garage pit

[Scottishross]

thinking of building a garage pit

about 3m long 1.3 wide and 6ft deep


not sure your throughts

the ceiling isnt really high enough for a ramp

 

[djkeev]

It's cheap proven technology, not high tech in any manner.

There are things to consider though, the biggest would be your water table and ability to drain your pit to daylight. The last thing you want is a small swimming pool in your garage!

If you do it, pour the concrete is such a way that you are able to lay planks across the pit and that the top of the plank is flush with the concrete floor. This enables you to use your garage in a normal fashion without a giant hole in the center of it when you are not using your pit.

Dave

 

[KPSquared]

Not legal here as far as I know. Something about a few people dying from fumes or something. Not sure.

If you put one in, make sure you build it right and are able to close it off when not in use. Don't want your wife to accidentally drop the car in. . .

 

[6768rogues]

Every electrical device installed in the pit should be explosion proof and an explosion proof exhaust fan should be provided to remove fumes from the pit. Gasoline vapors are heavier than air and they will migrate to the pit.

 

[Scottishross]

wouldn't mind the wife falling in lol

 

[Scottishross]

i have a company that can prob make it for me out of metal only problem is it alluminum

will that be too thin just need to brace it quite a bit and then tank it on the out side

 

[1948]

dangerous. fumes, car falls down onto the pit and you cant get out, fire at exit end and youre unable to escape without burns, explosions confined in a small space, ect ect

 

[A_Pmech]

mcleodross,

I have one and wouldn't trade it for a lift unless it was an in-floor lift. Two-post lifts waste way too much space for my taste.

My pit is about 6' deep by 16' long IIRC. Internal width is 32". The rim of the pit is made from 2x2x1/4" angle bolted into pre-set wall anchors every 24" to support the pit cover. The walls are filled 8" block with 6 bond courses and rebar in every hole.

A sump pit in the bottom, proper foundation drainage and waterproofing are important if you don't want your feet to get wet. There's plenty of information available on this in the form of basement design.

 

[WNYflyer]

A few things to be aware of:

- Watertable/groundwater elevation and the need if any to de-water your excavation as well as have enough concrete weight to keep the pit from popping up from bouyant forces cause by a high watertable if any

- When excavating is there a danger of undermining or disturbing any existing foundations? Locate pit accordingly to eliminate this problem if any?

- Waterstops at cold/construction joints in your concrete pour to keep water from leaking through the joints.

- Any drainage required on the exterior of your pit to eliminate hydrostatic water pressure and bouyancy on the walls if any (i.e. high water table) or wall designed for hydrostatic water pressure and bouyancy instead of draining? Again depends on the water table.

- Surcharge on wall (additional lateral soil pressure) caused by any vehicles driving or parked next to the pit wall?

- Heavy grating spanning across the pit to support vehicles when pit is not it use? Size and weight of grating or any pit covering for that matter and how it is going to be picked up and handled.

Not real complicated but groundwater if any and existing foundations/footings within the excavation footprint can drive up the $$$ considerably.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Not legal here either. Make sure you have good ventilation and a way out.

Chris

 

[sprint7]

My shop has two pits. They are each the size of a swimming pool ( 15 x 30 maybe) and about 3-4 feet deep. The rack extends into the pit and is accesable from the front and both sides. It is not for every shop but we have used them for 60 years and couldn't live without them.

 

[Galaxie]

Make a slot or track on the walls that you can slide a pan or tray on, one thing I wish mine had. Since it doesn't you have to drain oil all the way to the ground, would be a lot nicer at about chest height. Depending on your height and what kind of cars 6' might be right. Mine is under 6' deep, I am 6' and it is about right for working on trucks and needs to be a bit deeper for working on cars, you hit your head on a lot of stuff. Probably figure you want a few inches from the top of your head to the lowest point on the car then figure depth. They are great for fluid changes, shock replacement on the rear and some front end work. Also remember on the length you need enough room for the whole vehicle to be over AND a few feet for you to get up and down the ladder.

 

[c39er]

I have a pit below my 4 post lift. 12'x3'x6'. Sump drain, fresh air, drive over grating and all the other extra's. Love it.

 

[HOTFR8]

Looking at a similar idea here as a hoist is not suitable, manythings you must consider like some mentioned above. Also consider fuel spillage, gas like propane will sit in a pit. Pest like snakes etc. can fall in. If you have a cover make sure it is strong enough to drive on also think of power light and exhaust fans and maybe pump or drain pump location.

 

[little cowboy]

Pits are legal in BC canada...I beleive they may need to be vented. However what makes them a Worker's Comp Violation is being uncovered. A vehicle parked on it is fine, other wise grating is required.

At work we built our grates out of aluminum, 4 feet long using expanded screen and cross braces. A small car could happen to drive on it and not fall thru.

BUT Why 6' deep??...Ours is so my head is above the floor. And you can guess all the advantages that has..

 

[plung]

You could get precast pits.

This one is more legit

 

[Justanoldguy]

ect ect

You mean etc etc

 

[Justanoldguy]

My shed has a pit that is 30 ft long and I use it a lot.
It was built back in the early '50's and has a sump hole
and lighting and electrical outlets for powertools, etc

 

[HOTFR8]

You mean etc etc

ect. American spelling ?

 

[Justanoldguy]

Diference between ETCetera and ECtesera. lol

 

[Scottishross]

was thinking of alluminum for it 1m wide and 5 m long 6ft deep

my height is 5'11 so 6ft should be enough

will get in made so there is built in dranage with a bucket down the bottom to collect what ever

i will cover with something not sure yet

i dont need to worry about snakes lol im in the uk only big *** rats and mice

going to get prices the morro so we see what happens

 

[HOTFR8]

Diference between ETCetera and ECtesera. lol

was thinking of alluminum for it 1m wide and 5 m long 6ft deep

my height is 5'11 so 6ft should be enough

will get in made so there is built in dranage with a bucket down the bottom to collect what ever

i will cover with something not sure yet

i dont need to worry about snakes lol im in the uk only big *** rats and mice

going to get prices the morro so we see what happens

I have seen snakes in pits here so you are lucky but Rats and Mice can be just as bad.

 

[bazzateer]

These guys make pits kitted out with lights etc.

http://mech-mate.co.uk/index.html

 

[djkeev]

Personally, I couldn't use a pit, too claustrophobic for me! I can't do tight places be they boxes, pipes and yes, I'll show my age, the Liberty Bell in the stairway of Independence Hall in Philadelphia! (my first claustrophobic experience, the building was packed with schools on class trips, it was like Times Square on New Years Eve!)

Dave

 

[MustangRick]

I had a 5 gallon bucket in the floor of my pit, I had to fill it in with concrete. I stepped into it too many times, you are not looking down, always up. Make sure it is painted gloss white so that you can clean it up and also to brighten it up. I used 2x8 - 2x12s to cover my pit. You couldn't drive over them, but it would keep you from falling through if you didn't aim good enough. Plus that kept the warmth and coolness in the pit when the temperatures were extreme. It did tend to get fairly humid down there, so I kept a set of cheaper tools down there so I wasn't pack muling stuff up and down the ladder.

I kept one of those 500w halogen lights on the floor to light up what I was working on, but it generated way too much heat in the summer. Putting one of the boards next to the working area was a great tool and light rest. I built an oil pan holder out of some angle iron that rested on the supports for the covers, and hung down about 8 inches. That was about perfect except for buying one of the floor style with the long funnels.

If ventilation is an issue, grab one of those models that you see the AT&T guys using. they are about a cubic foot squirrel cage fan with a 8" house that you drop into the pit. You will end up needing a little extra height occasionally, I had a 2' step ladder, but a 2' x 2' platform about a foot or so high would have worked great.

 

[c39er]

dangerous. fumes, car falls down onto the pit and you cant get out, fire at exit end and youre unable to escape without burns, explosions confined in a small space, ect ect

That about sums it up!

 

[tonycastec]

Relax ! Plenty of us have used pits all our lives and lived to tell the tale. You just need to use care and intelligence. Those lacking in such will probably have bigger dangers in their lives than a well designed pit.

 

[WhatThaFrig]

Friend of mine has a pit in his garage. It is very useful.

 

[Justanoldguy]

I agree 100%

Relax ! Plenty of us have used pits all our lives and lived to tell the tale. You just need to use care and intelligence. Those lacking in such will probably have bigger dangers in their lives than a well designed pit.

 

[plung]

Here is a garage pit in action. But its in Germany. The guy is a GI and says its common over there.

If you're scared about fumes, just vent it out first with a fan. But it's probably a good idea to do so anyways.

 

[tonycastec]

There is another current thread from South west England showing a garage build. There are some great shots of the pit being constructed.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=136783
Pits are best in dry warm environments where you leave the garage doors open -and there isn't a plague of snakes and rodents! So Los Angeles is perfect!

 

[tonycastec]

C39er ,
Nice installation! But tell us why you needed a lift over your pit? Most would have one or the other ,not both. Just interested.

 

[c39er]

C39er ,
Nice installation! But tell us why you needed a lift over your pit? Most would have one or the other ,not both. Just interested.

I put the pit in 20 years ago. I had no lifts and not so many cars at that time. Now I have to stack cars up in the shop so one of the lifts had to go over the pit.

 

[ihredo4]

Pits are best in dry warm environments where you leave the garage doors open -and there isn't a plague of snakes and rodents! So Los Angeles is perfect!

Not sure about you but the last few times I was in LA I saw a LOT of two-legged RATS. LOL Sorry couldn't resist.

I would take a pit over a lift any time. Would be a lot easier changing the oil in the trencher and dozers. Always freaks me out hearing the creaks and growns of the lifts when you put 16-18,000 pounds on them.

 

[HOTFR8]

Some things are simply best done with all wheels on the ground and for that the pit comes into its own.

 

[HOTFR8]

Bumping the topic as I am looking for ideas as I am at the stage that I will be doing the floor next. See this topic >
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=150063&showall=1

 

[coolreed]

We call them Garage Storm Shelters in Oklahoma. Really.

 

[Falcon67]

We call them Garage Storm Shelters in Oklahoma. Really.

If my wife had her way and we had the funds, mine would have a pit with a shelter off to the side.

 

[HOTFR8]

We call them Garage Storm Shelters in Oklahoma. Really.

If my wife had her way and we had the funds, mine would have a pit with a shelter off to the side.

Not a bad idea.

I had a look at one yesterday that was dug deeper and wider than usual. One end had a sump pump as it flooded recently and the wider section had a steel floor concreted over the top so the underneath area was used for storage for items you would need in the work space.