I have a 560 , Bought it about 3 to 4 years ago. Even before the 560 was delivered , I had in my hands the LSS firebox mod. I just bought his SS rack upgrade. I have not installed it yet , but I'm looking to do a short rib cook soon. LOVE MY 560!
Bought the 800 yesterday. After finding this video, I purchased the lss mods to go with it and will install when putting together on Wednesday. Thanks for the info.
I have watched multiple videos replacing the firebox. Has no one else other than me thought of removing the damaged firebox sides before installing new firebox? It slides in much easier. LSS Mod is great. Love the smoker and including wood chunks in the charcoal.
There are gravity fed smokers with extreme durability but you’re paying way, way more than the cost of a Masterbuilt for them. I think the cheapest one if seen is around $1400 and that’s without any fan or temp controls.
This was an important follow up. I appreciate it greatly. My question for you is: How low can you go with that new damper? Could you do a relatively “cold” smoke of, say, a cheese?
Great mods. I'm sure you are enjoying it. Just got the 560 and waiting to put it together, I just don't know if I want to spend another 315 + shipping on the mods. But great video though.
MrBigKid, great video and information. Just recently picked up a 560 and ordered the mod kit. Haven't cooked on it yet waiting for mods to arrive. I have a Camp Chef Woodwind SG as well as a bulky texas style offset to use in the meantime. Now with that said many have argued the high price of the LSS mods. But I say, it's up to a person's viewpoint on how they want to BBQ. One can still make amazing BBQ from a low priced Walmart grill or Weber. It is just how much are you willing to spend for the convenience of not worrying about temperature management and keeping wood/charcoal going especially in the middle of the night during long cooks.
Awesome bit to add, I appreciate that very much, and agree 100% I like the LSS firebox mod a lot, seems like something that will hopefully extend the life of the grill!
I just did the fire box mod. Be carefully with the inside screws in between the firebox and main lid. They are hard to get out. Had to us a ez out on them , they strip out fast. Put in some Allen head screws for next time.
Nice video, well done! Just out of curiosity did you purchase these mods or sent free to you? If free would you purchase? I just ordered a 560, purchased my own mods.... ended up paying close what a new 560 could be had for? Keep up the great work.
I'm definitely getting the LSS mods damper. A thing I did today was get 4 stainless steel skewers and cut them and positioned them on the grate that the charcoal burns on. So hopefully I don't lose fuel from chunks falling into the firebox pan.
It is! Just had a fan failure, but found it was one of the safety switches. I had some massive flair ups in this grill, make sure to keep it clean after cooking beef products! Amazing smoker/grill though! And the LSS Mods are all working great.
Great video of mods. Thank you so much for sharing this. I've got a quick question for you.... I'm buying the unit very soon and I was wondering if I should install the firebox mod insert while I'm assembling the smoker and not wait until I've done a handful of cooks. Also, how do we know the firebox mod won't eventually warp as well? Looking forward to your answers and the rest of your fantastic videos. Thank you again.
Thank you very much for the feedback! The firebox inside was actually starting to burn through, exposing the firebrick material. The firebox insert is all stainless, and very thick! If you are planning on purchasing them together, I’d definitely install it right away. Otherwise I had LOTS of cooks with my MB before installing any mods. Just took some hammering 😂. Thanks for the feedback! Good luck and congrats on the purchase!
So I got my 560 yesterday and I’m on the fence with the mods but I haven’t assembled it yet because I’m on the fence about the upgrades. Is it worth the extra loot to buy them and why? Thanks so much for the time spent on the vids.
I would absolutely spring for the firebox mod. It is something that will increase the life of your grill, and will be much easier to install without the heat deterioration and heat warping. The water pan is also very very nice!
Moisture in smokers is important for sausage but doesn’t have much impact for smoking BBQ. The reason BBQ smokers have water pans is because it’s a heat sink that never gets above 212°. It prevents temperature overruns by using excess energy to turn water into steam. Therefore I don’t understand the point of a water pan in a smoker like this. I thought it uses thermostat controls to maintain temperature so using a water pan seems unnecessary. Does the unit regularly have temperature overruns without a water pan?
I think your science and analysis is correct overall, but we don’t all smoke in the same atmosphere. Here in Southern New Mexico, where our relative humidity can reach 4%, I find a tin can of water in the fire box in a longer cook can help to keep from producing shoe leather.
Thanks for this video lm thinking to get master build 560 model how l cut order those parts the you got like the water pan holder ext? Thank s for your great video s
I like your videos. And I don't know if I can take your videos serious anymore. A man of your stature, and my size, and using ryobi tools. I'm very disappoint lol
🤣🤣 that’s funny lol! I will say, I have several Milwaukee drills, my old ryobi, a makita an ancient craftsman and a broken dewalt. But epic comment rofl 😂
I haven’t actually tried to cook with them yet, however I imagine any grease that drips on the manifold cover will flow down through the channel into the grease pan.
Yeah I have had a few as well. cheap fix is just to put a drip pan over the manifold to catch the grease or put an extended piece of aluminum foil that extends over the ends as well. grease collects inside the manifold causing grease fires when you crank the heat up or when a random spark floats into the manifold area.
This grill seems awesome functionality wise....but they are $500 all the way up to $800 dollars. I feel like they aren't built up to the quality they should be at that price. Seems silly you have to spend $300 in mods on a $500 dollar grill to make it last. Although I guess you could just order the firebox mod and probably be alright without the others. But they all seem like nice upgrades.
These mods really just drop in. Super easy to install. LSS just came up with a solution for the deficiencies found on the gravity smokers. They aren’t needed, but definitely helps.
I don’t believe a damper is “needed” but a little control over flow never hurts. It’s also nice to close when not smoking. One less place for pests to crawl into when not grilling.
The grill is prone to grease fires if you don't clean the manifold area super well. and that gap in the back for the damper allows in so much oxygen it makes controlling and putting out a grease fire hard. the manifold mod is probably the most important mod you can get as grease will build up inside the manifold and cause a grease fire.
I never considered the 560 a bargain necessarily. However the technology is well worth the cost IMO. You can also buy mods individually, particularly the firebox mod is well worth the investment
@@mesabog2 I don't have any data... I don't make the product or sell it. I can tell you that my firebox wall was burned through exposing the fire brick, and that will not happen with the thick stainless firebox insert. Being able to modulate you damper for different smoke levels and flow is a convenient feature. A Built in water pan that doesn't take up room in the smoke chamber is a convenient feature. A foil pan holder that doesn't take up room in the grill chamber is a convenient feature. A stainless cover on top of the manifold that has channels for grease and runoff to keep grease from splattering all over the grill is a convenient feature. If you don't want the mods, don't think they are worth it, then by all means don't buy them. But do I truly believe my grill is better than it was before I installed them? You bet you pooter I do.
@@MrBigKid I'm not knocking all the mods, I have the manifold cover and exhaust...but the firebrick is designed to harden and there is no data yet showing a firebox modded grill will last longer than a non modded one. It will extend the life of the metal covering the brick, but that does not mean it will extend the life of the grill itself. It is too early to make those claims.
I wouldn't say they necessarily cut corners. I just think LSS came up with some awesome upgrades. That can almost be said for any grill or smoker out there. Always a way to make one better
@@meals24u The plate was designed to disintegrate. Meanwhile the firebrick behind it hardens. After 2 years my plates are almost gone but the firebrick is intact. And a replacement set is a fraction of the cost.
@@mesabog2 oh ok, interesting Thank you for sharing.. I can get a new grill where I live for the price of that lss kit. Not new but used or second hand BNIB
All seem pointless to me for the price point. Now free would be a different story. Stainless doesn't last forever and for the price of the SS firebox you could buy 5 OEM versions from MB.
