Postby rickhdz36 » Wed Sep 20, 2017 6:49 am
I was having this issue also. My ash shovel did not fit under the grate to scoop the ash out, ended up using the handle side to scoop out some ash.
What i did was get 4 Stainless steel bolts, 8 nuts and 8 washers and placed one on each corner of the grate. I was able to raise the fire grate up at least 2" and my shovel fit a lot easier and it had better air flow. Its also adjustable so you can raise it as much as the bolt allows but also lower it. I will try to get a pic if you can picture what I am talking about.
As far as removing ash, I usually go down the middle to open up to allow better air and just pull out the ash that is towards the front of the fire box. I have a small stainless steel trash can I fill with some water and pull the ash into it. The can usually sits in front of the fire box in case any embers decide to fall out while im not watching.