Which side do the doors go on a trailer smoker?

[Sid Post]

On a patio model or restaurant model on skids, I get needing doors on a specific side due to the arrangement of where the pit is going. However, on a trailer smoker, why do most of them have doors on the driver's side of the trailer (left)?

Simple me, with trailers I always put ratchet straps and boomers on the passenger side so, when I stop to check things, they are always on the side away from traffic and are easier to see in a mirror if one gets loose. Granted, I doubt I will ever drive up to a parking space with a sidewalk to smoke from but, it would seem passenger side doors would be good on a trailer offset pit as well.

What am I missing? I asked Austin Smokeworks when I was there and they said essentially that almost everything has left/driver's side doors for some reason they weren't really aware of and didn't recall the last right/passenger side trailer smoker that left the shop.

 

[sudsandswine]

I am right handed and for some reason the firebox being on my right, to the right of the doors, feels “right” ergonomically. However, if I used a trailer smoker parked in the street, along side a curb, and wanted to do my work on the “no traffic” side, it would make more sense to have it as you say. Doors on the passenger side with the firebox on the left.

 

[SmittyJonz]

on a trailer model - depends on which side you want your firebox on...........

Drivers side doors put FB on Right, Passenger doors FB is on Left.......

 

[Sid Post]

Other than having the firebox hinge on the opposite side of the doors to the smoker, I'm not sure why having it to the left or right of me would make much difference because other than damper or door adjustments for airflow, I'm going to be on the end of the trailer staring into the firebox when I add wood.

With an insulated or semi-insulated (i.e. inner and outer skins with air gap) firebox wouldn't make radiant heat a significant factor either way.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

Maybe some of it depends upon where you gonna be parked when in use.


Like if you're a tailgater, it might be in the street next to a curb. In that case, I would not want the doors on the curb side.

 

[akoda]

Only my Shirley, I had them put the doors on passenger side. Makes sense for my patio

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk

 

[ruger35]

Like someone else said it depends when you back it/park. Mine are driver’s side so I can back my smoker under the patio cover and doors are closest to the garage. If I had put doors on the passenger side I would have to walk around the smoker every time to check on things.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

It seems like I've seen a ton of pictures with them on the passenger side.

 

[cholloway]

With doors that seal well, why not have them on both sides! :noidea:

 

[rque]

There’s a pop-up caterer in LA that had a 500gal custom made by SG Metalworks and she mentioned that she purposely had the orientation “flipped” so that the doors were on the passenger side so she could work curbside. Makes sense to me from a workflow POV.

 

[Sid Post]

In cars and pickups, I tend to put shopping on the passenger side so I can see it the mirrors easily in case it falls or tips over. Especially with my pickup and trailers, I really want to be able to check things as I roll down the road because I have had ratchet straps fail or stuff blow off the trailer or out of the pickup bed when it slipped under the strap.

I'm thinking I would want the same for my smoker doors.

 

[BBQ Freak]

If the doors are on the passenger side they call the curb side smokers so you are not cooking in the street .

 

[ruger35]

In cars and pickups, I tend to put shopping on the passenger side so I can see it the mirrors easily in case it falls or tips over. Especially with my pickup and trailers, I really want to be able to check things as I roll down the road because I have had ratchet straps fail or stuff blow off the trailer or out of the pickup bed when it slipped under the strap.

I'm thinking I would want the same for my smoker doors.

What do you think is going to happen to the doors? Trailer with affects sight more than anything, trailer the right with you can see from either side. Doors are plenty heavy enough to not come open going down the road. It’s really all about where you’re going to park it and cook and how you wanted oriented.

 

[Sid Post]

The passenger side is a habit carry over for me. However, with anti-theft tabs being able to see them in the mirror would be good but, that is offset by the wood and ice chests on the other side.

For workflow, I tend to always stage things on the passenger side. Whether I would ever pull my smoker up to the sidewalk is an open topic. In a parking lot or by the cabin, I can work with either side. Around the house, driver's side would be better but I don't really see this smoker replacing my Patio smoker (or smokers! :-D).

 

[kurtsara]

Yes.