Mother nature teaches you the value of redundancy. I believe in the need of many options with comfort camping. Currently, the trailer is designed to accommodate a few ways to cook without having to use a bow drill or flint. The pull out kitchen will contain a small 18" Partner Stove, I have a large Snow Peak Fire Pit with a few cooking racks and grills, I keep a micro burner in my trail pack, and I decided to build another "spare tire grill" for an open pit fire.
More and more, parks and camps limit open fire and collection of firewood for an open pit. I have a box built to haul firewood on the trailer if collection is limited, and would like to teach the kid the respect for camp fire building and care when possible.
So when burn bans are not in effect, I'll use the spare tire grill for an open pit. These are simple to make and enjoy. I have trashed interiors of SUVs and gear inside of trailers by throwing a dirty, burnt grill top inside after a camp. A spare tire grill just fits right over an exposed spare and keep you from a long after-camp cleaning of your other gear.
I'm building the new one fairly large, but they can be built much small and easier, depending on your needs and design.
I had a barrel clamp for a 55 gal drum, a few pieces of heavy gauge steel that was scrapped from another project (these are about 8' of 6" wide channels with a 1" flange on either side). The heavy grate I had to buy from a local shop, so I'm out about 17$ so far.
I'll cut the grate to tack to the inner side of the ring. I'll then cut the channel into 3 pieces @18" for stands or legs. Each piece will get bent at about 6" (excess diameter of tire from ring) to a 90 degree angle leaving about 12" (width of my spare tire tread). Once the legs are bent, I'll weld them to the ring in 3 equal locations. The last one I built- I also used another 8" piece to add and adjust each leg individually with set bolts and wing nuts. It was a good idea, but I never found the need to adjust them any higher. I try to dig a small recess before I build a camp fire and never build a very tall one, so 12" high, should be good for me. I can always add the pieces later if I find the need.
I secured the old grill with a small cable behind the spare. I think this time I'll try a threaded rod through one of the lug holes on the spare.
I've seen them built in a few configurations, but the closest to the finished product is used on some Conqueror trailer spares (see below).
More and more, parks and camps limit open fire and collection of firewood for an open pit. I have a box built to haul firewood on the trailer if collection is limited, and would like to teach the kid the respect for camp fire building and care when possible.
So when burn bans are not in effect, I'll use the spare tire grill for an open pit. These are simple to make and enjoy. I have trashed interiors of SUVs and gear inside of trailers by throwing a dirty, burnt grill top inside after a camp. A spare tire grill just fits right over an exposed spare and keep you from a long after-camp cleaning of your other gear.
I'm building the new one fairly large, but they can be built much small and easier, depending on your needs and design.
I had a barrel clamp for a 55 gal drum, a few pieces of heavy gauge steel that was scrapped from another project (these are about 8' of 6" wide channels with a 1" flange on either side). The heavy grate I had to buy from a local shop, so I'm out about 17$ so far.
I'll cut the grate to tack to the inner side of the ring. I'll then cut the channel into 3 pieces @18" for stands or legs. Each piece will get bent at about 6" (excess diameter of tire from ring) to a 90 degree angle leaving about 12" (width of my spare tire tread). Once the legs are bent, I'll weld them to the ring in 3 equal locations. The last one I built- I also used another 8" piece to add and adjust each leg individually with set bolts and wing nuts. It was a good idea, but I never found the need to adjust them any higher. I try to dig a small recess before I build a camp fire and never build a very tall one, so 12" high, should be good for me. I can always add the pieces later if I find the need.
I secured the old grill with a small cable behind the spare. I think this time I'll try a threaded rod through one of the lug holes on the spare.
I've seen them built in a few configurations, but the closest to the finished product is used on some Conqueror trailer spares (see below).
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