Building a bus garage/shop

[sledhead]

I use my pit for maintance on bus,to oil spray,change the oil,filters on our other cars and trucks.It just gives you a lot more room under the vehicles for maintance.Unlike a creeper where you are claustrophobic under a vehicle.                  dave

[buswarrior]

Whichever strategy a busnut follows, the easier something is to do, the more likely we will do it.

The problem with the human default capacity for energy conservation might be...

The harder it is to gain access to the slack adjusters, the less likely they will be checked as often?

A pit, though heavy with negatives, makes accessing the underside quick, easy, and relatively less physical as we age.

Used to just dive under stuff, now, there's a pause... it isn't as easy as it used to be, and now there's a 2 day recovery of strained muscles and barked skin to heal over. Don't remember it being like that before...

Of course a set of those wheel snatching hoists would be lovely, but spendy.

One variation on a pit that a busnut shared some time ago was building the pit into a drop-off, created by the end of the fill for the driveway, as I recall. Old railway ties or other landscaping techniques may be employed, as it was open at one end over the edge. Also, all the dangers of accumulated fumes/gases are gone, as they can waft away.

Nose or tail would be accommodated by turning the coach around.

Claim it is the stairs to the lower level and you are done?

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[wg4t50]

BW,
My first setup consisted of two welded ramps, 22"wide X 10" high with a ramp of 3.5' and the top was 15" length.  Used that setup for everything except when did the rear end, used a pit at a charter bus operator garage, they run about 25 MCI bus's and on a Saturday I had access to the pit and forklift for lifting out of the pit along with a wheeled hydraulic jack in the pit to bolt the 3rd member to, so in the end was a rather simple deal on the rear, new bearings, and gears, shaft, thrust washers and pinion seal, kept the origional ring & pinion, all else was new.  Never had any issue after that, very quiet and smooth.  Used the ramps for front end, rear work, greasing brake adjustment, etc..
Yes, as we age, things take a bit longer to address for sure, now why I use an employee, I'm just too old, feeble and fat I guess.
Dave M

[luvrbus]

It's a done deal anyway the town David lives in required a engineered set of plans sign by as registered civil or structural engineer as most do for the permit and he made no mention of a pit 

If you have access a drive through building is the only way to go this is the first one for me and like Geoff I love it

[Bob Gilbert]

http://i573.photobucket.com/albums/ss179/oscarcurleypriss/101-1.jpg

trying to post a pic for the first time

[Bob Gilbert]

Well Ill be, it worked.
This is my new bus barn and future home. It is 50x50 with a 50x18 living area across the front. Yes it has cracks, built on Okla clay lol

[Busnut83]

Good Idea???  I am about to start building? Need ideas

[luvrbus]

Looking good Bob red clay on rock what else could be better tell Sandy hi for us and give me a call if you guys come through Phoenix I know a place where we can eat free (so to speak) lol

good luck

[Dave5Cs]

Costco

Dave5Cs from Galaxy S III

[David Anderson]

Well Ill be, it worked.
This is my new bus barn and future home. It is 50x50 with a 50x18 living area across the front. Yes it has cracks, built on Okla clay lol

Very nice Bob,  I saw a lot of buildings with the wainscot walls of different color in Missouri.  It's very popular there.  Don't see it much in Texas, but I think it looks great.  My building will be so hidden from the street when done, I decided not to do mine that way.  It saves me a few $$.

I thought about doing a wood frame building like yours, but I was getting so much grief from the city about engineering, I gave up and said, "Mueller".  Their blood pressure then dropped to normal.  

Did you use regular flanged type windows that can be bought and any orange box store?  I'm leaning that way because they are 1/2 the price of steel building windows.  As long as I get the drip trims installed correctly it looks like regular windows will work fine.  The trim reveal on your windows looks extra large and doesn't look like a regular J trim piece around each window.

David

[junkman42]

David, I have a Morton built building with the wainscot.  The biggest advantage besides looks is when Your wife trys to drive through the wall with a kubota RTV.  Should I mention what pallet forks on a tractor does to the overall appearance.  The wainscot makes repair easy.  Morton is used to My begging for factory panels LOL!  Just My take on things.  John L

[luvrbus]

Any self flashing window will work on a steel building David and any good window shop can order those for you, the framing for metal buildings (headers) get expensive did your kit come with those and don't forget to pre treat the concrete slab for termites those little guys work wonders in concrete lol

[Ed Hackenbruch]

My brother bought a place that has a steel quonset (sp?) hut type of shop. Must be about 45ft long as we had a couple of feet of room in front of my 5A and enough room behind it to work on it when we fixed my broken radius arm pin a year or two ago.  No roof rafters to contend with and less wasted space to heat......although since it is in Yuma heating is not really much of an issue!

[Bob Gilbert]

David, my building was built by Amish from around Chouteau, Okla. it was a turn key including windows doors slab etc. I  did the electrical and built the living quarters. The windows also were built in that area by Amish, vinyl tilt in and insulated.

Clifford, we are planning on wintering around Brownsville this year but if we change are minds I will call you.

Bob

[luvrbus]

Bob, did Miller build your building ?