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How to know if a Traeger auger is jammed
Traeger grills are designed to give good service in nearly all weather conditions.
However, like any mechanical device, the moving parts of the grill can be jammed or wear out.
To determine if your augur has jammed, wait until the grill has cooled.
Then, remove the grates, drip pan heat shield and hopper to expose the augur.
Try to turn the augur by hand.
If you cannot turn the augur by hand, or can only turn it with difficulty, you will have to clear the augur from jammed pellets.
How do you clear a stuck auger on a Traeger?
There are several steps to clear a jammed augur on a Traeger.
A youtube video by Traeger customer service provides detailed instructions, which are summarized below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoKLHw-E6BI
You will need a Phillips and a regular screw driver, as well as a 7/64” allen wrench key, and a pipe wrench.
You may also want to have a set of pliers and some tool which has a flat edge on it to clean out the jam.
A hammer claw might work, but a small pry bar or putty scraper might also serve well.
You will also want to have a shop vac to clear out the debris in the firepot and hopper.
The pellet hopper is located on the right side of the Traeger.
This will need to be removed to gain access to the grill itself.
First, the controller must be removed from the door.
The controller is held on by two screws, top and bottom.
Unscrew these.
There is no need to remove the controller completely by pulling out the wires.
Rather, set it gently inside the mounting hole it came out of, so that it is protected from being bumped or damaged.
Next, the hopper needs to be removed.
There are four screws which connect it to the body of the grill.
Two are in the front, and two in the back.
When the last screw is removed, be sure to provide some support to the bottom of the hopper, so that it does not fall off.
Lift it up gently and pull it out.
As you pull, the controller will be pulled through the body of the hopper and out.
It will hang by its wiring, but this shouldn’t be a problem.
The augur is now accessible and can be cleared.
The shear pin connects the augur motor to the augur shaft.
Use the pliers to hold the nut in place, and use the allen wrench to unscrew the bolt from the shaft.
Take the motor off and set it aside.
A bushing covers the augur shaft.
This may be either a regular flat head or a Phillips screw.
The augur shaft should be able to turn.
Very wet pellets can hold it tightly in place.
If you are unable to turn it by hand, you will need to use the pipe wrench to turn it.
Keep turning the augur until you have pulled it out completely from the hopper.
Once the augur is out of the augur shaft, you can use your flat tool to start clearing the pellets and debris from the hopper.
Sometimes, you can use the augur to drill the debris out.
Simply move it into and out of the shaft, using the point to help clear the pellets.
Clear up the debris in the fire pot and hopper with a vacuum cleaner.
Once the augur shaft and fire pot are cleaned out, reassemble everything by reversing the steps above.
How do I know if my pellet grill auger is bad?
Open the grill and remove the augur using the steps outlined above.
Examine the augur.
If it is twisted, it needs to be replaced. Similarly, the fan and gears should be examined and listened to closely.
These parts may need to be replaced as well.
Why does my Traeger keep jamming?
If your augur keeps jamming, it is probably due to wet pellets.
Very rarely, an outside object like a screw can fall into the hopper, and can jam the augur.
Pellets can absorb moisture.
When they do, they swell up like little sponges, and bind the augur before disintegrating into a mass.
If your augur jams often, the pellets are likely to blame.
Pellets must be stored carefully in a dry place and in a sealed container to avoid any dampness.
Why is my Traeger auger making clicking noise?
An augur is a mechanical device and will normally make noise whenever it is in operation.
If the augur makes an unusual noise, is louder than usual, or makes a noise along with smoke or an unusual smell, the augur has some difficulty and may need to be serviced or replaced.
Often, the augur only needs to be cleaned, especially if it has only recently started to make noise.
The augur can have grease and ash falling onto it, and may simply need a good cleaning with a brush or cloth.
Similarly, the augur needs periodic lubrication, if the metal parts aren’t to rub against one another.
Also, examine the augur closely.
Any loose screw can cause noise, as can the fan.
A twisted augur or defective gears can also make noise.
In more extreme cases, the augur may have worn out.
Augurs are designed to last for at least five years, and may need to be replaced.
The fan and gears may also need to be replaced.
Final Thoughts
In many cases, you can service the augur and other grill parts yourself.
However, in many cases defective parts may need to be replaced.
When in doubt it is always better to contact Traeger customer service or a qualified repairman for repairs to keep your grill working properly for years to come.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.