miketomcat Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 Would the skinny wheels not puncture the GRP with a gearbox and transfer box on it.No reason why they should assuming it's made and fitted correctly (fibreglass can be made bullet proof literally) I would think the manufacturer has allowed for this. However if it was likely to be a problem you only need a sheet of metal on the floor to spread the load.Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydie Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I hired a bobcat to excavate mine, I then lined it with 2 layers wide of 500 x 250 x 250 hollow "double figure 8" concrete blocks all round. One course up from the bottom steel angle lintels were placed on both sides to support the upper inner courses of blocks so that I had formed a recess 250 deep and 500 high x 1500 long on each side of the pit for my wine store - a small drainage sump was located in the bottom later fitted with a small pump discharging into the nearest storm water drain. The hollows in the concrete blocks were then backfilled with 35 mpa concrete slurry before the garage slab and the floor of the pit was poured, the slab was formed over the tops of the concrete blocks. The internal sides of the pit was painted with bituminous paint as a waterproof membrane with a final white gloss top-coat. The steps were fabricated from two very cheap (on special) aluminium step ladders from the local hardware store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skauldy Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 Cool, thanks for all the replies guys. No word back from the engineering crowd and a bricked mate is going to price me for the floor and block work. I emailed mech mate to see how much one of theirs pits it. Would be nice just to slot it in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 If you have the concrete floor set back from the edge of the pit by 2 or 3 inches each side, dropping 2" planks in to cover when not in use is easy. If you fix and angle to the wall to support the boards afterwards, it always seems to be in the wrong place and dig you in the ribs or smack you on the head when you least want it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike4444244 Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I'd suggest making it significantly longer than whatever you intend to work on so you can escape either end in case of fire Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydie Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I'd endorse the last two comments however my garage roller door width was a standard 2.4 metres (8') so there was never a risk of dropping a wheel into the pit as it was central to the door, consequently I never bothered with a cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoSS Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Scientifically I would think it is close to : D = height of mechanic - clearance of vehicle + comfort distance W = wheel track - a bit L = vehilce length + girth of mechanic where, girth of mechanic = pies + beer (ok i've been doing a lot of programming recently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skauldy Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 Where is X/Y . I'm not claustrophobic but I would like the thoughts of the vehicle covering me in once I'm down there. Will go as long as I can with the pit length. Hate this waiting around for prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Will be interesting to see what you come up with. If I ever extend my workshop I'd be looking to put in a bay for working under vehicles, either with a pit or a ramp. A ramp does appeal a bit more if I'm honest, and I suppose if you're starting from scratch you can ensure the building will accommodate it from the start. However it would be good to see an example of the other option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skauldy Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 Got a price from the engineering crowd. They recommend going 10ft long as that's what the sheet comes in. Think it was 8mm steel. 5ft deep and 4ft wide with a fold in It to allow lights to be installed and be plumb with the vertical line of the wall. Also a sump in the floor. Drum roll please ........ 800-1000 Euro. Not bad I reckon. Monday I will have a price for the block wall option. Also someone mention precast concrete or even shuttering it and pouring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco-Ron Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 You'd be amazed at how much shuttering and braces you need to stop it collapsing with the weight of wet concrete. ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Got a price from the engineering crowd. They recommend going 10ft long as that's what the sheet comes in. Think it was 8mm steel. 5ft deep and 4ft wide with a fold in It to allow lights to be installed and be plumb with the vertical line of the wall. Also a sump in the floor. Drum roll please ........ 800-1000 Euro. Not bad I reckon. Monday I will have a price for the block wall option. Also someone mention precast concrete or even shuttering it and pouring. I'd highly recommend at least doubling that length... We dug one in one of the barns back at my parents and I think it ended up being about 25ft long - when you consider a 110 is ~14ft long (and actually most 5-door cars are a similar length) then you ideally want access at the front and back to climb in and out you'd be surprised at how long it needs to be. At 10ft long you'll probably get about half the vehicle over it and just about be able to squeeze underneath to get in. We just dug it out using the digger and then used tongue & groove floorboards with plenty of bracing to build the shuttering. Lots of mixing later (I think we worked out it was about 9 tonnes of concrete went into ours because the ground is shale so quite difficult to dig out neatly) and one accident (one of the boards was a little rotten at the bottom and blew out) later we had a pit. We reinforced the lip with 5mm angle iron. This allows us to put 2x6" boards across it when not in use. There's also a sump at the bottom end (nothing on the farm is flat) to pump out water. Can't remember the depth but comes up to about nipple height which is alright for the majority of our vehicles (4x4's, tractor, dumper truck etc) but a bit shallow for the Suzuki Swift - but that so rarely needs work it's manageable . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skauldy Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 Don't think I'll go the steel route. Would rather it longer as you say. Don't want to be covered by the vehicle. I must throw a tape on the garage floor and see what's the max I can go. Just thinking, if I do get a pit, imagine the amount of friends I will have that I never realised. Will be the same as when you have a trailer lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 You might want to think of a block and tackle on a girder above too;if you use a pit it tends to rule out use of a crane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skauldy Posted November 6, 2015 Author Share Posted November 6, 2015 Hoping to get a gantry crane but that was on the long finger. Didn't really think of the engine crane and the pit. Better move the gantry up the list lol. Thanks for the pointer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troll Hunter Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 I dug a hole and poured a concrete pit. It is a nominal 40" deep, with a 1inch slope, and 42" wide. Inside I have an old office chair on castors so I can wheel myself from end to end. Sitting on the chair my head is just above garage floor level, so I'm safe from intoxicating fumes - no wine stored there. It's only 15ft long, but for my 110 I wish it was longer so that I had easy access at both ends. It is covered by 2" x 12" (true dimensions, not builders' merchant nominal sizes) fir planks to give a smooth floor level to the garage. It is important to have wide planks since all the weight of one wheel may be on a single plank when just parking in the garage but not using the pit. My other safety feature is that I have painted a broad white line on the garage floor parallel to the length of the pit on the driver's side, and spaced so that if I can just see the entire width of the line I know that the inside edge of the driver's side wheels are just safely on the concrete, and if the driver's side wheels are fully on the white line then the passenger's side wheels are just safely on the concrete. Sounds complicated, doesn't it, but you see what I mean - I hope. I couldn't put power or lights in the pit, although I wanted to, because the garage was a new build, under a building permit, and the Building Inspector was always sniffing around. I would have had to have explosion proof light fittings, etc. $$$$$$$$$$$+++! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skauldy Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 What did you do for the sides, I took some measurements today. For working on my 90 and not be covered in it would need to be 14ft long. To work on my disco 2 and not be covered in I would want 17ft. Man alive Would I be better off measuring from the back of the transfer box (plus 3ft to allow for transmission stand to move it backwards for clutch change) and measuring forwards. This would mean however the rear axle wouldn't be over a pit but I could just turn the truck around if I need to work on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troll Hunter Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Base and sides were lined with HD polythene sheet, all one piece, rebar in base and sides and plywood shuttering with cross bracing to prevent the formwork deforming. Concrete thickness was a minimum of 4", same as the garage floor, which was also strengthened with rebar. Base was poured one weekend and the sides a week later, when the main floor was poured. Yes, I know that it was a nit of overkill for a domestic garage, but I hope it is just about future proof. So far, no cracks and no leaks. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skauldy Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 Cool thanks Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skauldy Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 Could have sworn someone mentioned building the pit in the shape of a T. I seen one. What is the idea of the T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydie Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 You don't have to have a full length pit, - work on the front, get out, turn the car around and then service the rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 That's what all the pots I have ever worked have been like.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skauldy Posted November 8, 2015 Author Share Posted November 8, 2015 Yeah think thats what I'll do. 17ft would be a long run for block i suppose. Will be getting my block work quote tomorrow so see can he come up with any ideas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skauldy Posted November 8, 2015 Author Share Posted November 8, 2015 Took a remeasure of my disco. 12ft will do fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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