10+ Pit Boss Modifications, March(2023)

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pit boss modifications_Featured Image
pit boss modifications_Featured Image

Here I have explained most of your queries regarding Pit Boss Modifications.

I have tried to cover some most common queries on Pit Boss Upgrades such as,

Also if you just want to know about Pit Boss Austin xl upgrades, or try out some pellet grill mods then you are at the right place..

Check out the modifications,

Related Resources :

12+ Full List of top modifications of different grills, smokers and cookers etc.
Pit Boss Heat Deflector Mods in detail.
A Detailed Guide on Top PitBoss Accessories to have.

Top 10- Pit Boss Modifications- Effective & Easy

# Pit Boss Austin XL Modifications

Here are some Pit Boss Austin Xl upgrades which has worked like charm for me..

Mod 1) Cover

Since the place where I live is exposed to heat throughout the year..

And also sometimes it rains, I felt the need to protect my Austin.

A good grill cover is a must if you want your boy to go long for years.

After hours of research I ended up buying the Cloakman Premium Heavy-Duty Grill Cover.

For me I love this cover..

It is premium and the quality is really good.

Cloakman Cover for Pitboss
Cloakman Cover for Pit Boss.
Sale
Cloakman Premium Heavy-Duty Grill Cover for Pit Boss Rancher XL/Austin XL/1000S/1100 Pro Wood Pellet Grill
  • CLOAKMAN premium grill cover applicated to Pit Boss Pro series 1100 and 1000 XL
  • Durable fabric material 300X600D with Double stitching of sewing process
  • Waterproof and UV protection, excellent weatherability
  • Velcro straps to secure your grill withstand heavy wind and rain
  • Tailor made and perfect fit


Mod 2) Front Shelf ( Pit Boss Shelf Mod)

In this example I am using Austin XL to demonstrate the modification. .
Since Austin doesn’t come with a front shelf, I had to get one.

I picked up a very nice front shelf online.

And I am very pleased with it and it gives me a little extra space to set things on while grilling.

However it might not be needed for all.

It is just a preference for me..

Image of the front shelf
Image of the Pit Boss front shelf.

Mod 3) Customize the Hopper Safety Cover

Austin comes with a safety net that covers the pellets in the hopper.

This looks like to prevent your hands down where that auger goes.

But this sometimes is a problem as it is difficult to level the pellets as they start to funnel.

We need to use a stick to do so. .

I feel it is very limited and I had to cut this area out  in the centre.

A pair of tin snips was able to do so easily.

Now I can use my hands to move the pellets freely.. 

Image of my safety torn
Pit Boss Austin xl mods-Image of my safety torn

Mod 4) Getting a magnetic hook.

Sometimes I don’t need the top shelf or grates.

And so these magnetic hooks become very handy to hang in the shelves. .

Again this is a purely a personal preference.

Check this out…. how handy it is for me…

Image of my magnetic hooks
Image of my magnetic hooks
Neosmuk Magnetic Hooks, 28 lb+ Heavy Duty Earth Magnets with Hook for Refrigerator, Extra Strong Cruise Hook for Hanging, Magnetic Hanger for Cabins, Grill (Silver White, Pack of 10)
  • ✔ SUPER POWERFUL - Amazing strong, sturdy, and heavy-duty metal magnetic hook with a CNC machined steel base, embedded with a high grade latest generation of ‘magnetic king’ i.e. super Nd-Fe-B, this magnetic hook offers more than 25 lb pulling force under steel. The magnetic hook is perfect for hanging items on the fridge in the kitchen.
  • ✔ HIGH-LEVEL PLATING- We offer 3 layers of coating on the magnet hook metal base, metal hook, and magnet. It provides this magnetic hanger with a shiny, rust-free, and mirror-like finish. Coated magnetic hook particularly exhibits an excellent anti-corrosive properties and scratch resistance. Maintenance-free, no rust!
  • ✔ CRUISE ESSENTIALS –After performing a careful inspection of the magnetic hooks machining flow line, defective pieces were checked and picked out in the first place. You can take these excellent magnetic hooks 28lb+ to the cruise for hanging and decorations on the metal wall or metal door in the cruise cabins of your carnival cruise ship. This strong magnet hook is a cruise necessity and one of the cruise accessories must-haves.
  • ✔ VERSATILE USE- Neosmuk’s strong neodymium magnetic hooks were endowed with a strong capability for holding various items wherever there is iron or steel. This magnet hook is a perfect magnetic key holder. You can also hang your tools next to the toolbox with this magnetic hook. Our magnetic hooks are great for grill, pot, cup, utensils, and oven.
  • ✔ Neosmuk 28lb+ (measured on the automatic tension machine) Permanent magnetic hook, strong magnetism lasts forever!

Mod 5) Getting the Wifi/ Bluetooth Module

One thing I wanted was to have a WiFi module in the Austin Xl.

Although it was not available in the model that I purchased, fortunately I could find an aftermarket panel from Pit Boss itself.

I just bought the panel from their website and installed it…

Image of the After Market Wifi Panel
Image of the After Market Wifi Panel

Buy aftermarket panel from Pit Boss

For me this is such a nice addition.

I can control everything from my phone.

And the readings are pretty accurate.  

Mod 6) Replacing the Inbuilt Thermometer /  Pit Boss thermometer upgrade

One problem which is common in Austin is the inbuilt thermometers.

They are not very accurate.

Therefore I had to replace it with a better quality thermometer.

After a lot of research I ended up buying a Tel tru thermometer.

I should say the thermometers are very accurate and of good quality

Tel-Tru BQ300 Barbecue Thermometer, 3 inch Black dial with Zones, 4 inch stem, 100/500 Degrees F
  • 1/2" NPT (install into 7/8" drill hole)
  • Made in USA
  • Stock item, ships in one business day
  • Stainless steel heavy duty construction
  • We recommend Installation Kit #4903101 (sold separately)

Mod 7) Expanding the Probe Holes. 

Our next Pit Boss modification is on increasing the hole size.

The holes for the probe to enter the chamber are quite small.

It is never a problem when you are dealing with one probe.

However If the first probe is already in and you try to insert another probe, You will start facing the issue.

Since the hole is small it is difficult to enter the second probe .

I simply had to increase the size of the holes to solve this.

You can simply do this by using a jigsaw.

Image of the Holes expanded
Pit Boss Austin xl mods-Image of the Holes expanded

Mod 8) Preventing leakages from lids.

Through this Pit Boss modification we will learn how to stop a leakage of lid.

In order to reduce the smoke from leaking through the chamber lids, I had to use gaskets around the door.

There are many gaskets around in the market.

But I chose to purchase a Fire Black Gasket. It is very easy to use the gaskets around the lids. 

Using Gasket on the cooking chamber lid corner
Using Gasket on the cooking chamber lid corner

Mod 9) Pit Boss Mods Using a Magnet.

Whenever you are not using a thermometer probe, the holes to insert the probe can leak smoke.

This is not good  as it might lead to heat loss and difficult to maintain temperature.

So better get a small magnet that covers these holes when not in use.

Here is an example…

Image of the Magnet to close holes
Image of the Magnet to close holes

Mod 10) Pit Boss Mods Using a silicon Mat

When using the griddles or the grates the spatulas and the tongs can get extremely greasy and dirty. 

And it is not to keep it at any place as later it might be difficult to clean up. 

After some research I bought a silicon mat. This mat is quite handy to keep the tongs or spatulas. 

You can always clean the silicon mat later instead of having to deal with the smoker directly. 

This looks simple but trust me this is necessary. 

Image of the silicon mat
Image of the silicon mat

Renook Grill Mat Set of 6-100% Non-Stick BBQ Grill Mats, Heavy Duty, Reusable, and Easy to Clean - Works on Electric Grill Gas Charcoal BBQ - 15.75 x 13-Inch, Black
  • 1.NO BETTER CHOICE - Thicker does not mean better. Our grill mat is thin enough to leave grill marks and flavor intact,and thick enough to provide ultimate heat resistance and durability.6 pack of grill mats can meet the needs of the dinner from time to time; when they are spare, you can cut them to any size or shape to fit any need. Also doubles as a bake mat
  • 2.100% NON-STICK - 100% Non-Stick means you can grill without grease and mats are reusable for years! Non-stick BBQ grill mat prevent even the smallest morsels from falling through the grates. Keep your grill looking brand-new and no more clean-up of your dirty grill
  • 3.APPROVED MATERIALS - Our BBQ grill mats are made from 100% PFOA-Free materials and premium PTFE-Fiberglass coating, no PFOA, silicone or other dangerous chemicals! When the use time exceeds 30 minutes, the maximum temperature cannot exceed 260 F; when used for a short time, the maximum temperature cannot exceed 400 F.
  • 4.REUSABLE AND DISHWASHER SAFE - Versatile and highly economical, they can be cut to perfectly fit your pans. Both sides can be used over 100 times, for grilling, roasting, and even baking! They are super-easy to clean; just pop them in the top shelf of your dishwasher and forget about laborious scrubbing.
  • 5.QUALITY GREAT- Unhappy with your new grill mats? No problem! If you have any question about it, just tell us and we will provide you a satisfied solution.

Mod 11) Heat Deflector Modification 

This is one of the most common Pit Boss modifications done to the 1000 and later models.

There is a heat swing in most of the later models due to design changes. 

This issue can be easily solved by using a heat deflector mod.

This mod can be purchased easily and installed in order to fix the issue of heat swing. 

Actually I have already discussed this modification in detail in my previous blog. 

You can know more about the heat deflector mods here.

Be sure to check out  the pit boss heat shield placement in my previous article.

Mod 12) Backing up Cooking Grates.. 

It is always a good idea to keep a backup of the cooking grates.

I already had my previous grates skin getting damaged.

I always keep some good quality grates ready for my cook .

Here are the new grates which I bought for my Austin. 

Unifit 19.4 Inch Diamond Pattern Porcelain Enamel Coated Cast Iron Sear Grate Grid Cooking Replacement Parts for Traeger and Pit Boss Pellet Grills (2 PC For Traeger 22 Series)
  • 【Fit Perfectly】Fits Traeger 22 series pellet smoker grill
  • 【Material】Good Quality - Heavy gauge and 40% heavier of cast iron material with non-stick matt porcelain enamel coat
  • 【Excellent design】Diamond pattern design to create perfect grill marks. Triangle profile of grade strips, the bottom side is good for searing and the tip side is good for smoking and cooking
  • 【Package include】2 PCS in pack
  • 【Dimensions】10.8" (Width) x 19.4" (Depth) for each

Also you can get ideas from these list of modifications and apply to any of the following Pit Boss:

Pit Boss 1100, Pit Boss pro series 1150 , Pit Boss 820 , Pit Boss vertical smokers, Pit Boss Austin XL

# Find your Pit Boss upgrades accessories

If you are using Austin XL then you can also refer the video below..

FAQs

#1 How do I get my Pit Boss to smoke more?

To get Pit Boss to smoke more you can try :

  • Cooking at a lower temperature.
  • Replacing your wood pellets.
  • Cooking the meat while it’s cold
  • Drying the pellets more
  • Using a smoker tube etc.

#2 How do you change the P setting on a Pit Boss?

P setting means pause.

Lower the value of P setting and the firebox will intake low pellets, consumes faster and more heat is produced.

It is provided to give you more control over the heat and the smoke..

You can use it as per your need…

#3 Are Pit Boss pellet grills any good?

Yes Pit Boss pellet grills are absolutely good..

Unlike offset smokers they are quite easy to use and the fuels are pellets which are readily available at stores and online too.

They mostly run on electricity and are also automatic.

Therefore it is very easy to use.

I recommend it for beginners.

#4 Can you leave a pellet smoker outside?

Yes, you can leave a pellet grill outside..

But if you want your pellet smoker to last longer, keep it under a covered area..