# How to keep door from falling?!  HELP!!!



## sniltz (Aug 30, 2013)

I have a custom pit and it does the job really good!  The only problem is that the door keeps falling when l lift it.  I will stay open, but with the slightest move will come crashing down.  My best friend was almost knock out when the door came crashing down and hit him in the head.  It is an very large offset smoker on wheels.  It has 1 door on it and it's about 4 foot long and will rest on the smoke stack when lifted.  Please help cause I don't want this thing to kill anyone.


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## bad santa (Aug 30, 2013)

Take the pit back to where you had it built, or to a welding shop and have them weld a counter weight onto the door. Or have a line made of a chain, cable with a loop on the end, etc, rope or some kind of tether placed where when the door is opened the tether can be easily attached to a cleat or hook, where it will hold the door opened until you need to close it. Could also be as simple as to make a brace from something like a broom handle, metal rod, or piece of angle iron to hold and prop the door opened  until you need to drop it back down. You need to do something, cause I have seen fingers broken and heads busted open pretty good from falling doors that were not balanced very well when first built.


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## daveomak (Aug 30, 2013)

Sniltz, evening..... how about some pictures open and closed etc.....


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## sniltz (Aug 30, 2013)

Big Daddy.jpg



__ sniltz
__ Nov 17, 2012






This is closed.  I don't have any recent pics of it.  Now I have to tell you that this is when I first got it.  I won't take it back to the builder who made it (long story and don't like to bash people).    I had some mods done to it.  I took off the 2 smokes stacks and put one 4' tall stack  on the right side of the pit for better air flow. I also put a baffle in the fire box and added extra vents on the side of fire box.  Wasn't getting any air flow what so ever.  So with that being said, that is my problem.  When I open the door all the way it hits the smoke stack and will stay up right until you hit or gickle the pit.













butts set up.jpg



__ sniltz
__ Nov 21, 2012






Here is a better angle of the door.













big daddy grates.jpg



__ sniltz
__ Nov 17, 2012






I know this doesn't help but this is the only pic I have of it being open.   That door is almost vertical but, slightly angled enough to stay put. If the pit moves or is pumped into it will fall really easy.


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## radio (Aug 30, 2013)

Welding on a good counterbalance should do the trick.  With it staying up by it's self it shouldn't take a whole lot of weight to make it mind it's manners


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## JckDanls 07 (Aug 30, 2013)

is the door hard to open (heavy) ? If so, counter balance would be good.... if not. I have seen doors with a 1/2 rod on the side that swivels (pivots) and catches on a piece that is mounted on the smoker...  when you want to close ya just lift the door a little and then lift the rod out off the stop...   I'm not very good at explaining things and damn sure can't draw it...  maybe somebody knows what I'm talking about and can explain it better...


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## daveomak (Aug 30, 2013)

Sniltz, evening....  I see a couple things you could think about.....    One, that door is HUGE and probably heavy.....    A counter weight welded to the door is one idea...  a counter balance weight and cable system is another......   From the looks of the door, you do not need to open it all the way to access the meat.....    JckDanls idea of a support rod is good.....   with a proper counter weight (either idea), you could open the door for easy access and slip a rod in a holder to hold it open...  the weight could be adjusted for easy lifting and lowering....  Now you probably have an idea how all this could be put together sooooooooo, build it and take pics.....   or tell us we are all crazy....  either way, we are happy to help....... 

Dave


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