Seeking FEC comp portability advice

[BasicPatrick]

Having bought my FEC I am thinking about portability at comps.

There are two issues for which I am seeking advice from fellow FEC using Brethren.

Issue #1 is how the FEC will roll on grass. I can not add a trailer with porch or a trailer tall enough to cook inside...yet. I know I am not the first to be in this place. Do cooks modify the legs and mount on a cart like a Backwoods? Do cooks carry boards to place down and roll the Fec over the boards? Please share your creative and simple ideas?

Issue #2 is height of trailer door. I have a 8x10x6 trailer but the door opening is 63" and the FEc is 65" tall. I am not in a position to spend another $1000 plus to upgrade the trailer not to mention I pull it with a 32' mid 90s motorhome or a Jeep and an increase in GVW might be an issue. Has anyone done a custom low rider mod on an FEC?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Jorge]

Yes:-D Smoke on Wheels has a cart/all terrain wheels on their FEC. Shoot Hodedo a PM for pics. Boondoggle BBQ has a FEC, that slept in my garage until they could pick it up, that has the legs chopped. Bobby calls it Cotton based on King of The Hill. Shoot him a PM for pics or specs.

Having bought my FEC I am thinking about portability at comps.

There are two issues for which I am seeking advice from fellow FEC using Brethren.

Issue #1 is how the FEC will roll on grass. I can not add a trailer with porch or a trailer tall enough to cook inside...yet. I know I am not the first to be in this place. Do cooks modify the legs and mount on a cart like a Backwoods? Do cooks carry boards to place down and roll the Fec over the boards? Please share your creative and simple ideas?

Issue #2 is height of trailer door. I have a 8x10x6 trailer but the door opening is 63" and the FEc is 65" tall. I am not in a position to spend another $1000 plus to upgrade the trailer not to mention I pull it with a 32' mid 90s motorhome or a Jeep and an increase in GVW might be an issue. Has anyone done a custom low rider mod on an FEC?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Ron_L]

We've had ours on all sorts of ground over the last four years. If the ground is firm, it rolls well. If it is wet, well, not so well :-D I found that taking a tie down strap and looping it through the legs on one side and then using that to pull it while my wife stabilizes it works well on soft ground. Adding pneumatic casters instead of the stock ones would help, but I haven't done it yet.

As far as the trailer, I looked at the standard height trailer doors before I ordered my FEC and I had it built 4" shorter. You can probably have the legs cut down at a local machine shop. If you are going to do this and replace the casters make sure that you take the height of the new casters into account when deciding how much to cut the legs.

[Tarheel]

All good suggestions above, I have two of them that I cut the legs down and made a plate with four pneumatic wheels bolted to. I kept mine the same height but you could do the same and make it lower. Big Mo from Aho has one that is cut way down and has the pneumatic wheels on it. All it takes is a little cutting and welding.

[HoDeDo]

Chop off those legs and put a cart under it! And when you put a cart under it, extend the wheelbase to the edge of the hopper, and you gain GREAT stability.

When you put your cart under it, keep it a couple inches shorter to fix your height issue.

Bob @ www.kck.com, built my cart, and if you want to see another one, he also did the cart under Big Guns BBQ's FEC.... (Muzzlebrake in NY)

[RangerJ]

Not an FEC owner and not hijacking but what in the Sam Hill is wrong with HoDeDo's signature? Been that way for a few weeks now..

[BasicPatrick]

HoDeDo...can you post a pic of Bob's/your cart? Was this a chop & mod or remove the existing and install a replacement. I am all the way east on Cape Cod and can't bring my FEC to MO before Spring.

[Muzzlebrake]

HoDeDo...can you post a pic of Bob's/your cart? Was this a chop & mod or remove the existing and install a replacement. I am all the way east on Cape Cod and can't bring my FEC to MO before Spring.

Ill post some pics of mine in the AM

[ThomEmery]

The FEC 100 will ride on it's back just fine
We have done this in the back of my pick up

[Scottie]

I welded 2 eye bolts on the hopper side, at the top of the legs. Attach a moving strap and I've never had a problem. I have a steep ramp to pull it on and off with. When moving on grass or gravel, jusy pick the strap up to take some weight off those wheels and you can move it wherever you want. About as affordable as you can get.

[bigdogphin]

I welded 2 eye bolts on the hopper side, at the top of the legs. Attach a moving strap and I've never had a problem. I have a steep ramp to pull it on and off with. When moving on grass or gravel, jusy pick the strap up to take some weight off those wheels and you can move it wherever you want. About as affordable as you can get.

This! moving strap works well.

[BasicPatrick]

Muzzlebreak...that would be great!!!!

[mclancey]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Pe%2BIJLucL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
E.R. Wagner 4FN8 6" Diameter Fully Pneumatic Soft Tread/Steel Hub Wheel Swivel Plate Caster with Total Lock Brake, 3-3/4" Length X 2-3/4" Width Plate, 200 lbs Capacity Range.

I got these off of Amazon.com. I've gone across all terrain with no problem with these. My trailer is tall enough to fit them though. you will need to get a welder to cut down the legs.

[Flavor Gangster]

We've had ours on all sorts of ground over the last four years. If the ground is firm, it rolls well. If it is wet, well, not so well :-D

Like that Lake in Murphysboro! Fast Eddy's were Sea Worthy that weekend.

[Ron_L]

No chit! We were ankle deep almost the whole weekend!

[Muzzlebrake]

the rust and stains are not a reflection at all of the craftsmanship, she is due for her annual service which is getting done after the holidays

This thing is EXTRA heavy duty, but I have no problems getting it anywhere I want to go. I'm swapping the tires out to never flats when I service it and if I had to due over again I would swap the handle to the other side but other than that you can't beat it. It's go anywhere!

I'm sure you can get a local shop to weld on up for you.

[CBQ]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Pe%2BIJLucL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
E.R. Wagner 4FN8 6" Diameter Fully Pneumatic Soft Tread/Steel Hub Wheel Swivel Plate Caster with Total Lock Brake, 3-3/4" Length X 2-3/4" Width Plate, 200 lbs Capacity Range.

I got these off of Amazon.com. I've gone across all terrain with no problem with these. My trailer is tall enough to fit them though. you will need to get a welder to cut down the legs.

I used something like this from Grainger (part 6XZ45). Amazon is less expensive though, wish I saw them there first. (According to Amazon, one of the items commonly bought with this is the Maverick ET732. Must be all FEC owners buying these things.)

The plate is the same size as the original caster, so it's easy to fit on. The original FEC bolts will fit this caster. I got the smoker before the trailer though, so I didn't have to cut the legs down.

The FEC with these casters and the original legs IS a little top heavy, so you have to be careful when moving it, but it rolls anyplace.

I too use an older RV to pull the trailer, so I had to stick with a single axle trailer to stay within the GCVW limits. Having only one axle makes me nervous, but it's legal.