Cooking Grate help!!

[d-mac]

I made the standard cooking grate for my pig roaster with Expanded stainless steel flat 3/4 diamond #9 and 1x1 1/4 angle iron.  This is the standard grate like many smokers have

The diamonds point the length of the grate.  The grate is 2x5 and I have supports, running the width every 10" or less.  

My issue is I have added 6 burners to turn it into a grill and when Iheat it over 400 degrees, the grate bows up and down like a wave.  There is at most like 9" betweent eh supports and it is still flexing when hot.

All I can think of is to cut the supports out and put in at least 3 length wise.  All the pictures I see on the web don't have this many supports and I know some have to use high heat.  Is this a common issue?  I had supports wider then it flexed then when I added more, it was worse.

Maybe is the way the run of the diamonds length way that means it's how I have to support.

Anyone use their grates with high heat and have this issue.  The below link is to the grate type I made.

http://www.smokymtbarbecue.com/avactis/avactis-images/TS500_Barbecue_Smoker_24.jpg

 

[daveomak]

WHY ARE YOU HEATING IT OVER 400 DEGREES !!!!!!

There is NO WAY you can stop SS from expanding.....

 

[d-mac]

Is it the fast that the expanded metal is stainless steel or just steel in general?

The grate is being used as a cooking grate when I use it as a grill.  I need a grate to use for noth the roasting and the grilling.

 

[daveomak]

When you get the meat on it, it will sag.....  once that happens, it will always sag...  probably about 1 1/2" from level plane.....   And there is nothing you can do to stop it...    it's called physics....