How We Move Heavy Kamado Grills Moving a heavy ceramic kamado grill is no small job—especially when installing a Kamado Joe, Big Green Egg, or other full-size or oversized kamado grill into a table or outdoor kitchen cutout. After trying nearly every method imaginable, we developed the CGS Chariot as a faster, significantly easier way to lift and carry these heavy, awkwardly shaped grills. Important Return Policy Note: Due to the custom-cut nature of the Chariot kit, all sales are non-returnable. Please verify that you select the correct Chariot size for your grill model before ordering. We've used the Chariot for our own installs and offered it to customers doing self-installs. The response has been remarkably consistent: it makes moving a heavy kamado much easier. Do I Really Need a Chariot? While that is ultimately your decision, we will not lift or move a round kamado with an 18-inch or larger cooking grid without one. Heavy ceramic grills are bulky, difficult to grip, and expensive to repair or replace if dropped or damaged. The dome handle, hinge assembly, metal bands, and side-shelf brackets are not intended to carry the full weight of the grill. Don't lift by them. Lift by the Bands — What Can Happen? Lifting a kamado by its hardware puts forces on the band and hinge assembly that it was not designed to carry. Some grills, including Kamado Joe and older Big Green Egg models, use locating pins that fit into holes near the ceramic edge. One of the two locating pins on a Kamado Joe band is pictured below. The pins help position the bands, but they are not lifting points. Lifting from the handle, bands, hinge, or side-shelf brackets can transfer the grill's weight through the band assembly and concentrate pressure around these small contact points in the ceramic. That can create several serious problems: Bands Slipping on the Ceramics: On grills without locating pins, the bands rely primarily on clamping pressure around the ceramic. Lifting by the bands or dome handle can cause a band to shift or slide, potentially allowing the base to slip out and fall. Band and Hinge Misalignment: Excessive lifting pressure can flex, twist, or shift the band and hinge geometry, making proper dome alignment and gasket sealing difficult. Ceramic Damage Around Locating Pins: On grills that use locating pins, lifting forces can become concentrated where the pins contact the ceramic. Excessive stress can chip, crack, or break the ceramic around the pin location, as pictured above. In most cases, the proper repair is replacement of the damaged ceramic base or dome. Note: Damage caused by improper lifting or moving of the grill is generally not covered under the manufacturer's warranty. What Comes in the Chariot Kit The Chariot kit includes the custom components needed to assemble the mover: Two Custom Cut-to-Shape Wooden Support Braces: Contoured to fit the side profile of your kamado grill. Two Heavy-Duty Threaded Steel Rods: Complete with the necessary nuts and washers. Mounting Screws: Used to fasten the support braces to your 2x4 carrying arms. Specialty Drill Bits Included We include the essential drill and driver bits needed to assemble the Chariot: Pilot drill bit for the mounting screw holes Phillips-head driver bit for installing the screws Spade bit for the threaded-rod pass-through holes What You Supply: Two Standard 2x4 Lumber Arms You'll need two standard 8-foot 2x4 wood studs. Choose straight boards without large knots that could create weak points. We trim ours to approximately 60-inch (5-foot) lengths for easier handling. Why don't we ship a prebuilt Chariot? Shipping long lumber creates substantial oversize carrier charges. Buying two 2x4s locally costs far less than shipping them. Tools you supply: A saw, drill, tape measure, and pencil. Chariot Build Video Every Chariot kit includes access to our step-by-step video build guide and instructions. Once built, the Chariot can be stored for future grill moves, installations, upgrades, or helping out a friend or neighbor. Local to Dallas-Fort Worth? Rent a Chariot Only need one for a single move? We also rent Chariots locally at our Denton, TX store. The two-day rental is $25. We collect a $100 refundable deposit at pickup and refund $75 when the Chariot is returned within two days. Installing a Kamado Joe into an Outdoor Kitchen? Kamado Joe Classic and Big Joe grills are among the most common kamados we move with the Chariot. Watch below to see how we lower a heavy Kamado Joe into an outdoor kitchen cutout using the Chariot and the original Kamado Joe shipping box. Kamado Joe Disclaimer: Ceramic Grill Store is an independent company and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Kamado Joe. Kamado Joe, Classic Joe, Big Joe, and Konnected Joe are trademarks of 26North Partners. Brand and model names are used solely to describe product compatibility and application.
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