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Old 14-06-2005, 02:15 PM   #1
GreenMachine
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Hey team,

After some advice - I'm blessed with a 5 car garage on our property. I'm just in the process of making it a bit more user-friendly by adding workbenches, a lockup for tools, some better lighting and a concrete floor.

It's been suggested to me that I incorporate a pit in to one of the bays. Anyone ever done this? Got any hints as to size, usefulness, construction, drainage etc?

thanks in advance,

Nick
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Old 14-06-2005, 02:27 PM   #2
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my next door neighbour had one, Drainage is the key iirc, he had a timber deck on the bottom because the concrete always had an inch or two or water over it.. It was just bessor block with a concrete floor and about 5 foot deep and 3 foot wide but longer than the car, It really sucked when you dropped something, you had to lift a timber section out then rumage around in the cess pit trying to find it...
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Old 14-06-2005, 02:30 PM   #3
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We have got one in out shed... I have no idea on how it was built etc but it has a concrete floor and bessor brick wall.. is about 7-8' deep or so and about 3-4' wide and about 5m long.. Water in the floor hasnt been a problem in the 15years its been there :P
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Old 14-06-2005, 03:18 PM   #4
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Are pits even legal to have now? There are issues with gas collecting in the lowest point (carbon monoxide from your car). Besides, there usually isn't a great deal of room in a pit, so there isn't a great deal apart from an oil change that you can easily do in there. 2 post hoist would be the go, and can be picked up at reasonable cost, and are 100% more versatile than a pit.

(this is the general consensus from another should I add a pit thread on another forum)
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Old 14-06-2005, 03:23 PM   #5
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Had a quick look at the trader - seems a 2 post hoist runs to about $2000, plus whatever it would cost to install. I've gone soft on both ideas, really. Was thinking of building in some locating chocks for ramps (so they don't slide forward as you drive on to them) and leaving it at that...

A 5 foot hole would take me a loooong time to dig!
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Old 14-06-2005, 03:40 PM   #6
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Chocks sound like the way to go. I hate working in a pit, its heaps easier to run a creeper under a ramped car.
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Old 14-06-2005, 11:44 PM   #7
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in the trading post we have bought 3 two post hoists and one 4 post hoist and they are cheap . 1 of them come from a melb mazda dealer ship and it was $1150. the 4 postr was $1500. and they are easy to install and work .

when my shed at home is finshed there well be a 2 poster in there for sure ...
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Old 15-06-2005, 08:39 AM   #8
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Get the hoist, definitely. You will be able to do so much more work by just lifting the car off the ground. And you have a heck of a lot more working space around you.
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Old 15-06-2005, 09:09 AM   #9
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I think most hoists are 3 phase, do you have 3 phase at your property Nick?
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Old 15-06-2005, 09:52 AM   #10
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Nah, mate - No GTHO's at all up there... coupla ZH's though...

boom boom.

But seriously, what is three phase? Is that ordinary 3-pin-plug style power?
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Old 15-06-2005, 09:55 AM   #11
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3 phase is basically industrial power, can run alot of amps, the plugs are usually three big round pins, no the standard little ones in every home.

This might help http://www.isomatic.co.uk/3phConvertor.htm
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Old 15-06-2005, 09:59 AM   #12
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three phase hoists can be changed to normal 240volts with a change of motor,my mate just changed his two poster by buying a brand new elec motor of siutable hp on ebay for $350 plus freight of $49 ,had to have electrician fit up wiring to satisfy authorities which cost another $120 he could have done it himself as it was hidden in his own farm garage ,but if anyone got hurt they would find out and he would be liable.
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Old 15-06-2005, 10:00 AM   #13
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ahhh... we don't got none of dem fancy power thangs up there...
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Old 15-06-2005, 08:28 PM   #14
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I was talking to Ray (Grey Ghost) on the weekend about this, one thing you will have to keep in mind if you do install a pit is to totally waterproof the sides and bottom as water seepage can creep in if the bricks/concrete isnt properly reinforced and waterproofed
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Old 15-06-2005, 09:49 PM   #15
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A pit is an option, a mate of my old man produces a one piece fibreglass "pit" that has steps down into it. You just dig a hole and bed it in. We put one in our garage to service the "Haflinger" and the Ford Model Y. A veritable lifesaver and legally produced. I'll get in touch with him and find out some more......
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