VisionQuest220, I did some basic mods that I learned from another site. 1st was to raise the charcoal grate with 4- 2" x 5/8 carriage bolts, 8 fender washers, and 8 nuts (keeps the ash from smothering the hot coals), 2nd was to fill the original temp gauge location with a pipe plug, then install the temp gauge at grate level where the meat is, 3rd is added some aluminum flashing inside the lower part of the chimney, let it unravel inside the stack just above the grate (to even out temps). The other mod (which I haven't done) is to extend the baffle from the fire box into the smoke chamber about 6" (supposed to even out temps as well). Of course after the few mods I made I realized this Bar-B-Chef wasn't big enough to do all the smoking I had planned so I instead bought a Stumps GF223.
(no mods needed!)