we remove the pellet grate, add magnetic hooks for grate storage and add a fire black gasket to the lid. simple modification to the pit boss pellet smoker.
A consideration about the guard in the hopper: on the back side get some longer screws, so it’s a slide in without having to take the control panel off. On the other side, get some wing bolts to hold it in.
I decided to add the gaskets to the door like you. It just so happens I'm storing my grill in the garage at the moment. With the garage door down and lights off, i put a couple of lamps inside the grill and shut the door. i was easily able to see then where the light was leaking from around the edges of the grill door. i installed the gaskets all around the grill door. Using the light trick again, i found the light leaks had shifted to other locations after i installed the original gaskets. Any attempt to "thicken" the gasket in certain areas tends to widen the gaps some where else. I just might give up and rip it all off and live with the original !eaks. Turns out the light trick i used was a curse. i was better off not knowing.
I removed the auger grate then inserted longer screws with lock washer+nut. My auger grate just sits on top of the longer screws for easy removal. Foil will help with clean up and the nasty burn off for the next cook. Nice smoker!
Have the bigger brother…. The Lockhart…. Grill could be great with an updated controller and such.. much like yours the Lockhart just has a plethora of gaps and misaligned pieces smoke just escapes everywhere. I gave it to my girlfriends mom for free. Going to clean it up and put gaskets on it in the coming weeks to help it out and make it look pretty
Hey bud, nice video! I recently picked up this same pellet grill. It just seems to have everything I wanted in it. I love the mods and I am thinking about taking on a few. The magnets to hold the rack was super nice!
@@EagleRun23 Also, I had some metal pegs leftover from another kit that I put in place of the screws. Now the grate sits on top of the pegs and can be removed when needed.
How fast does your pit boss heat up. I got a Laredo and had some issues and ended up returning it. I found that it took so dang long to heat up to temps over 300. Like 35 to 40 minutes to 375
I’m having the same problem. Seems to take forever to get up to temp. When I fire up my Traeger it adds pellets quickly until it reaches the set temp. The Laredo barely adds any pellets at a time. I think it runs the auger for 3 seconds then sits there for 30-60 seconds. Definitely not happy with waiting an hour to get to 350.
I had the same problems. I did the gassed as well. But I leaned to take that off. This is the start up process that I use. Open the vent all the way, keep the door open a little for the best air flow. The more air flow you have the faster it will heat up and once you set it a temp leave it there don’t touch it and it will heat up within 25-30 mins depending on the weather out side. And I also put a welding blanket on it to keep the heat better. This is what worked for me
I got some stick on SS Hooks in the stationary section of WM and going to see how well they work. For $5.00 I figured I would try it. I find the lid dangerous, it falls to easy and is super heavy. Not sure if the lid stop on mine is in the right location. I am going to try and magnate like those on the inside of the lid stop and see if it holds the lid in the up position much better. Magnets no problem with that heat, steel becomes no longer attracted to a magnet at really high temps.
Can you please tell me the measurement of the main rack grill? How wide is it and how deep is it, it is very important to me, even though I have searched for that measurement I have not been able to find the size, can you do that for me? please?
I have this grill and am having trouble with flame outs and it seems to take a while to heat up, the fan was sticking and was the cause of the previous flame outs but i got that working and it still does it. maybe I am getting that low spot in the pellets you showed and its not feeding correctly?
@@EagleRun23 I finally figured it out, my fan was sticking, after getting it loose I haven’t had an issue since. It still takes a while to get up to temp. Like 25 minutes to get to 275. Using bear mountain pellets
@@carriecole6531 no it’s the actual blower fan, the fan you are referring to is on the auger shaft correct? Mine is the larger fan you can only see from underneath
I’m looking for a mod for the unbalanced temp problem where the left is about 20 degrees hotter than the right. I found a mod using 6x6 1/4in steel plates, but it was a different model. Might try it but wondered if you have anything different for this?
Yes temp spots can be an issue. I would think plating the whole bottom gray up would help. I also saw a guy who blocks the top of the drip tray with foil. Many speculate that the angle on the trip tray causes the left to be hot as it angles down to the right.
Adding a heat diffuser and closing the gap in between the arch of the lip on the left side will make your grill heat very evenly. Both modifications can be bought or if your handy, can be made quite easily.
You said you don't hardly use the center grate. The center grate should be used almost all the time to smoke as a pellet grill works like a convection oven as per Meat Church.
I use the bottom and middle grates most of the time. There is not a lot of room over top grate. Ok if you’re cookin something thin or veggies, peppers,corn,etc.
Silver works for the desert. The sun fades the black ones unevenly, making the cover look like camouflage from the North African campaign of WWII. That's great if you are trying to hide your grill from enemy aircraft, but it looks terrible. I like the silver!
Any idea why I would be getting an err code first time using this damn thing the igniter is working I’ve used it like 3 times and now today giving me this code
@@EagleRun23 I used Mr clean on my smoker as well and they sent me replacement as well. My friend also cleaned it with Mr. Clean and it ate his paint too. The paint is heat resistant with no cure for other types of chemicals so it's not really rated for cleaning products that we use for our bathrooms or kitchen. I would recommend a stainless steel spray cleaner for the lid and a water whip down after cleaning it well. 👍🏼
not so far. Just took the cover off this weekend and got her cleaned up. I have 2 14lb pork butts smooking currently. Love this rig, no problems other than the discoloration of my lid. which they fixed.
I believe the pellet grate is in the hopper so that some dumbass sticks his hand or fingers into the auger and cuts them off they can't sue the mfg. I take mine off.
The auger could certainly chop off your finger but it's extremely unlikely unless someone is being a total idiot. If your finger got caught between the auger blade and housing it would absolutely crush/sever your finger, it's got lots of torque.
@@AnIrishExport true but even though it's super slow rotation if you pushed your finger in at the edge and at the right moment it could be bad... but there's no denying there would be abundant stupidity involved.
Why all the fuss about a few wisps of smoke around the lid? There is a huge exhaust pipe on top of the smoker that’s letting bunches of smoke out😂😂 When that thing is up to temp and cookin the whole cookin chamber is full of smoke so some of it escaping is not gonna affect the cooking process at all. With a little sooty buildup it may seal itself over time.
Hey Mitch! Not sure that I made much of a fuss. It was a trial. Temps hold good and I am very happy with this minor mod. It’s not about making an air tight pressurized smoke container. But pellet smokers could always use more smoke. So let’s keep as much in as we can. Regardless I appreciate you watching and commenting!
If you're getting smoke leaks in various areas where there are joints or bolts, couldn't you just weld them closed? And for those of us without a welder, use some extreme heat JB Weld. As long as the fixes don't cause mechanical harm, you're golden.
Magnets due lose magnetic flux or ability to hold with and increase in temperature, however I doubt it would affect you with the light weight of the grille wrack.😁🛫
It is funny that your #3 mod is to hide / store the other grill grate using magnets. For the last two years I have walked past my grate that is leaning up against the wall in the garage. I may very well do the same.😀🛫
A consideration about the guard in the hopper: on the back side get some longer screws, so it’s a slide in without having to take the control panel off. On the other side, get some wing bolts to hold it in.
That's a nice smoker you got .
I decided to add the gaskets to the door like you. It just so happens I'm storing my grill in the garage at the moment. With the garage door down and lights off, i put a couple of lamps inside the grill and shut the door. i was easily able to see then where the light was leaking from around the edges of the grill door. i installed the gaskets all around the grill door. Using the light trick again, i found the light leaks had shifted to other locations after i installed the original gaskets. Any attempt to "thicken" the gasket in certain areas tends to widen the gaps some where else. I just might give up and rip it all off and live with the original !eaks. Turns out the light trick i used was a curse. i was better off not knowing.
Thanks for the video! I have question where did you purchased gasket from I purchased one from Amazon didn’t worked well. Thanks
I removed the auger grate then inserted longer screws with lock washer+nut. My auger grate just sits on top of the longer screws for easy removal. Foil will help with clean up and the nasty burn off for the next cook. Nice smoker!
ohh thats a good idea!
Can I see a picture of how you did that?!
Try loosening the hinge screws and see if the lid can be fit slightly better for the smoke loss
Have the bigger brother…. The Lockhart…. Grill could be great with an updated controller and such.. much like yours the Lockhart just has a plethora of gaps and misaligned pieces smoke just escapes everywhere.
I gave it to my girlfriends mom for free. Going to clean it up and put gaskets on it in the coming weeks to help it out and make it look pretty
Hey bud, nice video! I recently picked up this same pellet grill. It just seems to have everything I wanted in it. I love the mods and I am thinking about taking on a few. The magnets to hold the rack was super nice!
The fire tape may not be necessary, it worked for me, but many said it created MORE gaps.
There is a built in holder for both grates under the grill next to the propane tank
@@jonnywhiteisawsome2616 The Laredo 1000 has no propane tank. What does the holder look like ?
Where did you get the magnets?
Did the same with auger grate right away but same problem with mine not a good seal around lid. Need to add the gasket especially before winter.
this fire black stuff is pretty good!
@@EagleRun23 did you figure out the discolouration issue on the lid
@@alcleary2000 no but they warrantied my lid. Thankfully.
All great ideas.
The hooks are my #1. The grate on the pellets has to go too.
@@EagleRun23
Literally, just ordered them about 2 minutes ago. 👍🏼
@@EagleRun23
Also, I had some metal pegs leftover from another kit that I put in place of the screws. Now the grate sits on top of the pegs and can be removed when needed.
Hi did you ever find a way to clean those spots on the lid I have them also but more on my hopper lid
Not yet! I asked for a replacement and they sent me one!
How fast does your pit boss heat up. I got a Laredo and had some issues and ended up returning it. I found that it took so dang long to heat up to temps over 300. Like 35 to 40 minutes to 375
IF I am going to 375, which I don't a lot, ya its 30 min. If I am smoking a shoulder or a brisket in the 200's more like 15-25.
I’m having the same problem. Seems to take forever to get up to temp. When I fire up my Traeger it adds pellets quickly until it reaches the set temp. The Laredo barely adds any pellets at a time. I think it runs the auger for 3 seconds then sits there for 30-60 seconds. Definitely not happy with waiting an hour to get to 350.
@@troyhunt1238 I ended up getting a used traeger pro 780 for 500 bucks and never looked back. Works so much better than the pit boss
I had the same problems. I did the gassed as well. But I leaned to take that off. This is the start up process that I use. Open the vent all the way, keep the door open a little for the best air flow. The more air flow you have the faster it will heat up and once you set it a temp leave it there don’t touch it and it will heat up within 25-30 mins depending on the weather out side. And I also put a welding blanket on it to keep the heat better. This is what worked for me
Does this grill have a hot spot over the sear plate? Also does it have trouble getting up to temp quickly?
With the sear plate close it does not have a hot spot. Gets up to temp very quickly.
I have the Laredo, and yes it has a hotspot. Buying or making a diffuser eliminates it.
I got some stick on SS Hooks in the stationary section of WM and going to see how well they work. For $5.00 I figured I would try it. I find the lid dangerous, it falls to easy and is super heavy. Not sure if the lid stop on mine is in the right location. I am going to try and magnate like those on the inside of the lid stop and see if it holds the lid in the up position much better. Magnets no problem with that heat, steel becomes no longer attracted to a magnet at really high temps.
if its windy, it will chop your fingers off!
@@EagleRun23 Yes sir, working om getting a good magnate for the lid top and see of that helps hold it better
I’m curious if the seal you added did any thing to the hinges?
I'd say no, its been a while, use this thing weekly
Can you please tell me the measurement of the main rack grill? How wide is it and how deep is it, it is very important to me, even though I have searched for that measurement I have not been able to find the size, can you do that for me? please?
The main grill is aprox 19" by 24" Wide
I have this grill and am having trouble with flame outs and it seems to take a while to heat up, the fan was sticking and was the cause of the previous flame outs but i got that working and it still does it. maybe I am getting that low spot in the pellets you showed and its not feeding correctly?
Sorry to hear that, no issues like that. what pellets are you using?
@@EagleRun23 I finally figured it out, my fan was sticking, after getting it loose I haven’t had an issue since. It still takes a while to get up to temp. Like 25 minutes to get to 275. Using bear mountain pellets
Are you referring to the fan you can see when opening the door on the left side of the grill? I'm also having issues getting my grill to temp
@@carriecole6531 no it’s the actual blower fan, the fan you are referring to is on the auger shaft correct? Mine is the larger fan you can only see from underneath
@@silentassassin1108 yes that's the fan I'm referring to. I'll have to check out that other fan the next time I fire it up.
I’m looking for a mod for the unbalanced temp problem where the left is about 20 degrees hotter than the right. I found a mod using 6x6 1/4in steel plates, but it was a different model. Might try it but wondered if you have anything different for this?
Yes temp spots can be an issue. I would think plating the whole bottom gray up would help.
I also saw a guy who blocks the top of the drip tray with foil. Many speculate that the angle on the trip tray causes the left to be hot as it angles down to the right.
Every pellet smoker burns a little hotter on the side where the smoke stack is. Nothing you can do about that.
Adding a heat diffuser and closing the gap in between the arch of the lip on the left side will make your grill heat very evenly. Both modifications can be bought or if your handy, can be made quite easily.
It's a "Platinum" model , hence the Grey color cover!!!!
Not sure what you mean.
@@EagleRun23 I like the gray color storage cover because it stays cooler in the hot sun and looks less conspicuous against my gray siding.
You said you don't hardly use the center grate. The center grate should be used almost all the time to smoke as a pellet grill works like a convection oven as per Meat Church.
I use the bottom and middle grates most of the time. There is not a lot of room over top grate. Ok if you’re cookin something thin or veggies, peppers,corn,etc.
Silver works for the desert. The sun fades the black ones unevenly, making the cover look like camouflage from the North African campaign of WWII. That's great if you are trying to hide your grill from enemy aircraft, but it looks terrible. I like the silver!
Get nuts for the bolts and put them back in the holes. The pellet guard will lay on top.
thats a good tip!
Any idea why I would be getting an err code first time using this damn thing the igniter is working I’ve used it like 3 times and now today giving me this code
ohh man thats a bummer, I have not come across that! but their customer service is pretty good!
Where did you get the magnets? They seem to work great!
Amazon. It’s been about 2 weeks since this was filmed and it’s 100% recommended. :)
Link to the magnets please
100LBS Swivel Swing Powerful... www.amazon.com/dp/B07QWP8C44?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
@@redlac95 here you are. 100LBS Swivel Swing Powerful... www.amazon.com/dp/B07QWP8C44?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Thanks I got them in today
Mr. Clean did that to your paint on the lid.
Really??? Pitboss sent me a new lid!
@@EagleRun23 I used Mr clean on my smoker as well and they sent me replacement as well. My friend also cleaned it with Mr. Clean and it ate his paint too. The paint is heat resistant with no cure for other types of chemicals so it's not really rated for cleaning products that we use for our bathrooms or kitchen. I would recommend a stainless steel spray cleaner for the lid and a water whip down after cleaning it well. 👍🏼
I didn't have to touch the hopper lid to remove the safety grate.
Do u have any ignitior problems?
not so far. Just took the cover off this weekend and got her cleaned up. I have 2 14lb pork butts smooking currently. Love this rig, no problems other than the discoloration of my lid. which they fixed.
Thanks I’m have to call bc I keep getting and Err code whenever I cook for over an hour it the customer service is awesome so far
@@chadhunt5584 Ill give them credit, customer service was very helpful. I have a couple videos on my channel about the smooker, but so far so good.
@@chadhunt5584 bro I need your help lol I’m having same issue with err code what did u do to fix it I’ve used this smoker exactly 3 times ??
I believe the pellet grate is in the hopper so that some dumbass sticks his hand or fingers into the auger and cuts them off they can't sue the mfg. I take mine off.
There is a zero percent chance that auger can harm someone. It’s just silly. I agree take it off! :)
The auger could certainly chop off your finger but it's extremely unlikely unless someone is being a total idiot. If your finger got caught between the auger blade and housing it would absolutely crush/sever your finger, it's got lots of torque.
at 1.6 RPM you'd have to be a complete idiot to get your hand trapped in the auger LOL
@@AnIrishExport true but even though it's super slow rotation if you pushed your finger in at the edge and at the right moment it could be bad... but there's no denying there would be abundant stupidity involved.
Why all the fuss about a few wisps of smoke around the lid? There is a huge exhaust pipe on top of the smoker that’s letting bunches of smoke out😂😂 When that thing is up to temp and cookin the whole cookin chamber is full of smoke so some of it escaping is not gonna affect the cooking process at all. With a little sooty buildup it may seal itself over time.
Hey Mitch! Not sure that I made much of a fuss. It was a trial. Temps hold good and I am very happy with this minor mod. It’s not about making an air tight pressurized smoke container. But pellet smokers could always use more smoke. So let’s keep as much in as we can. Regardless I appreciate you watching and commenting!
@@EagleRun23 All good bro!👍 You are putting out some good content and it is appreciated😀
@@EagleRun23get you a smoke tube. Problem solved.
@@jasonstokley7274 ya I have one, this was just a wild idea that “kind of” worked.
If you're getting smoke leaks in various areas where there are joints or bolts, couldn't you just weld them closed? And for those of us without a welder, use some extreme heat JB Weld. As long as the fixes don't cause mechanical harm, you're golden.
I would think so, ya
This grill is junk! Dont waste the money
I have enjoyed this for a few years 3-4? its been a good smoker. I am currently testing a new
model for zgrills, videos coming soon
Magnets due lose magnetic flux or ability to hold with and increase in temperature, however I doubt it would affect you with the light weight of the grille wrack.😁🛫
been a while, they are good to go for now! Id recommend! cheap and easy solution.
It is funny that your #3 mod is to hide / store the other grill grate using magnets. For the last two years I have walked past my grate that is leaning up against the wall in the garage.
I may very well do the same.😀🛫
Where did you get the magnets?
Just on amazon