Well after over a year, my work pit is finished. Kenny(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.tapatalk.com%2Fd%2F13%2F08%2F22%2Fu3ypumaj.jpg&hash=fc6b8da420d61ccebbbc5dfa43712e1f16a2d10a)(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.tapatalk.com%2Fd%2F13%2F08%2F22%2Fytu9asyn.jpg&hash=c4ad66c7dad8359900afbf14cc790bb97b7f39b4)(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.tapatalk.com%2Fd%2F13%2F08%2F22%2Fajeve6ag.jpg&hash=959582f540d781ce39239396050ab391ca9aa9f4)
A lot of good that does me way up there. Could you move it to California please.
Nice job. I want to build one that comes with a whole set of mechanics too and 1 lawn chair for me.LOL ::) ;D
Dave5Cs
Ditto what Dave said----EXCEPT It would look better in Pennsylvania! ;D :D
Ditto what Dave and pabusnut said except can it be a mobile pit to follow us wherever we go?
Hmmm...there's a tractor, shovels and plenty of buses here. Maybe Ill start digging.
Nice Job Kenny. I'd love to have a pit. I love the openess and access to the outside of the bus.
-Sean
www.herdofturtles.org (http://www.herdofturtles.org)
1984 Eagle Model 10S
I agree with Dave! Unfortunately, you would need a permit for the steel, permit for the concrete, permit for the permit! Environmental impact study for the fairy shrimp somewhere nearby, a permit for that study! Then you will need to ensure all workers are properly documented and that you have a diverse workforce program or face stiff penalties for non-compliance. I do not see a reasonable restroom facility nearby so that is another violation and a permit to study the effects of human waste removal from the near by weeds will be required. There will be permit to submit your plans and a fee for review of the plans and a fee for the opportunity to have the plans available for pick up!
Finally, you will need to ensure you have some form of weed mitigation plan to reduce the chance of a weed fire (cause we all need weeds):). Obviously a state of the art fall protection program and training will be mandatory prior to your build out. Now that you have completed and paid for all your permits, fees, plan check fees, training fees, mitigation fees, employee confirmation penalties and installed a reasonable human waste removal/capture system you are ready to build.
Be prepared for a whole new series of fees and permits once you begin building and ensure you have strong workers compensation policies in place and an OSHA approved safety officer on site 24/7.
Welcome my friend to CA!
Donde esta sarutcho aqe' my friend. step-up step-up next!......
Grant speaks the absolute truth, although you forgot the concrete waste removal fee and permit to dump cement products in the landfill fee while standing on 1 leg and swinging a dead chicken over your head Fee fee.
Is that Bus a commercial unit? Because there will be other fees if so appointed. Yep better leave it up there I can travel. LOL
Grant"Fairy Shrimp" Now I have to repaint a wall. I painted it with coffee through my nose when I read your post and these guys all think we are kiddin. ;D ;D ;D
Dave5Cs
Good work Ken. Now, I have a question about the bus itself. Did your bus come with the cast spoke wheels as OEM in the rear or did you put a new axle on it at some point. What powertrain combo is your FLXIBLE?
Amazing job ! now all you need is to put a building over it to keep out the riff raff .
dave
Nice pit Ken, I spent last weekend laying on my back under my bus replacing the dump valves, all the while thinking a pit would really be nice, good job>>>> John.
I don't know how to get the photo into the body of the post.
I have no idea how I would get along without my pit. Or my garage for that matter.
I guess it worked. For those contemplating a pit I found with good insulation in the garage the pit actually moderates the temps and in the summer it never gets over 80 degrees and in the winter without heat on near zero days the garage has never gotten below 45.
The pit has air and electric.
Since it is outside, there should be approx four foot fence around it to avoid having trespassers or young wanderers from inadvertently falling in and suing you into oblivion. BTW, my pit is inside with 3" thick oak planks covering it when not in use. Width to inside duals, air and electric. Anyone building one should ideally make it about 3 to 5 feet longer than coach to allow for steps.
Awesome job, Kenny!
Dave,
You forgot the handicap restroom and separate facilities for female workers. LOL
Don and Cary
Don also safety railings between 34 and 37 inches high with cable to attach his safety belt while in the pit, around whole pit and next to the ladder which would never meet OSHA standards. Also a fume ventilation system will need to be installed. Lets not forget the both at the corner for 2 spotters just in case of an earthquake while in the pit.
Grant see what you started. Man this is going to cost us some serious money.
Dave5Cs
Just came back from Home Depot and purchased one 4x16x.5 piece of rough pine for building little concrete forms. I saw the cashier ring up my purchase and noticed a new fee! There was a .06% charge for labor? I was told that was to mitigate the impact of lumber mills in CA. A new fee! A "labor" fee on lumber! Eight years and I am out of here!
CrabbyMilton
I believe the rear end was replaced at some point in time since the front axel has 6 lug wheels and are not interchangeable with the rear. Plan on replacing the rear and front axel with newer 10 bolt hubs. Original engine was a straight 8 Buick. I got it with a Ford 427 FE engine. Tranny is original manual 4 speed. All in all runs great for now.
I do have boards to completely cover the openings while not in use. Pit has lights, floor drains and ventilation fans to pull out fumes. Kenny (https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.tapatalk.com%2Fd%2F13%2F08%2F23%2Fna3e2u2u.jpg&hash=04cf87a10a8d9b3d7891c75131f969af9943aedb)(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.tapatalk.com%2Fd%2F13%2F08%2F23%2Fmuvy6u9a.jpg&hash=188560bfc71f294db7a13790882edd66e647d7b6)
Kenny that really is sweet. We are just givin you a hard time. Just a little jealous. ;D
Dave5Cs
Thanks Kenny. You don't see many buses with those old "Dayton" wheels. They were popular on skoolies until about the late 90's into the early '00's. I've read that they are good in that they are easier to change since the wheels weigh less to lift them on to the hub as opposed to "bud" wheels but they are a pain to get them perfectly straight to avoid wobble. Those "dayton" wheels always looked interesting to me don't know why. :)
Dave, not a problem. There needs to be more humor in life. I must admit though, many of the comments made relating to local ordinances are not far off. Many times to protect those who have little common sense. Kenny
Kenny! That is awesome! How nice! Put a few flowers around the pit and no one will every know what jewel you have. I am seriously jealous!
Thanks for letting me vent! My therapist says I need to let a few things go and you have helped me tremendously.
Again, very nice work!
Grant
Did anyone calculate the size of the runoff pond that will be needed to deal with the "oil spillage". If you install a Detroit it could be substantial! ;D
Kenny, is that a Michigan plate on your Jag? Where are you? Might have to drive over someday and check out your pit :-)
Quote from: Scott Bennett on August 25, 2013, 07:59:02 PM
Kenny, is that a Michigan plate on your Jag? Where are you? Might have to drive over someday and check out your pit :-)
Scott his tag line says " South Lyon, Michigan "
So I'd guess your correct on his plate!
;D BK ;D
I am not a "pit" fan. You could of spent a year working on your bus instead of the pit. A couple of 12" X 8' ramps will get you underneath the bus just fine using a creeper.
--Geoff
It would tough for a individual to comply with the OSHA standard for a pit I just read section 1910.23 on finished pits it is the PIT'S I'll pass on one thanks
Scott, yes were in South Lyon, Michigan. Your welcome to stop by anytime. Give me a call ahead of time. 248 two zero seven 3 eight 4 eight. Ken
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Clifford we built one here in Lincoln, CA for a lumber company who took care of all their logging trucks and delivery trucks all 18 wheeler. Lots of county rules and then federal rules because of OSHA. 1 Guy slipped and fell into the pit. Was not hurt but the company had to report it. He hadn't put his harness on because he was working on ground level. He wasn't watching where he was stepping and where the stairs were there was open railing to the stairs. They didn't fine him for no hand-railing because that was ok at the stairs but because he didn't have a harness on? He would have had no where to secure it at ground level. They wanted to charge him and the company 44K. We asked where the fine schedule was. They said they didn't have one it was what they decided to charge as the severity of the accident. He wasn't hurt????
I wish I could use the ones at Sourthern Pacific just down the street from us. It is known as the "bottom of the hill". Roseville, CA pit yards. They bring the trains into these huge buildings with long pits ( football field length) and have hydrolic lifts that run on a track under the trains in the pit with 50 mechanics and all their tools. They drop those big motors down onto the cradle and off they go to get re-built 3 weeks and they put them back into another engine. Right now there are probably 20 engines in line, that will be re motored and turned around in a week and up and over the Sierra mountains heading north and east.
Dave5Cs
The risk of anyone falling into my garage pit is zero because the bus is always parked over it. On those extremely rare occasions when the bus is elsewhere the pit is open but if I fall into my own pit, shame on me.
Having worked under a bus sitting on ramps versus a bus sitting over a pit, there is no comparison. I can do a complete service on the chassis in about 2 hours less than when it is on ramps just because standing up and walking around is far more efficient than being on my back on a creeper. I did that for about 10 years and after 13 years of having a pit, there is no way I ever want to do that again.
The big advantage to a pit however is not how efficient it makes me, but the fact I can do things I never could do with the bus on ramps. Anyone that has worked under the bus knows once you get in the areas near the axles you can sit up and do whatever needs to be done except for one thing. That one thing is to work on something where you need leverage such as loosening some bolts or spinning some filters off. When sitting on the ground I have been unable to loosen an air dryer cartridge for example because my butt kept sliding across the floor. I had nothing to brace myself with.
In the pit the same problem is a non-issue because I can brace my knees or legs against the side of the pit and the parts quickly come loose.
If OSHA had its way we wouldn't have pits, stairs, electric, chain saws, or ladders.
OSHA is for the work place not much they can do to a individual except try and put the heat on through the local powers which they do sometimes OSHA and the EPA are my most liked agencies hell I like the IRS better after dealing with those 2 over the past years ???
Here my problem is the fire chief thinks he is both it does get interesting between him (a tree hugger from Ca) and I
I to have a small pit approximately 4' x 8' x 30 " deep with a lid and a drain inside the bus barn . I use it all the time without the fear of being under the bus. The coach sits over it most of the time . dave
Clifford, before I quit working for a living my factory was 165,000 sq. ft. and we seemed to have a target on the side of the building. OSHA, EPA, NY counterparts, etc. were all over us.
So when we built the house and the adjoining bus garage as soon as the garage floor and pit were poured the contractor suddenly had to store bundles of sheet rock and plywood over the pit. I never saw it until the building inspector gave us the certificate of occupancy.
But I am not insensitive to problems associated with a pit. I have planks that can be dropped in the grooves around the perimeter to cover it completely. I also have a sump and the only way to get any liquids from the pit is to pump it so no fuel or oil spill can damage the property. In fact I plumbed the drain located at the top of the pit to go through an oil separator. But I don't need a building inspector telling me what I can do on my own property as long as nobody else is affected.
Good thing you don t live here in Cali.The dogooders think everyone is an idiot here with all the labeling etc. And they can and will come on your property and tell you something needs to be changed or if a permit was not taken out for a project they will make you expose all hidin areas for inspection and sometimes tear it down. Closed pits when no one around does make sense because of kids falling in.
Dave5Cs from Galaxy S III
On our property unattended children are sold as slaves. It isn't the pit they need to worry about.
I've had lifts for 16 years and would never consider a pit for any reason. No wasted shop space, no hole in the floor, no laibility and much more versatile. Plus how about resale if a new owner isn't a bus guy and there's a hole in the shop? A good rebuilt set of used ones now is about the same cost as putting in a compliant pit. I just did a service on a friend's XL45 that weighed over 46K, a little more than my Eagle 45.
Kenny - great job with pit! Functional and looks good. Makes me want to go and build one. Currently I'm parked on gravel. Thank goodness for cardboard. It is almost better than when I'm parked on the asphalt driveway. It is rough enough that the creeper wheels never roll smoothly. And like Jon commented, need leverage, good luck. Wearing the back of my work boots out!
Had to laugh about the rock and plywood over the pit! We added a large family room about 15
years ago. On one visit the inspector asked me to remove my jacket which I had draped over a
glue-lam beam. I did but asked why. He explained it wasn't unheard of for builders to cut a load bearing beam too short. They would then do a cob-job splice and try to hide it. Overall, the inspectors were very helpful. The codes were changing with regard to seismic bracing. They worked with the contractor avoiding a lot of frustration.
And Grant - that makes two of us that did a Rainbird sprinkler impression with our coffee reading your comments!
Pits and lifts both have their place but when it gets down to the dirty and heavy work neither can take the place of concrete and jack stands IMO both are design for light service work
A friend told me that due to a city ordinance he is not allowed to change his own oil in Yakima WA. After being quoted $90 labor for changing the oil in his Ford 460 he decided to pull his rv behind the house and do it anyway. He said he went to O'Reillys to buy oil. They told him he had to buy a special recycle catch pan and agree to bring his used oil back to them for recycling before they would sell him the oil. They even measured the oil he brought back and entered it all into the computer records. If they decide to report him he could be fined for breaking the law. I hope they keep those laws out west.
Don't include all the west Dan the 3 states on the coast dance to a different drummer than the rest here ::)
Like I said in an earlier post, only 8 more years until I can leave the NANNY STATE! I wonder when the NSA is looking over our posts on this site what they must be saying to each other? "People actually take old tired buses and make them into RVs?" and then talk about it!
Grant
That is good to know! I just don't think I could stand it if I had to get a permit or pay a fine every time I went outside.
You should sell the plans, really nice set up,my bus is up on ramps to get under her.
Hey thats southern Cali. Here in the north we can change our own oil. Just can't dump it down the drain anymore. LOL
If you ever live here in California, the best place is Sacramento area because nothing ever gets done in the Capital city, LOL
:o ::) ;)
Dave5Cs
As far as I know, I meet all and may exceed all the residential building codes for a pit. Have oil separator for the drain, ventilation, co2 detection and plenty off exit points. Kenny
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