Commercial vehicle inspection pit

[Nearly]

Thought you got your payment yesterday?

builder took most of it off me today.

cottage takes preference over keeping hgv mechanic warm and cozy.
'His' shed would be the one to right of 2nd pic.
He doesn't mind roughing it, but admits a pit is useful, but only now and again. I'm just trying to look long term and get our 'oss wagon fixed for free as part of the rent.

 

[Renaultman]

It's going to be interesting as the mechanic is 5'4" tall and I'm 6'2". I think he's going to have to have a box to stand on.

I had the same problem, made the pit to suit me and everyone else had to stand om something. Mine is block built with a heavy steel frame around the top.When I move the workshop I will probably just fit a prefab.
Loads on Google

 

[Y Fan Wen]

Our local one has fluorescent lights inset into the long sides.

 

[Nearly]

I had the same problem, made the pit to suit me and everyone else had to stand om something. Mine is block built with a heavy steel frame around the top.When I move the workshop I will probably just fit a prefab.
Loads on Google

I've got a 6m long loading dock frame that has been in 'storage' so that might be a source of steel sheet and channel to drop into a hole.
I couldn't bear to part with it when scrap was £200.

 

[Happy hillbily]

Brother in law has the above lifts, best thing he's bought in a long while, so he said . when not needed they sit to the side of the workshop, and has the whole floor without obstructions, not cheap but makes the workshop very flexible. I think he got them of a guy on the Wirral who deals in vehicle lifts, new and second hand.

 

[fermerboy]

Did a small block built one for cars and it has always leaked in water, more so in winter when the water table rises a bit.

Always reckoned if I did another one I'd stick a good thick pond type liner in the hole first then pour a base and build up, then back fill round walls. Airline connection and electric for sockets/lights a must.

 

[quattro]

I'm looking at digging an inspection pit for tractors and 4 wheeler HGV's as there's a mechanic locally looking to rent a shed. Can you stick up a few photo's or thoughts on construction.

Floor (of ex-straw shed) is currently just soil so a blank canvas.....

Thanks,
N

I made one fortunately on dry ground it was easy for me as I've 2 steel shuttering panels we sat in hole and then blocked ends in with 4feet sheets of ply then fastened some 4x4 timbers to steel shutters to leave a ledge for a heavy beam for jacking on 6metres long by1.2 metres inside pit it's abit wider than normal we can get a unit or all 3axles of a trailer on
Forgot to say had about 18-24inch space round shutters filled with ready mix an poke red hope this makes sense all depends how much you want to spend

 

[Haydn]

Will get a picture of ours, dug it out and dad bricked it up etc. Made build in steps into brick work, looks the works! Down side is its below the water level so we've put a water pump in.Put some girders along each side as well, so in the future we can put a rolling jack on. Wide enough for the wagon and low loader and small enough for servicing the mini!

 

[Netherfield]

Stick a big mirror on the wall, so you can see what you are driving on to.
Loads of lights.
Have a dropped sump at one end to catch any fluids.
Low voltage socket for a handlamp.
Fire extinguisher in the pit.

 

[Haydn]

Managed to get hold of some pictures of ours

 

[multi power]

@Nearly that looks identical to the building where our milking parlour is, used to be a quite posh cowshed. Built in 1950

 

[Netherfield]

Pity you didn't mention this a month ago, I had an email from Eddisons, they were auctioning a whole load of stuff from a Daf dealership, Manchester area.
There was 4 post lifts, wheel free lifts, pit jacks,compressors, welders of all types including plastic.
Waste oil catchers,headlamp alignment and bins full of nuts and bolts.

 

[Nearly]

Always buckets of nuts and bolts.

 

[defender]

ventilation in a pit is something to be considered ,Ideally by extraction from the bottom of the pit and especially if there is gas of any kind used in the workshop
A pit is a bomb waiting to go off if there is a gas leak as the vapours wont disperse

 

[Zebbedee]

builder took most of it off me today. View attachment 269156 View attachment 269158

cottage takes preference over keeping hgv mechanic warm and cozy.
'His' shed would be the one to right of 2nd pic.
He doesn't mind roughing it, but admits a pit is useful, but only now and again. I'm just trying to look long term and get our 'oss wagon fixed for free as part of the rent.

Is that steel trusses in a house? If so must be unusual

 

[Nearly]

Is that steel trusses in a house? If so must be unusual

Steel trusses coming out of a barn. Steel beams going back in again supported by new gable ends.

 

[Pond digger]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8000Kgs-L...263132?hash=item25b4fce75c:g:4WEAAOSw0HVWBFiZ

Those ramps give me the willies. I'd feel a lot safer in a pit.

 

[Bloders]

we purchased a pit, 8 metres long, fitted with 110v flourescent lights painted etc with stairs in one end and a ladder in other.
i think it was 6K. dug a hole, dropped it in, pour concrete. job finished.
steel is painted, so can be washed down easily to keep it reflectoive etc. IMO much better than a built version, and its watertight

 

[TripleSix]

Next doors pit is a steel "tank" that they fabricated and dropped in.
Cos the block one kept filling with water....

 

[Lincsman]

ventilation in a pit is something to be considered ,Ideally by extraction from the bottom of the pit and especially if there is gas of any kind used in the workshop
A pit is a bomb waiting to go off if there is a gas leak as the vapours wont disperse

Is it propane or butane that is heavy and would sit in there waiting?