Cement ramps ?

[Eagle Andy]

Hey Guy's and Gal's Has anyone out there in the Bus world built concrete ramps . I was thinking about building some and wanted any thoughts. I seem to be under it always doing  somthing and I just don't like wood ones. I can never seem to get them in the same spot twice. You know what I mean . So i thought I would dig a little footer say 12 inch"s deep and the width og the drivers with a ramp. That way there always in the same spot. I would use rbar for strenth. Any thought"s Thanks Andy

[TomC]

I use 2x12's four stacked nailed together.  Mark your floor with either tape or paint and the ramps will be in the same place everytime.  The main advantage to wood ramps is that they are portable.  What happens if you're away from your concrete ramps and need to get the bus up for an emergency job?  Good Luck, TomC

[Eagle Andy]

Thanks for the reply Tom , Well I have a set for travel and my floor is  gravel so the tapes out lol  I was just wondering if anyone had done this before . Thanks Andy 

[grantgoold]

I use railroad ties! Obviously they are designed for the weight. Just a bit heavy when moving them around.

Grant

[Chaz]

I was contemplating a shallow pit. Maybe a foot deep or so, I'm not sure. It would cost a bit more in time and material but I can use a creeper in it as well. (I too am surrounded by gravel) I kinda thought it might be useful in car/truck applications as well.

Justa thought.
  Chaz

[wal1809]

When I get the money together to slab the bus barn I intend to put a pit where the bus will back over that pit when stored.  That way I can get under the engine at all times without moving the bus.  If I need to work on the front then I can pull the bus out, turn it around and drive in over the pit.

I talked to my construction guy and he had a lot of good ideas like adding a switched sump pump in case of water got in it.  He also mentioned steps to get down there.  Electricity for power tools.  And a heavy angle iron edges welded to the re-bar to hold the heavy expanded matel grate over the top.

He is also going to lay in a septic line from the bus to the house septic.  That way I can just go home and hook the stinky slinky to the bus and let fly the black water tank.

[JackConrad]

He is also going to lay in a septic line from the bus to the house septic.  That way I can just go home and hook the stinky slinky to the bus and let fly the black water tank.

Make sure your septic tank can handle that much volume at one dumping. It it is too much at one time, you can end up with solids in the drain field. That is not a good thing.  Jack

[happycamperbrat]

I am going thru the permit and planning process on putting in a pit right now. Could you tell me more about the expanded metal? Would it hold your bus if you drove on it or is it strickly for walking across? How are your sides going to be done (what material? I assume rebar and concrete molds)? Will the lip of the top of the pit support creeper wheels? When the pit is opened where is the expanded metal? Is it on some sort of underground roller system?

[Chaz]

X-metal will definitely NOT hold the bus. It's basically a piece of sheet metal that's pierced and opened to create an "X" pattern. You "might" just "MIGHT" be able to find a bar grating to hold it but I wouldn't even try. The x-metal will be so people don't fall in.
All the other stuff is up to you. You can get pretty creative if you want. But it usually just costs money.
  Chaz

[robertglines1]

consider how much you use it..two or three times a year doesn't justify cost of pit or concrete ramps.I built a shallow pit 3ft deep by 12 ft long 3 ft wide so you still can get a jack under axles.. and have a steel plate top for it.(drag it on and off with bus)short chain to trailer hitch..1/4 inch plate with cross angle iron every 2 ft..holds a lot...steam engine...wayward trailer.  I can sit up under bus with pit that deep...not perfect but don't use but a few times a year.nice when you need it.

[Eagle Andy]

Thanks for the thoughts Guy's , Robert got me thinking about a shallow pit . I don't think I need it 12 feet long and I guess a fella could line it and put in a litttle drain field for run off or a cover like he has.I really don't need a lot of room , it would be nice to beable to sir up and work . Thanks again  Andy

[FloridaCliff]

consider how much you use it..two or three times a year doesn't justify cost of pit or concrete ramps.I built a shallow pit 3ft deep by 12 ft long 3 ft wide so you still can get a jack under axles.  I can sit up under bus with pit that deep...not perfect but don't use but a few times a year.nice when you need it.

Before I built my new Bus barn I had the bus parked on two concrete runners that were 45' long.

They were 3' apart and the grade from ground level at the front to the rear had about a 2' drop, the concrete was level.  I dug out the center 10' in the rear and it made for wonderful access while sitting and like Robert I just spun the coach around to access it.

I am thinking about extending the floor outside of the building, on the downhill side in the rear, and building a "sitting pit" again.

Cliff

[happycamperbrat]

a sitting pit instead of a standing pit does sound more comfortable.

[wal1809]

I am going thru the permit and planning process on putting in a pit right now. Could you tell me more about the expanded metal? Would it hold your bus if you drove on it or is it strickly for walking across? How are your sides going to be done (what material? I assume rebar and concrete molds)? Will the lip of the top of the pit support creeper wheels? When the pit is opened where is the expanded metal? Is it on some sort of underground roller system?

I really have no idea on design,  I am leaving that to the builder.  Someone said they would use theirs 3 times a year.  I believe I would use mine monthly.  With A bus, 4 cars, a kabota zero turn mower, a John deer mower, a tractor and a brushog I beleive I will use it often.  I want it long enough to pull 2 cars in at 1 time so I can change the oil 2 at a time.

So far as the septic.  They are going to put in the same thing as the upright tee from the house.  The black water tank on the bus will be 40 gallons.  That is half the volume as the jacuzzi tub dumps in almost daily.  The upright tee downspout will extend about 3 feet down into the septic.  It should hold the solids until they get water logged and sink.  They should be ready to sink prior to arrival at home anyway as the solids have been sitting in the black water tank water.

[buswarrior]

Along with a a sump for a drain in a pit, installing an air exhaust is required in many codes.

You don't want bad air down there, and a propane leak will collect in the pit.

Once you've used a pit, you don't want to go back to crawling on the ground.

happy coaching!
buswarrior