Gravity Fed Smoker Portability.....Oxymoron???

kirkg · Nov 29, 2011

Just venturing into some competitions and I've found a gravity fed smoker is the way I want to go. I think it would also be a great home smoker. However, I'm concerned about getting it on and off of my deck - the one I'm looking at is about 500 lbs.

Has anyone found a good way that TWO guys, not 4 or 5, could get this thing up a few stairs?? I have to get up 4 then 2 stairs. Also, I'm thinking that getting this into the back of a truck will be way farkin hard and may have to go to a trailer.

Thoughts?

The Cosmic Pig · Nov 29, 2011

My smokers weigh 350 & 400 pounds, and I'd hate to think about getting them in the back of a truck! I do have a trailer and they're both on wheels, so I roll them in and out of that - which is plenty hard enough for one guy! But then the issue becomes rolling them across gravels, etc, at comps. I would plan on a trailer and some large pneumatic wheels for comps. I got no idea about the stairs other than a mover's dolly. That's how I moved the Backwoods before I put it on wheels. That's about all I got for ya!

kirkg · Nov 29, 2011

It does have wheels, but not the pneumatic style.

The Cosmic Pig · Nov 29, 2011

Man, those are killers in other than very small gravel...and at 500 pounds, they will definitely sink into soft dirt and mud. I have to change mine, also. I want to build a cart with pneumatic wheels. Not sure how big they need to be, though.

JS-TX · Nov 29, 2011

I don't have a super heavy smoker, but I've often wondered how I would accomplish this myself. IMO, I think something (you, a wheel, or the deck) would eventually get damaged if you had to dolly this thing up and down stairs a few or more times a year. If it was me I would keep this smoker in the garage and wheel it on a trailer as necessary. That or just mount it permanetly on a trailer, not sure if that's an option for you. 500lbs is no joke...

Jason TQ · Nov 29, 2011

Wow that sounds tough. We take mine to competitions, but it gets rolled from my backyard up a ramped trailer. We can do it with 2 guys pretty easily, but I couldn't fathom having to taking it up and downstairs safely. It's probably 400lbs. Heck I wouldn't want to do it with 4 guys. Then getting it and out of a truck safely so you don't get hurt and the smoker doesn't get damaged would be even harder

.

I'm guessing there is not other place to put it where the stairs could be out of the equation? Because then in and out of a trailer is no problem.

jimmyinsd · Nov 29, 2011

mount it on a trailer and modify your deck to accept the trailer as part of its home parking spot.

building the trailer and mounting the smoker would give you an excellent excuse for beer and Q.

modifying your deck as a docking station to accept the trailer/smoker ...sounds like another event filled with meat and drink.:-D

TRS · Nov 29, 2011

I have 2 Stump's Prince's, each weighs about 475lbs. I could not imagine trying to get them up and down stairs and loaded in the back of a truck. I can push them up and down the ramp on our trailer solo no problem. But stairs..................too dangerous.
Not sure what smoker you have but you could possibly lay the smoker down in the truck. No answer for the stairs but some teams also just rent a U-Haul trailer for their comps if buying or storing a trailer is a concern. A truck with a Buddy Lift would also work if you can borrow or have access to one.

Good Luck!

kirkg · Nov 29, 2011

I was kidding about the truck part.....we would use a trailer fo sho

But I'm serious about getting it on my deck, just not sure how to do it safely yet. I have plenty of room in my garage and could leave it there, but it's just not the same.

Bourbon Barrel BBQ · Nov 29, 2011

kirkg said:
Just venturing into some competitions and I've found a gravity fed smoker is the way I want to go. I think it would also be a great home smoker. However, I'm concerned about getting it on and off of my deck - the one I'm looking at is about 500 lbs.

Has anyone found a good way that TWO guys, not 4 or 5, could get this thing up a few stairs?? I have to get up 4 then 2 stairs. Also, I'm thinking that getting this into the back of a truck will be way farkin hard and may have to go to a trailer.

Thoughts?

I've got a stumps stretch and there is no way 2 guys would get it up and down steps. Im a pretty big guy and I can get it in and out of my trailer by myself with a ramp but lifting it up stairs just ain't gonna happen. You would need to build you a ramp for your deck. I just cook in my driveway so i can roll it in my garage and out of the elements when it's not inside my trailer. I've got a big green egg on my deck that solves that problem as well.

kirkg · Nov 29, 2011

Bourbon Barrel BBQ said:
I've got a stumps stretch and there is no way 2 guys would get it up and down steps. Im a pretty big guy and I can get it in and out of my trailer by myself with a ramp but lifting it up stairs just ain't gonna happen. You would need to build you a ramp for your deck. I just cook in my driveway so i can roll it in my garage and out of the elements when it's not inside my trailer. I've got a big green egg on my deck that solves that problem as well.

I've got a BGE on my deck as well....so I could do the same. I really prefer to cook on the deck though.

How well can the stumps/superior smokers stand up to the elements. I 'm sure they would need to be covered.

Gravity Fed Smoker Portability.....Oxymoron???

kirkg

Knows what a fatty is.

The Cosmic Pig

is one Smokin' Farker

kirkg

Knows what a fatty is.

The Cosmic Pig

is one Smokin' Farker

JS-TX

is One Chatty Farker

Jason TQ

somebody shut me the fark up.

jimmyinsd

Full Fledged Farker

TRS

Knows what a fatty is.

kirkg

Knows what a fatty is.

Bourbon Barrel BBQ

is one Smokin' Farker

kirkg

Knows what a fatty is.

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