done...) And consider doing it while you're rebuil;ding the stove anyway. In for a penny...