Building a Pit Cart

DEllis · Jan 21, 2015

The below DropBox link contains the pictures missing from the thread.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/596xcs4st25c7x8/Photos.zip?dl=0

I'm a club racer with NASA (Spec Miata). One of my winter projects before the new season starts in March is to build a pit cart. I had been maintaining a separate set of tools which I kept in the trailer, but there were still items I had to load every race weekend.

I've sold the trailer tools, and another large toolbox in my garage, and plan to construct the pit cart and keep all my auto related tools in it. Non auto stuff will be stored elsewhere in the garage. Then on race weekends I'll just need to roll the new toolbox up the ramp.

I plan to build the pit cart around the HF 44" box and the side cabinet which I picked up this weekend.

I ordered a pit cart suspension from Irvan-Smith which should be here tomorrow.

ctrp-1302-31_thinking-outside-the-pit-box-irvan-smith-tool-organizers_unassembled-parts.jpg

Steel has been ordered from a local supplier and I hope to start mocking up a frame on Saturday. I'll post updates as the project continues.

Duncan

fnieto · Jan 21, 2015

Cool, keep us updated.

SHAZZAM · Jan 21, 2015

I've been thinking about doing this for a long timefor motorcycle racing. Only as a concept, never could figure out the details. I can't wait to see this.

Do you have a sketch of the plans and what wheels/tires are you using?

Nate

DEllis · Jan 21, 2015

I only have a set of hand drawings, but it shouldn't take more than a few days to get a rough frame assembled.

I'm using 8" trailer wheels (16" diameter)

Duncan

DEllis · Jan 21, 2015

I need to move quickly, as I had to move all the tools out of the toolbox I sold. I can't reinstall them in the new box because I need to be able to move it for mockup.

As it stands, all my tools from the old box are piled on my work bench. It's a bit of a mess. Things will get a little better after next week, when I put the engine back in the racecar. Then I can move it to the trailer and free up room in the garage.

Duncan

SHAZZAM · Jan 21, 2015

Oh and based on dragging my roll away craftsman box around for the last few years I would suggest shadowing every drawer. Mostly to help keep thing organized in the drawer while bouncing down the road. Also to help make sure you don't forget something.

ADSR · Jan 21, 2015

sub'd for coolness.

wornoutoldman · Jan 21, 2015

Looking forward to this build.

wagzilla · Jan 21, 2015

Very cool!!

Ohmthis · Jan 21, 2015

DEllis, this idea has a ton of potential, my only caution is the strength of the slides and how long tney can hold up to tne road. I built a pit box from a 26" craftsman bottom, and although it had ball bearing drawer slides, got beat to hell. I believe the HF box is way better built than my old box, just a concern. I agree on shadowing the tools, or what I did was leave them in as many cases and holders as possible. I actually had to pull some of the drawers out to get tools that had bounced out...............No fun

shrttrackr · Jan 21, 2015

Subscribed.

DEllis, I race circle track and there are a few tracks that do not allow our haulers in the infield. i have been wanting a small pit cart for a while. i will be watching with great interest . good luck with the build!

awdblazer · Jan 22, 2015

subscribed this looks like a kick *** build

M1TCH · Jan 22, 2015

awdblazer said:
subscribed this looks like a kick *** build

DITTO

navin · Jan 22, 2015

sub'd for this! What region are you with for NASA?

<- Mid-Atl (Northern VA guy here)

DEllis · Jan 22, 2015

navin said:
sub'd for this! What region are you with for NASA?

<- Mid-Atl (Northern VA guy here)

I live in Fairfax, VA. Also a Mid-Atlantic NASA racer.

raf0419 · Jan 22, 2015

[emoji106] me likes. Looking fwd to following.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Capt Chrysler · Jan 22, 2015

Not to bash on the HF tool box. I'm a little concerned that the drawer slides will hold the tool weight with the road vibration. I do know we killed a few Carftman and Snap On boxes back in the old days 80's - 90's.

Cool project, I will be following it!

Capt. Chrysler

DEllis · Jan 22, 2015

Capt Chrysler said:
Not to bash on the HF tool box. I'm a little concerned that the drawer slides will hold the tool weight with the road vibration. I do know we kill a few Carftman and Snap On boxes back in the old days 80's - 90's.

Cool project, I will be following it!

Capt. Chrysler

I've had a cheaper toolbox in the trailer for a few years with no issues. The trailer rides pretty well. It's a 36ft enclosed gooseneck with torsion axles. It's heavy at 15K and doesn't bounce around much. It's smooth enough that I've set stuff on the counter in the LQ and forgotten about it, and arrived at my destination with everything still in place.

Duncan

jimgood · Jan 22, 2015

navin said:
sub'd for this! What region are you with for NASA?

<- Mid-Atl (Northern VA guy here)

DEllis said:
I live in Fairfax, VA. Also a Mid-Atlantic NASA racer.

Me too, though not racing at the moment.

navin · Jan 22, 2015

navin said:
sub'd for this! What region are you with for NASA?

<- Mid-Atl (Northern VA guy here)

Haha nice - guess we are neighbors. I'll have to come check this out in March at VIR.

Fluxion · Jan 22, 2015

Very Cool!

I would love to do something like this soon.

SRD9Boss · Jan 22, 2015

Just a suggestion but make sure the cart is deep enough - the depth of the box is NOT deep enough. Roll it around on an infield and it will be very unstable. Make the back portion accessible and use it to store spares/creepers/jack/jack stands etc.

DEllis · Jan 22, 2015

SRD9Boss said:
Just a suggestion but make sure the cart is wide enough - the depth of the box is NOT wide enough. Roll it around on an infield and it will be very unstable. Make the back portion accessible and use it to store spares/creepers/jack/jack stands etc.

Agreed, the current plan is to make the cart 24" wide. I'll fabricate a pocket in the back of the toolbox where I can store items like my extra ballast weights, electrical cords, and other items. I might be able to push the width to 26", but any wider than that it won't fit through the side door of the trailer easily.

Duncan

SRD9Boss · Jan 22, 2015

That still may be on the narrow side - consider loading the cart before the car - via the ramp. That is how all the roundy roundy guys I worked with did it.

saceone · Jan 22, 2015

will follow

DEllis · Jan 22, 2015

SRD9Boss said:
That still may be on the narrow side - consider loading the cart before the car - via the ramp. That is how all the roundy roundy guys I worked with did it.

Did some measuring in the trailer, and as long as the cart can make the turn at the front of the trailer to be stored cross ways across the trailer, I can comfortably make it 30" wide. I'll do a mockup and some testing this weekend.

Duncan

DEllis · Jan 22, 2015

Pit cart suspension pieces have arrived.

Backside of the trailer hub. I'd like to look at the possibility of putting disc brakes on the front, but will probably need to have a machine shop make me some custom rotors.

Picking up the steel tomorrow afternoon, should have more pictures on Saturday.

Duncan

kluckfab · Jan 22, 2015

Very cool build i may just have to add this to my build list some year

kbs2244 · Jan 22, 2015

Do we understand that the tool box will be outside the trailer at the track?
If so I would be worried about it be too narrow and tipping.
(At the least, very embarrassing. Been there, have the Tee shirt)

If it is a semi permanent (race night only) install, I would think about a powered winch to pull it into place in the trailer.
Then you cold manually pull it out as far as needed during the week.
This assumes the trailer and the maint. shop are in the same room.

CKreations · Jan 23, 2015

Great looking project!

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RickP · Jan 23, 2015

Looks like a great design. Do you have an idea what the total weight will be?

gte718p · Jan 23, 2015

I used go-cart rotors on my old pit box. They fit perfectly, same size wheel you are looking at. I made my own hubs though so I had enough space for the caliper. Used a motor cycle master cylinder to actuate the brake and a line lock to act as a parking brake. Ended up working out very well. With 2 nitrogen cylinders, box, tools, my box was probably 600+ lbs. The brakes made going down hill much more comfortable.

shrttrackr · Jan 23, 2015

gte718p said:
I used go-cart rotors on my old pit box. They fit perfectly, same size wheel you are looking at. I made my own hubs though so I had enough space for the caliper. Used a motor cycle master cylinder to actuate the brake and a line lock to act as a parking brake. Ended up working out very well. With 2 nitrogen cylinders, box, tools, my box was probably 600+ lbs. The brakes made going down hill much more comfortable.

any photos of your cart?

pmason0 · Jan 23, 2015

Be interested in how it progresses. I started to build a smaller version with a 36in toolbox top with a generator, etc on the bottom. The idea was I wanted to move some weight to the back of my trailer, built the frame, but realized how heavy the damn thing was going to be. I ended up building a tire cart instead, about the weight I was looking for.

DEllis · Jan 23, 2015

gte718p said:
I used go-cart rotors on my old pit box. They fit perfectly, same size wheel you are looking at. I made my own hubs though so I had enough space for the caliper. Used a motor cycle master cylinder to actuate the brake and a line lock to act as a parking brake. Ended up working out very well. With 2 nitrogen cylinders, box, tools, my box was probably 600+ lbs. The brakes made going down hill much more comfortable.

Thanks. That's helpful. Picked up the steel this afternoon and will start tacking together the frame.

Trying to decide between a stainless top and a rubber mat. I'm thinking the rubber might actually be better to stop things sliding around.

Duncan

Surreal001 · Jan 23, 2015

Subbed. Very cool idea.

DEllis · Jan 24, 2015

Started work today on the cart.

Laying out the basic frame. 1x2 11 gauge square tubing.

A few hours later.

Tomorrow I need to weld on some angle for the front to strengthen the connection between the front riser and the main frame, as well as weld on 1/8 plate to accept the tool box. That should do it for the frame, and I'll start building the risers for the work bench.

Duncan

pmason0 · Jan 24, 2015

Nice progress.

kluckfab · Jan 24, 2015

Very awesome plan

DEllis · Jan 25, 2015

It's a roller!

Duncan

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