Question for folks with trailer rigs

Any type of purchased BBQ Pit.

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Question for folks with trailer rigs

Postby Aaron Maestas » Sun Nov 27, 2016 12:01 pm

Hey folks, we are slowly working on a trailer mounted offset smoker from literally the wheels up. In running through the measurements yesterday, we got a little concerned with the height of the pit door opening - approx 4 ft off the ground. I'm vertically challenged at 5'7" so I'm thinking there is not much we can do other than making sure we fabricate slide out trays and placing the door handle maybe a little lower with a counter weight system to help offset the weight - cook chamber is 3/8 in steel. Anybody have tips or willing to share their height of the smoker door from the ground to see how far we are off the reservation before we make that first weld?


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Re: Question for folks with trailer rigs

Postby bondobill » Sun Nov 27, 2016 4:16 pm

Im by far no expert on the proper way to build a bbq.A buddy of mine built ours, twas his first build. Probably not much help but The door on our trailer BBQ starts at roughly 3'3" from the ground.
This is on a 36" diameter barrel.
Bottom shelve is at bottom of door opening. Top shelve is at 48" from ground. Top shelve is manageable at that height.

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Re: Question for folks with trailer rigs

Postby Finatic » Sun Nov 27, 2016 7:38 pm

To me 4' is pretty high. My pit is just over 30" off the ground. It's a 30" diameter pipe and with the doors open it's about at the top of my reach to grab the door handle to close it and I'm right at 6'.

You might be able to move the trailer springs under the axle if they aren't already. Also if you have cabinet style doors on your smoker that will make it a little easier. Either way I recommend slide out racks.
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Re: Question for folks with trailer rigs

Postby bondobill » Sun Nov 27, 2016 8:52 pm

Finatic wrote:To me 4' is pretty high. My pit is just over 30" off the ground. It's a 30" diameter pipe and with the doors open it's about at the top of my reach to grab the door handle to close it and I'm right at 6'.

You might be able to move the trailer springs under the axle if they aren't already. Also if you have cabinet style doors on your smoker that will make it a little easier. Either way I recommend slide out racks.


I also am just a hair over 6'. Thank God I have long arms which make up some for my pair of bad shoulders. :(
Our top shelve does slide out. And like Fin said, I also am on me tip toes to grap the handle to close the door.
I made a mistake on my first reply...I left out the word "just" before manageable

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Re: Question for folks with trailer rigs

Postby k.a.m. » Mon Nov 28, 2016 1:49 pm

37" is pretty much an ideal height for the bottom of your door. How did you end up at 48" and can the cooker be lowered? Do you have any pics?
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



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Re: Question for folks with trailer rigs

Postby Aaron Maestas » Fri Dec 02, 2016 7:39 pm

Thanks folks for the comments. We were trying to avoid lowering the fire box below the trailer frame. So we planned to sit both the cooking chamber and box above the floor of the trailer.

With this idea, we are 31" from trailer deck to mid line of cook chamber. Unfortunately we are falling 10" too high from the ground side and about 8" too low from the trailer side. At this time no pics to share. I was serious when I said from the wheels up[SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH][img]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161203/66986550d1bef5465c8d444a48613955.jpg[/img]


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Re: Question for folks with trailer rigs

Postby Aaron Maestas » Fri Dec 02, 2016 7:40 pm

Anyone who has the fire box hanging off the back of the trailer share the distance the box stands above the ground?


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Re: Question for folks with trailer rigs

Postby Finatic » Fri Dec 02, 2016 7:58 pm

There is 17" of clearance from the bottom of my trailer frame to the ground. My firebox hangs 6" below the trailer frame and extends 30" out past the end (or back) of the trailer frame. I have zero issues with my firebox dragging.
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Re: Question for folks with trailer rigs

Postby k.a.m. » Fri Dec 09, 2016 7:21 am

Little Mama's firebox is about 12" best I can remember. Depending on how close your firebox is to your axle plays a huge roll in whether it drags when you hit a hump. the further back the more likely it is to drag.
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



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