Hitzer 50-93 Shaker Issue

The metal plate that connects the shaker handle to the two grates fell off yesterday and was laying in the bottom of the stove. It is held on by 2 hitch pins, similar to cotter pins that must have either fallen off or vanished. I called Hitzer and they said they never heard of a problem. Anyway it was a treat trying to get the plate to line up with the holes on the grates with the stove running. Had to watch for hot coals everytime I disturbed the grates. Got it back together with 2 new hitch pins. Just keep an eye on yours.

It certainly doesn't hurt to do a 'pre-burn' inspection on the door gaskets, shaker mechanism, door hinges etc.

Sort of like a 'pre-flight' inspection, or often called a 'walk-around'.. we walk around the airplane to make sure some ramp operator didn't run into the airplane with a baggage cart, or a fuel truck etc... We also inspect the tires for cuts, damage etc..

I see no reason to not do the same with any appliance burning wood or coal.. I checked gearbox oil levels,, lubricated rollers and chains, inspected belts, and gave the AA boiler a pat on the water jacket before I fired it up this season..

As for the Hitzer missing the hitch clips on the shaker linkage.. this is the first time I've read about something amiss with a Hitzer stove.. at least it was an easy fix... You didn't find the pins in the ash pan or bottom of the stove at the back where the ash pan would push them??

Greg L

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I'm getting a Hitzer 50-93 next week. I just got the chimney installed for it today. I'm excited. So these pins are what my supplier told me about. My house is 1800 sq feet .. so I decided to go with the bigger stove. He said I could remove one of these pins .. .and only run on the one side... that way it wouldn't put out so much heat. Does that make sense?

Did not find the pins anywhere. Probably got tossed with the ash.

Floydman89 As far as unhooking one side, I'm not sure that will work. I guess it would let one half shake and not the other. I would call Hitzer first before unhooking it. I think without it connected the grate would be able to flip up if pushed on.

Floydman 89, I have a hopper fed stove as well. My owners manual instructs you to remove the connecting bar to lessen the BTU output. I have done so just to see how it worked. It worked fine once the ash and unburnt coal built up and cloged the disabled grate. As far as the disabled grate flipping over or dumping, this should not happen as it gets cloged/jammed up. My stove took two full fillings of the hopper and four shake downs before the back grate became passive. I would say the output was allmost cut in half. I choose not to run this way because I have been lucky in throttling my stove back to just a idle in warmer weather like today. Hitzer makes a great stove, have fun, be safe and enjoy the cheap heat.

Qball wrote:Got it back together with 2 new hitch pins. Just keep an eye on yours.

If you push the hitch pins farther so the grate pin is in the large circle of the hitch pin it will not be able to come loose. But you can still remove the hitch pin with ease should the need arise.

You could drill holes in the ends of the hitch pins and put small hitch pins in the hitch pins.

It's very odd that they came out. I'd do as Gambler suggested and keep an eye on it. Maybe they were never on tight to begin with.

i would use cotter pins if it happens again