Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited Edition

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Cool mods Marlboro!  Call me dense, but I can't figure out how to get the round shape of the dryer vent into the oblong/oval shape of the chimney stack hole.  I've seen the other posts where guys have snipped the end of the vent to create flaps, then bent the flaps back over.  Does creating the flaps in the end of the vent allow it to then fit into the oval shape of the chimney stack hole? 

I've already destroyed one dryer vent today trying it (haha!), so I want to ask before trying again.  Thanks!
 
I had two fall apart before I was successful with mine. Initially I was trying to put too much of the vent through the hole, when I decided to try just to get 3/8" through it worked well. Hope this helps, good luck.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk
 
I just followed a few of the guys in the previous posts and just cut little "V"s into it about one inch deep bent them inward in an oval shape stuck it threw as far as it could then bent the tabs back and lightly taped em into shape with a hammer. Maybe I got lucky I didn't have much trouble...at least they're cheap :P
 
Thanks guys. I figured the method had to be notching the vent on the back of it would allow it to be shaped to fit into the hole. I did it last night and got 'er done. Will finish getting everything sealed up with silicone and hope to report back with results and cook pics this weekend! Couldn't believe the gaps in the firebox I had prior to finding this website resource. I'm sure this was why I was burning charcoal/wood way quicker than I thought it should...
 
One more question for the group...  Did anybody else experience the Rutland RVT silicone taking forever to set-up?  I have one area that's been curing for about 3 days, and it's still sticky to the touch and will come off on my finger.  The areas I put it on the fire box 2 days ago are still nowhere near cured.  Wonder if I got an old tube of it or something?
 
I've had my Brinkman BTLE for about a year and in general it's worked out pretty well (after sealing, etc., etc.)

Fired it up today when there is a pretty good breeze blowing and whoa! the breeze can go right DOWN the stack to the point where sparks come winging out the firebox intake vent.

CC temps drop like a stone.  Anybody got a mod or some advice on how to keep the breeze from stuffing the heat right back into the firebox?  Some sort of shield or other at the top of the stack?
 
Hey BBQ People,

I am having an issue lately with getting my temp at grate level high.  I can only reach about 225-250 max.  I have all the regular mods and use a mix of Royal Oak Lump and Kingsford charcoal briquettes.  maybe 50-50 mix.  I have the expanded metal box in my firebox that holds it all.  I use dry smoking wood etc.

It was about 45 degrees outside this past weekend and I couldn't get the temps up to 275 and I even had to use my air compressor and every 20 mins or so, I would blow 40psi air in the fire box vent until the charcoal would get nice and red.   This would raise the temp a little for a while, but I just never got it up high.

But, last year I was having no issues with this, and I would run it with the vent about 3/4 closed and exhust stack fully open and it would run at a nice 260-275 temp, but if I wanted it, I could get the temps well over 300.

Any ideas would really help.   Maybe the lump charcoal stinks.  I used mostly COWBOY lump last year.  Maybe this Royal Oak from Walmart stinks.

Thanks,
 
sounds like not getting enough airflow. What mods have done? Could tuning plates or something else have shifted? Check over all the vents and stack to make sure they are functioning properly and don't have any restrictions. Hmm, maybe others will be of more use. 

Good luck
 
 
I've had my Brinkman BTLE for about a year and in general it's worked out pretty well (after sealing, etc., etc.)

Fired it up today when there is a pretty good breeze blowing and whoa! the breeze can go right DOWN the stack to the point where sparks come winging out the firebox intake vent.

CC temps drop like a stone.  Anybody got a mod or some advice on how to keep the breeze from stuffing the heat right back into the firebox?  Some sort of shield or other at the top of the stack?
A hot, properly drafting fire should have no trouble maintaining exhaust flow even in decent breezes/wind. My guess is your fire was on the low/smouldering side and the breezes were sufficient to stifle the draft and get the air luffing backwards through the system.
 
 
Hey BBQ People,

I am having an issue lately with getting my temp at grate level high.  I can only reach about 225-250 max.  I have all the regular mods and use a mix of Royal Oak Lump and Kingsford charcoal briquettes.  maybe 50-50 mix.  I have the expanded metal box in my firebox that holds it all.  I use dry smoking wood etc.

It was about 45 degrees outside this past weekend and I couldn't get the temps up to 275 and I even had to use my air compressor and every 20 mins or so, I would blow 40psi air in the fire box vent until the charcoal would get nice and red.   This would raise the temp a little for a while, but I just never got it up high.

But, last year I was having no issues with this, and I would run it with the vent about 3/4 closed and exhust stack fully open and it would run at a nice 260-275 temp, but if I wanted it, I could get the temps well over 300.

Any ideas would really help.   Maybe the lump charcoal stinks.  I used mostly COWBOY lump last year.  Maybe this Royal Oak from Walmart stinks.

Thanks,
It's a fuel quality AND quantity issue. In my experience, both Cowboy and Royal Oak just don't have the consistency and available energy to generate the temps required to power a cooking chamber the size of the TMLE's. I use a base of Kingsford Blue and large lump from Ozark Oak in the charcoal box to act as a 'heat sink' and then keep 3-4 chunks (baseball size) of my smoking wood (usually citrus) burning between it and the CC intake for that boost of heat. Works great.

You can see the flaming citrus chunk to the left of the charcoal bed; this fire has been going for a couple of hours. Notice the angle of the flame... that's the draw from the stack "pulling" the air through the CC:



 
Last edited:
 
A hot, properly drafting fire should have no trouble maintaining exhaust flow even in decent breezes/wind. My guess is your fire was on the low/smouldering side and the breezes were sufficient to stifle the draft and get the air luffing backwards through the system.
Thanks for the comment.  CC temp was good, but then the stack on that thing isn't the heaviest gauge metal I've ever seen and it -was- kinda chilly and rather breezy - gusts 25-30.  'Spose I'll just have to be more careful and pick the weather better. 

Hey, OT I know, but that -is- a nice rifle.
 
 
Thanks for the comment.  CC temp was good, but then the stack on that thing isn't the heaviest gauge metal I've ever seen and it -was- kinda chilly and rather breezy - gusts 25-30.  'Spose I'll just have to be more careful and pick the weather better. 

Hey, OT I know, but that -is- a nice rifle.
Actually, draft is a function of stack length (i.e. height) rather than thermal efficiency. Next time you're in those conditions, try facing the firebox's intake toward the wind and see if that helps.

Rifle: Thanks! It's a tackdriver.
 
Got mine ready for painting, should i cure it first and then again after painting or safe to paint a few coats and then cure for the first time?
 
I decided to try the smoking thing, but did not wan to dive headfirst in to it until I had some idea of what it was all about or would even like doing.  I did  lot of reading, including great info here, and  I bought a Char Broil Side Fire Box 2-2424tn. II decided the grills were lower than I wanted them, so I modified the inside by raising the sides 1 1.2 inches, added a couple of removable heat deflectors heat deflectors and had a nice looking small smoker with room for a water pan and a chip box. I bought an inexpensive grill thermometer, calibrated it by  placing it ins boiling water (it was close enough at 212  to leave it alone), then mounted it just above grill height (food level) with the thermometer oriented so 200 degrees was straight up so I could monitor the temp at a glance. My first smoking attempt, a brisket, was, in the end, an shakedown run. There were a few leaks I plugged with aluminum foil, and I even did a quick refuel with lit charcoal and chips, how well the thermometer worked, progress checking and the myriad of details with smoking something. I ordered some FDA approved food safe high temp silicon and sealed around the lid and a couple other small places there were leaks. Form y second run, I tried our gas grill with some ribs, and used an inexpensive grill top surface thermometer. IN both attempts, I used a generic dry rub recipe with  a couple additions, some generic BBQ sauces during the last 20 minutes So final analysis: I am hooked! Smoking is  work, but fun work, and the end result is worth the time and effort. The ribs were great. The brisket was edible. Okay - the brisket - I followed a general cooking time based on weight formula and cooked it longer than I should have. It was a little dried out, but  everyone said in spite of an incredibly thick bark (you know what I really  mean) the meat itself was delicious, just a little dry I must add that to keep the cost down, I used a cojupel gift cards, so my ou of pocket expenses were bout six dollars for the smoker..

        

Next up is another brisket, with the sealed  leaks and a Redi Chek 73 for better temp monitoring. I am looking forward to a few more shake down runs and then smoking on a regular basis!
 
Regarding the choice of various lump charcoal brands: Do a google search of "the naked whiz's lump charcoal database" to see a good review of just about every brand of lump charcoal you can think of. I used to use Cowboy, which they rate "above average" but after finding string, rocks and all kinds of junk in the bags I switched to Royal Oak Lump, which they rate "highly recommend" and they rate Ozark Oak "highly recommend" but it's not available in my area. My experience with Royal Oak is that it burns hot and leave little ash and it's readily available at Walmart & Home Depot. I don't use charcoal briquets due to all the chemicals and sawdust they use as binders. Competition Briquets are a better choice as the only binders are starch and a little Borax.   
 
  • Like
Reactions: cerda
Greetings from Scotland!

Just picked up a Trailmaster LE from Costco (such a great place as you can get stuff in there you can get in the UK!), went together brilliantly but I managed to break the Temp gauge when installing.  Now I tried (and gave up) getting through to Brinkmann direct (you cant call them from outside the US due to the stupid call back system being only 10 digits - UK is 11 digit - and the online service is only for US, Canada & Mexico) but after reading how rubbish the gauge is I was wondering if anyone has replaced it and what with?

Not sure if its possible to stick any gauge in it due to the 3/4" hole (if so please tell me how) so looking for something that fits out of the box

Cheers
 
I put a stainless steel plug into that hole on my grill. You can get more accurate analog thermometers to put in there but you would be better off investing in a fast-read digital thermometer (like a Thermapen, $100), or a cheaper ($20) and a bit slower ThermoWorks RT600C pocket thermometer. For the grill itself purchase a Maverick ET-732 Wireless Dual Probe Thermometer. Dump that old dial guage.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky