All you weakie woosies..... I am one too. Three back surgeries here. I have the LSG ash pan. Yes, it is heavy. I also have the 1/2 inch fire grate which also weighs a million pounds. When I clean out my fire box I brush off any remaining ash on the grate. Then.... I slide out the ash pan but not completely.... I brace and angle it against the fire grate and take my small broom and dust pan and clean out the pan. The pan is never removed completely from the firebox. No heavy lifting. I then take my small ShopVac and totally clean out the pan, any ash on the bottom of the firebox and then the fire grate. Ends up with no ash at all in the firebox. I then follow up with a spray and rub of the walls and interior of the firebox door with canola oil. End up with a completely new looking firebox interior. All black and shiny.
Necessary? Not really.... but I am never going to have to replace my fire grate, ash pan or smoker for that matter. :-D