Inspection pit

[C.tins]

Hi all, I've been interested in putting a pit in my shed for a while. (replaced the R380 in my disco twice) so I've been doing some research dampness is an obvious problem but I live on top of a hill so surely the water table will be on my side. as is ventilation and drainage, but in my internet travels I've come across things like this... Mech Mate - Motors Pits | Mech Mate Garage Flooring - Motor Pits But for the life of me I cannot find anything like it in Australia. In a perfect world I'd have a four post hoist. but unfortunately the shed's not quite tall enough and I cant see me being allowed to sell the house for a bigger shed or "improve" the shed in an upwards manner. any tips or even these prefabbed liners in OZ would be a GREAT help..

[pop058]

Not sure about Vic,but check your local council as pits in sheds have quite a few rules attached to them up here.

[goingbush]

Go to Seymour Exchange and strike up a freindship with linesman, 2 x telstra 6 pits , stacked on top of each other, job done
(9 pit would be better, but a special order, I was in Telstra 30 years & never saw one)

http://www.viscount.com.au/products_...ation_products

[Homestar]

Not sure about Vic,but check your local council as pits in sheds have quite a few rules attached to them up here.

Good thought there - i have been thinking of putting a pit in my garage too. I have just checked our Council website, but I can find nothing there. I might ring them and see if I can get any sense out of them.

If I do, I'll be doing it the old fashioned way and digging a hole and concreting it. I helped a friend a few years back to this, and it turned out well but was a lot of hard yakka...

[C.tins]

how'd you ventilate it?

If I do, I'll be doing it the old fashioned way and digging a hole and concreting it. I helped a friend a few years back to this, and it turned out well but was a lot of hard yakka...[/QUOTE]

[Homestar]

It wasn't ventilated. It was used with the garage door open, and we were never stupid enough to get in it while a car was running on it. We mounted a 40 watt Fluro in each side, and a solid bit of angle iron was welded to a frame that was cast into the concrete on the top rim which a jack adaptor was made up to fit so you could jack up the car from any position easily and safely.

Pity it is so far away from me now as I used to service all my cars on it.

[C.tins]

well thats easy I can open the door, I really like the jack adapter plate idea. Might steal that one. any other ideas like that keep em coming thanks

It wasn't ventilated. It was used with the garage door open, and we were never stupid enough to get in it while a car was running on it. We mounted a 40 watt Fluro in each side, and a solid bit of angle iron was welded to a frame that was cast into the concrete on the top rim which a jack adaptor was made up to fit so you could jack up the car from any position easily and safely.

Pity it is so far away from me now as I used to service all my cars on it.

[Hall]

Had a pit in the garage of our old house. Was only a shallow pit, say half depth. You could not stand under a car, but you could sit comfortably . One thing I do remember. What ever you remove, as in a gear box and it is in the pit you will need a hoist to get it out. So make sure you have a lifting point above the pit. You could say that it is one of the pit falls of having a pit. I no I no my humour is just the pits.
Cheers Hall

[UncleHo]

My old boss when I was driving school buses built a pit to service the buses,hand dug,with a heavy angle iron rim and built in fluro's and power points,as well as a rolling jack base,and a little portable pump to remove any water seapage,the floor had a slight dip and drain, like those round grids used with outdoor driveway gutters, was mighty for doing general maintance and brake lining/wheel bearing servicing,full depth with a steel ladder at one end,only problem was with heavy rain it would part fill with water/seapage and if a cane toad fell in, then it would "click" it's distress call all night

[Robgw]

I knew a friend over in the UK who built one in his shed. He was into American Muscle Cars. His house was not on a hill and damp and water was going to be a problem as he was digging lower than the house damp course.

He was advised to use Tanking Solution. It comes as a powder like cement to mix and you apply it like a grey slurry. It's creates a water proof inch think solid barrier which can then be rendered or painted over.

I used some myself in my UK home on the floor of an extention.

Not sure if you can get it here but it works great.