My trailer smoker has started being built!

YukonRon

This is so unfortunate. I am glad nothing but temporary feelings were hurt. Beautiful rig, I am very glad it is repairable, and you will be operational within 48 hours. Your future awesomeness is coming!

Thatgrimguy

slovelad said:

As a future lawyer, my first thought was "who installed the tounge?"

now even knowing these people will take care of you. I can't help but wonder whose fault it was.

but I'm really glad evryone is ok. And I'm glad you were smoking a bunch of briskets on the road, not that would have been Devistating

They installed it and it was there pin. In fact I never even took it off the rv. And they put it on there. 

The pin lock used was of the clamp varity instead of the hole in the tip variety. As I drove over that bumpy bridge it popped that pin off and the rest is history.

jls9595

Devastated   But glad it's getting fixed and no one was hurt. I got sick to my stomach when I saw that pic. 

caliking

Dude , that was close. Good to hear that no one was hurt. Material things can be replaced.  It's only money, and maybe a bit of pride. 

I  wouldn't  worry about whose fault it is. Damn lawyers The Shirleys don't seem to fvck around. Which is why the response was simply "we're gonna take care of it. "

Thatgrimguy

Yeah . This is no one's fault. Just a crazy thing. Shirley s are all over making it right. They are first class all the way. 

cazzy

Learn from it, get it fixed and smoke on!  Props to the Shirleys for doing it right!

DoubleEgger

Thatgrimguy said:

I'm headed to Tuscaloosa to get it fixed.  Tyler just texted me this.

Hey man just wanted to that I am going to get you fixed up so don't you worry about that. Bring the yellow paint if you don't mind. You're in good hands I got this. 

When I buy, I'm buying from them just because of this. 

Thatgrimguy

Paul (Tyler's father) offered to take my wife and I out to dinner. These people really do treat you like family. I think Tyler is just as upset as I am about the incident. We are looking forward to dinner with the Shirleys.

Thank you all for the kind words. Today was an emotional roller coaster and you guys were here for me. Thank you.

Gamecockeggman

Thatgrimguy said:

Paul (Tyler's father) offered to take my wife and I out to dinner. These people really do treat you like family. I think Tyler is just as upset as I am about the incident. We are looking forward to dinner with the Shirleys.

Thank you all for the kind words. Today was an emotional roller coaster and you guys were here for me. Thank you.

Just thank God nobody got hurt.  It's just an added bonus that the dealer is going to be stand up about it.  

DMW

Gamecockeggman said:

Thatgrimguy said:

Paul (Tyler's father) offered to take my wife and I out to dinner. These people really do treat you like family. I think Tyler is just as upset as I am about the incident. We are looking forward to dinner with the Shirleys.

Thank you all for the kind words. Today was an emotional roller coaster and you guys were here for me. Thank you.

Just thank God nobody got hurt.  It's just an added bonus that the dealer manufacturer is going to be stand up about it.  

FTFY

texaswig

Things happen. It says alot about Grim that he didn't flip out and get pissed. I'm not sure what my reaction would be after something like this. I'm glad it wasn't too bad and nobody go hurt. 

cazzy

So grim...any thoughts on what @SGH said?  Thoughts on changing it to a swing away?  

northGAcock

Wow......All that matters is you are ok.......the rest is just noise. That beautiful grill can be fixed......you my friend .......well glad you are ok. 

Thatgrimguy

Thanks again everyone. Got here about 4pm. Tyler took the trailer and went straight to work. Paul and his wife Sharon took me and my wife to dinner. These are some of the greatest people I have ever spent time with. I've had a hell of a day, and they truly made it better. Dinner was amazing. Nice restaurant, great company. Talked bbq, business, family, everything in between. 

I'm proud to be part of the Shirley family.

Thatgrimguy

Thanks again everyone. Got here about 4pm. Tyler took the trailer and went straight to work. Paul and his wife Sharon took me and my wife to dinner. These are some of the greatest people I have ever spent time with. I've had a hell of a day, and they truly made it better. Dinner was amazing. Nice restaurant, great company. Talked bbq, business, family, everything in between. 

I'm proud to be part of the Shirley family.

Thatgrimguy

cazzy said:

So grim...any thoughts on what @SGH said?  Thoughts on changing it to a swing away?  

I don't think it would be safer. The pin is what failed, not the tongue setup. With a swing away I'd just be depending on a different pin.

I think the double pins, with locks and another set of safety chains is going to cover me.  I may actually build something stronger than a trailer pin with a bolt and some washers.

Legume

Glad this is working out, crazy story.

blasting

@Thatgrimguy The Shirley's are stepping up, in true old school fashion.  That's great,  and how it should be.  

What's more impressive is how you are handling it.  Hats off to you my friend.  

Best of luck in getting your smoker up and running quickly.

Thatgrimguy

Thanks @blasting. It's a crazy situation for sure. I'm just glad everything is going to work out. And I'm only missing a couple parades and the superbowl. Nothing that actually matters. I can handle missing the party. I wouldn't be so level headed if someone had gotten hurt.

Thatgrimguy

Well. I'm bored. Chilling in a parking lot again waiting on that call... In the meantime here are some more pics I took before "The Incident"

Grates ended up at 23.5 x 54" and 4 pans fit perfectly. I have 5.5 inches of clearance on the bottom 3 racks and about 3.5" on the top rack, and I have 2 hangers mounted in the main chamber

Here is the hanger. I have two in the main and 2 in the vertical!

Thatgrimguy

The vertical is 4 20x20 racks, but 7 rack locations. 2 hanger rods welded at the top. In the insulated firebox is a searing rack that is about 18.5x18.5

The smoker is offset to leave room to slide in 2 6' tables.

The back of the cooker has the wood rack, my Camp Chef Expedition 3x and the deep fryer. The black box holds the battery and battery charger than run the LED lights and the water pump. 

Thatgrimguy

Here is my crawfish pot on one of the burners.

Thatgrimguy

And finally, this was the first thing ever cooked on it.

Jeepster47

Thanks for posting ... been quietly following the build.  Your decision to use a locking pin looks sound.  This picture clearly shows the pin in position with the retaining clip on the end.  Something strange happened for the tongue to release.

Have you thought about stones chipping the paint on the equipment at the front of the trailer?  Your RV tires are well forward of the rear end, but there still might be some rocks bounce up.

Thatgrimguy

Jeepster47 said:

Thanks for posting ... been quietly following the build.  Your decision to use a locking pin looks sound.  This picture clearly shows the pin in position with the retaining clip on the end.  Something strange happened for the tongue to release.

Have you thought about stones chipping the paint on the equipment at the front of the trailer?  Your RV tires are well forward of the rear end, but there still might be some rocks bounce up.

Wow.. you are right. I zoomed in and it's not a clamp style pin. It's a through the hole type. I really don't understand how this happened with that style pin. Now, I'm thoroughly confused HOW this happened.


I have thought about rocks. I'm having a "tough stuff" fabric made to cover the water and propane tank and make that look cleaner/protect it and same with the water heater. I'll just take the cover off when use the heater. I'll probably leave the cover on the tanks all the time. Hope fully that will be enough!

badinfluence

Did you stop any ware for fuel in the motor home? I can't see anyway that pin came out on its own. You know where I'm going with this. The weight of the trailer would have kept it in place till you hit the bumpy bridge and unstrung the weight of the trailer to the back. I have seen this before in truck stops where some a hole will pull the pins on either the 5th wheel or the trailer tandems. 

Not or saying this is what happened but this is my guess on how it happened. Always do a walk around when you are away from it.

DoubleEgger

You might want to consider a locking pin. Someone could easily steal your beautiful rig. 

Thatgrimguy

DoubleEgger said:

You might want to consider a locking pin. Someone could easily steal your beautiful rig. 

That's what I swapped to.  I'm actually going with 2 of them. Crazy thing is I had already bought it and just hadn't taken the trailer off the RV yet to be able to put in. I was going to do it when I got to New Orleans.

Thatgrimguy

badinfluence said:Did you stop any ware for fuel in the motor home? I can't see anyway that pin came out on its own. You know where I'm going with this. The weight of the trailer would have kept it in place till you hit the bumpy bridge and unstrung the weight of the trailer to the back. I have seen this before in truck stops where some a hole will pull the pins on either the 5th wheel or the trailer tandems. 

Not or saying this is what happened but this is my guess on how it happened. Always do a walk around when you are away from it.

I stopped twice that morning. It could have happened. If so, I hope that person gets a huge dose of karma.

badinfluence

Bingo brother!!! I have never seen a pin just fall out like that. Some people just can't stand to see something nicer then they have or could get.