I have a new timberline, replacing my old 580.  Did a shoulder he other day and it came out great. What I don’t like is it’s very hard to clean the drip pan. It was a very long cook and I liked to just put heavy duty aluminum down and throw the crunchy bits away. Traeger says don’t use foil this seems a problem to me. Any thoughts

Interesting.  Do they say why? I use foil all the time on my MAK 2 Star.  IMO it does make it easier to clean.  It is possible that the aluminum foil could have a negative impact on the flow of the drip especially on long cooks if it is not smooth out.  It might also have an impact on heating the unit but don't know why. 

I think they are worried about air flow or unit performance.  If you use foil and have no issues I would not worry about it!

  I always used to cook shoulders directly on the grate.  This resulted in a unenjoyable long messy clean-up.  I have since placed the shoulder on a rack in a pan..  Same
 
 cook time. The only pit clean-up is the ash...  The messy, gooey & crusty stuff in in the pan & on the rack.  Much easier to clean as it can be soaked in hot soapy water

 after scraping it out.  A further bonus is the clean-up is inside out of the elements.

  BTW.  Congrats on your new pit & first post!

Welcome to PF from Omaha, NE.

I, too, think that Traeger is warning you that foil on the drip pan can fill the gaps around it and block proper air flow.  Members here have written about this happening, not necessarily on Traegers.

I quit covering my drip tray with foil because grease got under it and it was the same clean up.

A rack on a drip tray sitting on the grates, per Canadian John, seems like a good solution.  I trust everything he writes.

welcome to PF. Hope you decide to become a regular here.

2 things would come to mind on foiling the pan and what Traeger tells you.

First is if you foil and it wraps up and over the edge, that little wing or flap can block or disrupt air flow.

Second and the most important reason from Traegers point of view, if you just use foil, you won't buy their foil drip pan liners.

Is this the newest model of Timberline? If so that would be really hard to foil and not mess up airflow and grease drainage. Though I’m surprised with it being Traeger they haven’t created a special foil pan insert they can charge an arm and a leg for.

  I always used to cook shoulders directly on the grate.  This resulted in a unenjoyable long messy clean-up.  I have since placed the shoulder on a rack in a pan..  Same
 
 cook time. The only pit clean-up is the ash...  The messy, gooey & crusty stuff in in the pan & on the rack.  Much easier to clean as it can be soaked in hot soapy water

 after scraping it out.  A further bonus is the clean-up is inside out of the elements.

  BTW.  Congrats on your new pit & first post!
 

  An afterthought.  The pan.  A disposable could also used either by itself or as an inner pan. Just be mindful that a lone(disposable)pan doesn't have much structural

 integrity.