Might build a bus pit.

[Chaz]

Hey guys,
  I just read the thread where a guy was crushed recently. What a shame. 
  I was talking with Jerry L. the other day and told him of an idea I have. I'd like to get your thoughts.
  Basically, it will be a pit, but a shallow one. What I am thinking is I own a Bobcat that I can dig it out with. One of my best friends owns a concrete company and if I have a need and they have a decent amount of leftover concrete after a job, they will pour it where I want it as long as I am set up for it. It just can't cost them too much time and they have a little issue getting rid of all the overrun anyway. I have done a couple projects like this. (Ya might give it some thought yourself! They do have to get rid of the stuff!)
  Anyway, So.... all I have to do is find the time!!!  (The hard part!!!)
  My question is about how deep would be good enough? 12", 18", ?  My plan would be to dig it, pour a pad in the bottom with sloping ends to "ride" (yipeeeee!!!) a creeper down, and then pour the wall/wheel pads on top of that so the tires are on them. I know it won't be as nice as a"PIT" but I think it would be pretty cool and that will be where my bus sets all the time.
  Jerry mentioned that a bus has to be a certain distance off the ground to replace the muffler (I think that is what we were talking about) but I was wondering if there was a height that would be tall enough to do most anything and yet not too tall. I don't want to get into engineering, etc. Basically just permanent ramps.
   What ya think??

     Chaz

[kyle4501]

I think that is a great compromise. Adequate room to access the under side while on a creeper. 

I'm still chewing on the ramp tho. . . I don't know if the pros outweigh the cons. 

[FloridaCliff]

Chaz,

What your thinking, is sort of,  what I did.

Long story short: After 2 hurricanes of rain, where you park a 30,000# + bus matters

I built two concrete runners 3' X 40' along side the side of my shop to park the bus on.

The ground at this point sloped slightly from front to back about 8".

By doing this I ended up with about a 3' strip down the middle that got deeper as it went backwards.

At the very back by the engine is is about 12".  I filled in the rest but left that part out as a mini pit.

Works great when needed.  I still needed to use my ramps when I dropped the old exhaust.  But with that gone I can do everything I need with out the ramps.   I still use the ramps though for extra room when I feel the need.  But that extra 12" is priceless...

By the way, I still block the body, regardless....The story from Michigan is a sobering reminder of what can happen.

Go for it!

Cliff

[Busted Knuckle]

Chaz,
If it were me, (keep in mind I can spend other folks time and $ like mad since I don't have any myself! LOL!) I'd opt for a full pit that is open on the rear end that you can walk into from the rear that gets shallower as you go to say a foot deep at the front of the bus! I have plans to do one here just no time and also can get the left overs from the local Redimix Co if it is formed and ready! My plan is to make a safety stop/curb at the back where I can hang everything past the tag or steer tires off in open air ! (depending on whether pulled in or back in) Then wearing a rain suit I can stand in the partial side to side cover while pressure washing the undersides! Also handy when fooling with things where clearance is an issue, all the while standinf straight up instead of laying on yer back! Especially on a creeper that will tend to try to roll or scoot around on you when you are fighting with some super tight bolts or such and need all the leverage you can get to break it loose!
By the way the bus doesn't have to be backed or pulled all the way to the stops if not needed and a 3/4" piece of treated plywood makes a great platform to put across the pit to allow access up top while over the pit and having access underneath too! My pit I have now is not exactly the way I'd do one for a bus, but it was here before I was! LOL! That's just my 2 cents worth!    BK 
PS in my opinion if ya gonna do it, ya might as well do it right the first time so's ya don't have to "live with it, or tear it out and redo it later" remember since you and I (and some others are sorta the young guys to this hobby, we gotta keep in mind someday we'll be old too!)

[Chaz]

Now I really know I like you Cliff!!!  lolol  By the way, I was adopted out of Indy in 1959, any connections!??!??!??   LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL    Too funny!

Ya got a point (besides the one on top of your head  ) BK, but with what i have to work with, $$$$$, space and hopefully not doing toooooooooo much under the bus, I will probably stay a little shallower. But it would be nice!!!!! I do have another buddy with a pit in his shop that i could probably use if necessary.........OR............ I'll just come and see you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  "Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's the ticket"!! lolol
  Thanx guys. It will probably be a next spring or summer job now tho. But I was still curious what a good depth would be to use while I'm doing it.

  It's the pits,
      Chaz

[wvanative]

BK" what are you saying we're gonna all get old LOL I'm 52 my mind still feels like a 20yr old but I have the body of a 70 yr old due to a head on crash 2001 LOL. I've been toying with pouring a mall pad with concrete ramps to drive the car up on, plus the kid could use it for skate boarding off the ramps. He likes that idea go figure.

Chaz, if you already have a slab you could pour a set of ramps long enough to run it up on and never have to worry about it falling on you

WVaNative

[Busted Knuckle]

WVaNative,
I understand about the young mind, old body feeling! My body has it's good and bad days but has gone way down hill since I was in an accident where a small Cadillac drove under the side of the 4X4 Extended Super Duty Tow Truck I was driving @ 40-45 mph and caused me to flip end over end when the drive tires bounced over it! (happened Jan '05)! As I was looking the highway straight out over the hood I remember thinking S**T this is gonna hurt! The whole time I was in the air (which seemed like forever, but was probably only 60-90 seconds) I was praying that nobody in the car was hurt. Then when the truck came to rest I managed to slither out of the crunched cap and ran for the car, to check the occupants. As I collapsed on the hood, I saw the drivers door wide open and the car empty. As witnesses came up they told me "that dude shot outta there like lightning!" As I finally was able to sit up I looked over the damage to the piece of crap I was sitting on and noticed in huge letters across the windshield it said "GAME OVER"! No doubt it definitely was for that Cadillac, and our poor "newly built wrecker" too! (3rd night out after building it from the ground up!)! So ya I know the feeling!

Chaz just remember that I told ya so when ya gotta lift stuff layin on yer back! And another reason I wish I had a flat walk in/out end of the pit is so I wouldn't have to man handle those full drums of waste oil to get them outta the pit! (see pics from rally that Gary Labombard posted on his site! LOL!

[Chaz]

And another reason I wish I had a flat walk in/out end of the pit is so I wouldn't have to man handle those full drums of waste oil to get them outta the pit!

BK,
    Good points but just can't do it. Besides, you live in TN. I live in IN. (hills!....flat!) I'd have to walk out about 6 miles so I wouldn't have steps or a steep ramp!! LOLOLOLOL

   I think it will work.
     Chaz

[gus]

A guy on one of the forums said he dug trenches for the four walls one at a time, poured the concrete for the walls, then dug out the center pit area.

I thought this was a very clever system which avoids the danger of pit walls collapsing.

I think he has a dirt pit floor but that shouldn't be hard to fill with concrete after the rest is finished.

[Dreamscape]

A dirt floor at the bottom of the pit might not a bad idea, some place for oil to go if your change is messy! 

I too have thought of building up solid concrete ramps with a concrete path inbetween for a creeper run. Would cost less that way than building a real pit. With a built in bumper for the rear tag to run into. Just have not decided on the depth yet, maybe at least one foot high from the creeper floor runway. Easy access and not crawling around in the rocks that we have for a driveway.

JM2C

Paul

[Chaz]

Just have not decided on the depth yet, maybe at least one foot high from the creeper floor runway.

I just wonder if that would be enough??

    Chaz

[Dreamscape]

Chaz,

With the Eagle being around 14" off the ground then adding 12", that gives over 2'. I think that is sufficient, at least for me. Better than what I don't have now anyway.
I can sit up when I get under the rear trans right now when it's on the ground. Your coach may be much differant.

Paul

[wvanative]

Just have not decided on the depth yet, maybe at least one foot high from the creeper floor runway.

I just wonder if that would be enough??

    Chaz

Wow I can't believe it this is my 100th posts. Boy how time flies, it seems like just yesterday I was nothing but a tad pole in the big bus pond. Now I'm a little bigger and have croaked out 100 LOL.

Enough of that, Chaz I think the depth could vary depending on how long your arms are. If it was BK or me getting under there you would need a mighty big hole LOL.  You might want to lay down on your creeper and measure how high you can reach straight up, then measure from the things in the engine area that you want to reach, this will give you something of an idea of how deep you want to go. Also think of the type of items you might need to pull out from under there, and calculate that in.

WVaNative

[captain ron]

A guy on one of the forums said he dug trenches for the four walls one at a time, poured the concrete for the walls, then dug out the center pit area.

I thought this was a very clever system which avoids the danger of pit walls collapsing.

I think he has a dirt pit floor but that shouldn't be hard to fill with concrete after the rest is finished.

2 Dogs

[FloridaCliff]

2 Dogs

Probably had a couple of fans laying around to keep cool under there....LOL