There are a lot of things trappers use to keep dirt from getting under the pan preventing it from working freely. I was wondering does anybody use a little piece of sponge, one of the rectangular dish sponges could possibly work. Think about it the sponge is compressable it will hold out dirt yet still allow the pan to drop. It should add some tension to the pan, this ofcourse depends on how soft it is. The down sides could be holding unwanted scent, soaking up water and freezing if it gets cold, added cost of buy them and probably replace them if an animal is caught. Just looking for your oppions or expierences on this subject. Thanks for listening