Work Pit

[Jon]

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.

[luvrbus]

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

[sledhead]

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

[Jon]

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.

[Dave5Cs]

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

[Jon]

On our property unattended children are sold as slaves. It isn't the pit they need to worry about.

[Boomer]

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.

[joel_newton]

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!

[luvrbus]

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

[Miss Scarlett]

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.

[luvrbus]

Don't include all the west Dan the 3 states on the coast dance to a different drummer than the rest here 

[grantgoold]

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

[Miss Scarlett]

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.

[treeplanter]

You should sell the plans, really nice set up,my bus is up on ramps to get under her.

[Dave5Cs]

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

Dave5Cs