Help! Timberline 1300 Won't Drain Grease, and Traeger Support Won't Return Calls, As Promised - UPDATE - Good News

[Rif]

Hey thanks! Good to know - I’ll give them a call and see what happens...just got done cleaning up the fire scene from last night...

 

[TraegerTL850]

My son bought me a Timberline 850 for my retirement (December 2019). I had a 22 series prior to this and never had any issues. The Timberline is a nice looking machine but upon assembly- the grease trap door was a real chore to get open. Although I received the gift in December - I never grilled until March as it was in the 20’s and 30’s with snow in western NY. I started using the grill - following all of the instructions and cleaning more then recommended. As of today - I have yet to have enough grease in the tray (under the unit) to even bother emptying. I have had numerous grease fires after cleaning out the fire pot and grease channel in the front of the unit. Today I grilled steaks and almost set fire to the neighborhood....I haven’t tried customer service yet but based on everything I’ve read - it doesn’t look promising. I am getting ash in the grease channel or sludge that doesn’t flow when smoking at lower temps. I use the traeger 850 drip tray liners and they are garbage in my opinion- it just holds the grease. Good thing I’m retired so I can spend another 2 hours taking everything apart and cleaning it out from the latest fire. I doubt any one from Traeger reads this but I wanted to vent....

I am on my 2nd Timberline 850 and had my buddy came over to help me assemble it last evening. The things they are sending to the field are a hot mess. We had issues with attaching the antenna for the WiFire connectivity as the post you attach it to was not tightened down and we were having trouble with the screws that hold the bottom plate cover they were like powder coated in place and so we finally figured out a way by wedging in a small wrench to stop the gold colored post mount from turning then we were able to use needle nosed pliers to tighten the nut then we were able to actually screw ther antenna into place --- also the holes that are bored into the hopper to support the front stainless steel tray are not deep enough to allow tightening of the provided stainless screws - I had to go out to Ace and get shorter screws and a bunch of washers to actually put on-over the threads of the screw itself to back the screw out sufficiently to allow tightening of the screws themselves that is supporting the front stainless shelf this is on the hopper itself - the other side of the front shelf the screws and washer fit fine. I already know the aluminum drip pan liners are trash they do not fit and the other posts have said in particualr - CTWsr50 - has it right the maon drip pan is not designed well at all for proper grease drainage how do you combat the design flaws there seem to be so many - I am not hopeful at this point about this line of Traeger Smokers - so disheartening to see and hear about so many issues with the 'cadillac' that the Traeger Rep told me the Timberline is supposed to be. Wow
$1700 to $1800 just for the Smoker itself not included are the cover and other things that accompany the purchase of such an outdoor appliance - re-designing these things in the field is BS that's just how I feel about it folks

 

[Corners]

Traeger no longer provides an email address on the traegergrills.com website to request support.

Well hell. THAT and not returning phone calls tells me it’s time to RAISE HELL with them. I’ve wasted well over $2,000+++ on my TL850 and accessories. Multiple problems with no solutions. I’ve had it.

 

[TraegerTL850]

Well hell. THAT and not returning phone calls tells me it’s time to RAISE HELL with them. I’ve wasted well over $2,000+++ on my TL850 and accessories. Multiple problems with no solutions. I’ve had it. View attachment 1900View attachment 1900

That does not surprise me at all damn them

 

[John S.]

I did beer can chicken last night and this morning there is about a 1/4 inch of grease in the gress tray liner....
I was having an issue with liners at $1 each, I mean come on it is an AL. Pan....
went on Amazon and got 50 for $15... difference it is a 1/4 inch short, so I just did a press fit. When installing, works quite well......

 

[RemE]

I did beer can chicken last night and this morning there is about a 1/4 inch of grease in the gress tray liner....
I was having an issue with liners at $1 each, I mean come on it is an AL. Pan....
went on Amazon and got 50 for $15... difference it is a 1/4 inch short, so I just did a press fit. When installing, works quite well......

Do you have a link to those pans? Agreed the stock ones are over priced. Do spray some grill oil in a new pan when installing. I've found with dry cooks, some ash dust settles in the pan and quickly corrodes pin holes into these liners. Ash is basically lye, which eats aluminum.

 

[John S.]

timberline grease liners
Here is the Amazon link...

The one on top has Traeger stamped on it and cost around a dollar, while the one on the bottom without the Traeger name stamp costs about $ 0.30.....

 

[RemE]

Thanks, link shows qty 60, $0.27 each, great find. 2lb loaf tins, nice to know!

 

[TraegerTL850]

I am on my 2nd Timberline 850 and had my buddy came over to help me assemble it last evening. The things they are sending to the field are a hot mess. We had issues with attaching the antenna for the WiFire connectivity as the post you attach it to was not tightened down and we were having trouble with the screws that hold the bottom plate cover they were like powder coated in place and so we finally figured out a way by wedging in a small wrench to stop the gold colored post mount from turning then we were able to use needle nosed pliers to tighten the nut then we were able to actually screw ther antenna into place --- also the holes that are bored into the hopper to support the front stainless steel tray are not deep enough to allow tightening of the provided stainless screws - I had to go out to Ace and get shorter screws and a bunch of washers to actually put on-over the threads of the screw itself to back the screw out sufficiently to allow tightening of the screws themselves that is supporting the front stainless shelf this is on the hopper itself - the other side of the front shelf the screws and washer fit fine. I already know the aluminum drip pan liners are trash they do not fit and the other posts have said in particualr - CTWsr50 - has it right the maon drip pan is not designed well at all for proper grease drainage how do you combat the design flaws there seem to be so many - I am not hopeful at this point about this line of Traeger Smokers - so disheartening to see and hear about so many issues with the 'cadillac' that the Traeger Rep told me the Timberline is supposed to be. Wow
$1700 to $1800 just for the Smoker itself not included are the cover and other things that accompany the purchase of such an outdoor appliance - re-designing these things in the field is BS that's just how I feel about it folks

Wow RIF you are or having same issues with the Timberline 850 front stainless steel shelf and the holes not bored deep enough to allow the screws to go all the way into the pellet hopper I had to go to ACE hardware and buy washers to back the screw up so I could tighten the front stainless steel shelf down as it should have been in the first place damn I’m glad I came to the Traeger Forum I have had the same issue with the antenna being loose one hell of a tome to tighten it down had a friend helping me also the lid seal / gasket not staying in place damn it I paid $1800 for this smoker I’m about ready to call and ask for a manager let me know you got my message I’m with you buddy this thing is Bull crap Most sincerely Shawn Jordan Kansas