I will be using my friends inspection pit to remove my gearbox and will probably construct one myself at my next property.

 

I had been thinking about systems for raising the vehicle wheels or the body when someone suggested that I use a jacking beam that the MOT testers have that roll between the platforms of their 4 post ramps, the ones where you can slide the lifting points in and out to pick up on the chassis or wishbones etc, one of those would be perfect.

 

My question is, is there a standard dimension between the horizontal rails that these jacks run on? that is to say are they standardised and one make will fit another ramp?

 

Also what is the correct name for them to aid me searching or is there something similar made intended for an inspection pit?

 

Many thanks!

13 minutes ago, J.R. said:

My question is, is there a standard dimension between the horizontal rails that these jacks run on? that is to say are they standardised and one make will fit another ramp?

Well, I've not only seen them in MoT bays. They have always been on a 4-poster lift, and they can normally accommodate most cars and SUVs, and 12 seat minibuses/2 ton vans subject to roof clearance. No idea in France, but the usual tool factors in the UK (if you're allowed to import one post-WrecksIt).

As far as I'm aware they are just know as hydraulic jacking beams and they generally have adjustable rail widths...

https://www.sealey.co.uk/product/5637200155/2tonne-jacking-beam-with-16m-extending-arms-flat-roller-supports

Thanks to you both, an Ebay.uk search confirms your findings, most seem to be adjustable width.

 

Can't find any on Ebay.fr which is not unusual, most stuff of interest is from UK exporters, it could be that I have yet to find the correct term in French. Every search brings up the motorcycle platform lifts.

55 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Can't find any on Ebay.fr

Is there a French equivalent of Sealey, since we're talking garage equipment and not things like, say, spanners.

Probably but I wont be buying new, they are at least a grand in the UK & would be much more here.

 

I should also add that we have the stupid situation where none of them will deal with the public or even give general advice on their products, nothing stopping them other than the closed mentality.

Edited 7 June, 20214 yr by J.R.

You can get pit liners. I’ve seen them with connections built into the side walls for power sockets and you can spec them with a rolling lift beam built in. The only thing is, for similar money you could just buy a scissor lift and have the use of the pit and the capability of lifting the entire car to remove wheels etc. 

A scissor lift being a separate thing to use elsewhere in the garage (assuming its big enough) or to lift the car over the pit?

 

I'm not quite sure what animal you are speaking of, a photo or a link would clear that up.

 

Its all just dreaming & future planning for the moment, inspection pits had all but been forgotten by me, its only having a clutch job to do here & not being able to return to my UK workshop that made me recall a friend here has one, having got in it I believe that a combination of the right sized pit and the right lifting equipment will render a 2 post vehicle lift, my previous preferred scheme unnecessary.

 

Plenty of properties I had been considering had sous-sols = drive in basements, they are a great compliment to a house & dont add to the property taxes but the headroom is low, usually 2.2m and no good for a vehicle lift.

 

So I had been looking for a sous sol and a barn, a sous sol makes a much better workshop, warmer, sheltered, closer to all the services and you can just walk up the stairs to the property, barns are usually remote, no services and uninsulated.

 

Going for a pit instead of a vehicle lift brings in lots of properties that would otherwise have been disregarded.

This sort of thing. 
I don’t see why you couldn’t fit a half riser scissor lift over the top of one of these pits. They are expensive though. Maybe between £1000 and £1500. Then you’d have to buy a scissor lift as well. The lift might be enough on its own and takes up very little room if you just park the car on it in the garage. 

Edited 8 June, 20214 yr by UndertheRadar
Extra info

Something like this from strongman might be enough without the pit and the hassle of digging and fitting the pit liner. 

I personally dont like using the pit for much. The one we've got doesnt seal at all and constantly is flooded in winter. During summer it gets drained out but theres always that 2-3 inch pool at the bottom. If you can get a 2 post lift then I would go for one of those instead. 

As you can see in the pic, our pits really made for lorries and bigger machinery, not designed with a small car in mind. If you zoom in you'll see theres only half of the tyre resting on the pit.

Where I live its free draining chalk & goes down a very long way without hitting blue clay or bedrock, they have found WW1 tunnels after 90 years at down to 36 meters deep and there was only water in the lowest levels, I am amazed that my own cellar has never had any water rising even after the biggest storms ever.

 

However I will be moving to a completely different area, as yet unknown so I will have to look carefully at the soil conditions or be very carefull with the construction.

 

That photo looks real scary!

Definately a little sketchy. I have dropped the mk1 down into it before.

The main problem with this pit is that it was very poorly sealed. In the winter, its brimmed with water in no time at all.

At work they've recently had 4 commercial pits installed. Never seen these before , the company basically dug holes and then dropped in plastic pits in the holes. The plastic pits looked like glorified hot tubs. They've all got sliding beams on to jack axles up. 

Presume this negates any damp problems. 

Maybe they do car ones as well ? 

Could you possibly find the makers name Cheapas?

I'm on shift Monday, I'll give our workshop in Liverpool a call , see if they've got the details. 

Thankyou

On 08/06/2021 at 07:35, UndertheRadar said:

This sort of thing. 
I don’t see why you couldn’t fit a half riser scissor lift over the top of one of these pits. They are expensive though. Maybe between £1000 and £1500. Then you’d have to buy a scissor lift as well. The lift might be enough on its own and takes up very little room if you just park the car on it in the garage. 

Hi JR, 

Just reread this thread, this product is what I was talking about. Dunno why I didn't spot this yesterday. 

Obviously ours being for commercial vehicles ours are a lot longer. 

UndertheRadar quotes £1000+ , as it's a long term item don't think it sounds too expensive , especially if it prevents drainage problems.

Not sure how long they've been around , I'd never seen them before last year . Reason I say that trying to think if they'd be available second hand ?

Haulage companies go under, and they have auctions selling off their workshop equipment etc, presume same would be with car garages. 

As your living in mainland Europe , presume with shipping costs would be cheaper to buy from there , as opposed to UK. 

Pound to a penny or rather a Euro, with their obsession with cleanliness someone in Germany must make them.

 

I had disregarded that thinking that the top GRP ledge would not be strong enough to support an MOT testers type axle lift, they weigh 100kg on their own plus you can add maybe 1250kg when lifting the front axle of a front engined FWD vehicle.

Bear in mind that once on place the GRP bathtub will be surrounded BT concrete pokered into place and, should support the GRP ledge sufficiently.

 

https://www.mech-mate.co.uk/installation

Edited 20 June, 20214 yr by skomaz

3 minutes ago, skomaz said:

Bear in mind that once on place the GRP bathtub will be surrounded BT concrete pokered into place and, even if leanmix, should support the GRP ledge sufficiently.

Just about to say the same . Our workshops are concrete floor with 4 or 5 of these dropped in. They use some type of sliding beam jack the width of the pit, our tankers go 7/8 ton empty, so must work easy on a car. 

Think the beauty of this type of lifting is it just slides out of the way when not in use. 

Next time I'm in Liverpool depot I'll have a closer look, ( I'm curious myself now ).

The picture DieselMonte posted reminded me of watching one of our lads do the same with his BMW. Cringing I was !