Brinkmann Trailmaster LE

schteve · Nov 9, 2011

I have a charcoal basket. I put in a full chimney of lite charcoal and fight to get it to stay over 250. The basket is sitting on top of the existing grate in the firebox. now, should I take that grate out of the bottom and put the basket as far down as it will go? I am using kingsford charcoal so I only put full gray in. Last time I had it out, I was putting wood in to help keep the temp up. I am smoking a turkey Saturday and really hoping to clear this all up before then.

I also need to fix my baffle, it is not covering the full width and too much heat is coming straight up, burned up a few of my thighs last time.

smoking gun · Nov 10, 2011

Go to Walmart and get some Royal Oak Made in USA lump charcoal. You'll have no problem getting the temperature above 250 with good lump. I'd leave that grate in the bottom to get air under the basket and protect the bottom of the firebox from getting too hot. JMHO.

ejbreeze · Nov 10, 2011

Has anyone found a cover to fit the LE? Rainy season is approaching and I need to cover mine up.

lovinspoonful · Nov 10, 2011

Schteve said:
I have this smoker and so far it is very nice. My only problem is getting the temp high enough. I can run 220 or 225 but can't get higher then that with out opening the ash pan. I made a sheet metal baffle but I need to remake. seems like a cookie sheet would work out well as those pictured. I made a charcoal basket and even only putting hot coals in it seems the fire chokes out. How are you running yours to get that hot, Lovinspoonful? Are you burning wood or charcoal?

I use lump and wood depending on my mood. But even with briquettes I've not had a problem getting it hot. So you're saying that if you open the ash pan, you can get up to higher temps? You are not closing the flu on the chimney are you? I'm not sure what to recommend, other than making sure that you're not blocking the pass-through from the fire box to the smoke chamber. That can make it hard to get up to higher temps.

schteve · Nov 11, 2011

I have the stack vent open. I have the firebox vent all the way open. I do have a baffle inside but it does not restrict the air flow into the cooking chamber.

I am doing a turkey tomorrow so I will get back to you all to see if it is any different.

socalbbq · Nov 11, 2011

Ejbreeze said:
Has anyone found a cover to fit the LE? Rainy season is approaching and I need to cover mine up.

No, Brinkmann says they don't make one yet. I ended up getting the 82" Brinkmann cover which gives enough room for the smoke stack. I also tried to contact Horizon to see if their's would fit but no one got back to me after several attempts.

brick · Nov 11, 2011

They come out in the spring of 2012. I used a regular 82".

lovinspoonful · Nov 11, 2011

Schteve said:
I have the stack vent open. I have the firebox vent all the way open. I do have a baffle inside but it does not restrict the air flow into the cooking chamber.

I am doing a turkey tomorrow so I will get back to you all to see if it is any different.

I'm stumped. Mine runs 225 with the firebox vent open 1/4-1/3. That's at grate level. The Thermometer on the door runs 50 degrees high for me, so it's reading about 275.

ejbreeze · Nov 12, 2011

Brick said:
They come out in the spring of 2012. I used a regular 82".

Thanks.

schteve · Nov 14, 2011

Saturday my smoker rang great and the turkey was great! I did not have problems with temp as much, I was able to keep it at 250 or there in most of the day with minimal poking at it. I did wrap the cookbox with a hot water heater blanket since it was chilly and windy here.

harvickfan · Nov 14, 2011

Oh man is this site great - I learned alot just by reading the comments on this thread. I've had my TLE for about 6 months and LOVE it, but discovering the basket for the firebox has made me want to start modifying this sucker, LOL. Has anyone done anything to improve the ash tray? It's on the small side and mine has rusted a little...

socalbbq · Nov 15, 2011

HarvickFan said:
Oh man is this site great - I learned alot just by reading the comments on this thread. I've had my TLE for about 6 months and LOVE it, but discovering the basket for the firebox has made me want to start modifying this sucker, LOL. Has anyone done anything to improve the ash tray? It's on the small side and mine has rusted a little...

I agree, I was going to take mine out this winter and see if I can have one made that's deeper. The factory is way too small for long smokes!

nailit · Nov 15, 2011

HarvickFan said:
Oh man is this site great - I learned alot just by reading the comments on this thread. I've had my TLE for about 6 months and LOVE it, but discovering the basket for the firebox has made me want to start modifying this sucker, LOL. Has anyone done anything to improve the ash tray? It's on the small side and mine has rusted a little...

Quote:

SoCalBBQ said:
I agree, I was going to take mine out this winter and see if I can have one made that's deeper. The factory is way too small for long smokes!

I did modify the ash tray on my TLE. I cut out the bottom of the ash tray and with some extra sheetmetal I had in the backyard, created a box that fits the same profile as the original, but 8" deep. I did a 22 hour smoke at 230 degrees with four pork shoulders a few weeks ago and I had to only dump the ash tray twice, once during the smoke and after. It's worth doing the mods.

nailit · Nov 15, 2011

I did modify my ash tray. It's now 8" deep and it's great not having to dump the ashes half way (many times) through a smoke.

harvickfan · Nov 30, 2011

Thanks Nailit - sounds like just what the factory should have done in the first place, looks like I have a good project for a weekend coming up! Haven't had any issues dumping the tray during a smoke, but it always makes me uncomfortable doing so nonetheless....

smoking gun · Dec 26, 2011

Finally put mine together the 23rd and seasoned it that night. The lid thermo in mine runs about 40 degrees higher than the temp at the grate, but I haven't done any mods yet. For me it was difficult to keep the temps down even with the FB damper fully closed. Looks to me like the ash pan just doesn't seal very well. I'm interested in any mods you guys have done to get this to seal off better. I basically ended up using the chimney damper to slow the airflow and just adding very small amounts of lump at a time. I did take the basket out of my old SNP and put in the LE for the Christmas smoke, a Packer brisket and 2 pork tenderloins. Great results but a little more "tending the fire" than I'd like. I'll be adding a couple grate level thermos in the lid, an elbow to extend the stack pipe down to grate level, some tuning plates, and making a new charcoal basket soon Just have to figure out the ash tray problem. Might take the tray out and weld up an extension with a door that seals. Any Ideas appreciated.... TIA

SG.

boardpuller · Dec 26, 2011

Congrats on the L.E. hope you enjoy it. Let us know what mods you make and the results good or bad. The ash drawer does leave a lot to be desired.

Brinkmann Trailmaster LE

Newbie

Smoking Fanatic

Meat Mopper

Smoke Blower

Newbie

Fire Starter

Newbie

Smoke Blower

Meat Mopper

Newbie

Newbie

Fire Starter

Newbie

Newbie

Newbie

Smoking Fanatic

Meat Mopper

Similar threads

Hot Threads