Inside MES w/ Mailbox Mod

I'm a mailbox mod guy.  AMNPS + mailbox = !!  Of course, always looking to tweak...What do you guys do inside the smoker?  Do you remove the whole chip loader assembly?  How do you cover the element to shield it from drippings?  Will removing the chip loader help with heat flow or is it easier to just leave the chip loader there as the shield over the element?  Thanks.