Garage remodeling. Sugestions?

[Javier]

I'm planing on doing some remodeling in my house garage, and would like to dig a wheel under one of the car parking places, so to be able to handle under the car mechanics standing on my feet and not my back.

Would appreciate any suggestions from the experts on dimensions, special features and any other characteristic I should consider on the design and planning. Please do not ask me to include compressed air, high pressure water or fresh motor oil lines, as I do not intend to install a service station, my wife have repeatedly notified me that she will not allow all my friends at home solving their car problems. She bets :D.

[632 Regal]

I had a pit in my barn, too shallow to stand up under a car and if on ramps too tall to comfortably work on so I filled it with gravel and cement. Dont forget in a pit if you handle anything heavy you have to work around whatever lift or jack your using and then crawl out and retrieve that item, not to mention move the car. A lift is sooo much better...have room for one of them?

[Bill R.]

their pits because if you have other cars running nearby , the gases can sink into the pits and accumulate... So if you have the height there are a lot of really reasonable lifts available these days..








I had a pit in my barn, too shallow to stand up under a car and if on ramps too tall to comfortably work on so I filled it with gravel and cement. Dont forget in a pit if you handle anything heavy you have to work around whatever lift or jack your using and then crawl out and retrieve that item, not to mention move the car. A lift is sooo much better...have room for one of them?

[MO525]

I'm planing on doing some remodeling in my house garage, and would like to dig a wheel under one of the car parking places, so to be able to handle under the car mechanics standing on my feet and not my back.

Would appreciate any suggestions from the experts on dimensions, special features and any other characteristic I should consider on the design and planning. Please do not ask me to include compressed air, high pressure water or fresh motor oil lines, as I do not intend to install a service station, my wife have repeatedly notified me that she will not allow all my friends at home solving their car problems. She bets :D.



The size will drive a LOT of ideas/thoughts.

[TheGeak]

Pits are also illegal to install in most states now adays...

you can get lifts rather cheap now...

and in the words of my father and my grandfather before him "it ain't gonna be big enough" (this was said before dimensions were even discussed...and its held true to this day)

[Javier]

inspections, fuel filter changes, some suspension, motor, trany and dif oil of course, brake bleeding, and small issues like belts, hoses and pan gaskets. I would never mess with the trany (not qualified) and my experience with the BMW exhaust system is that it's too heavy for me. Fortunately I do not have a flex disk, hope the center bearing to last longer.

When you say lift, you mean rising the car about 6 foot, sure don't have that tall roof, nor the money to afford the lifter I suppose, as never considered buying one.

[MO525]

Pits are also illegal to install in most states now adays...

you can get lifts rather cheap now...

and in the words of my father and my grandfather before him "it ain't gonna be big enough" (this was said before dimensions were even discussed...and its held true to this day)

[winfred]

$2500-3000 for a lift, order it from northern equipment and tool and the freight is free, usually

[Javier]

Will probably remove and set a new roof, but don't think it will be higher than 10'

[Javier]

requirements? Also, will there be need to have a perfectlly leveled floor?

[632 Regal]

that will take care of itself with the lift install, you will need to raise the roof significantly to utilize it at all, it will lift the car or whatever usually 7 feet so add that to the height of the car.

Everything you mention on doing is easily acquired on ramps and stands, a pain but much cheaper. All the stuff you mention on doing is better left done on ramps/jacks or a lift than a pit. Imaging standin in a pit of spilled gas while doing a filter change and WHAM the garage furnace kicks on...wheres all them vapors hangin out at? Just get out right? NOOOO have to move the car first man.

Not to put sand in your ass crack but your dreams need more research before setting them in stone. I thought the pit was cool whan I bought this place, it was completly useless let alone the downsides and hazards.

Just a heads up.

[632 Regal]

Mann I come off angry...

[Javier]

idea, will look into the lifter posibility (sounds good), or resign to keep using ramps.

[Javier]

Mann I come off angry...

[winfred]

don't gotta be perfectly level but kinda level works, who ever installs it will shim it level, this one looks ok http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&langId=-1&catalogId=4006970&PHOTOS=on&TEST=Y&productId=770931&categoryId=297068
plus a couple hundred for a installer, i can't remember what we paid for our 2nd lift's install, but we scored the lift used for under a grand, but it's a older unit with the cables and bracing across the floor (not as cool as our newer overhead unit)


requirements? Also, will there be need to have a perfectlly leveled floor?

[Javier]

will have to look for something here and evaluate the roof rising requirements. It is clear thoug that NO PITS!

[winfred]

i am getting one if i ever get to build my home shop, 3 grand to not roll around on the floor, line up ramps, find jack stands, and for me at least work on the cars at home, i aint doing all that crap when i got two lifts at work (20 miles away), if nothing else it frees up a parking spot for a unused or project car, just park under it

[Paul in NZ]

retank(waterproof)build the new lower floor and reinforced walls, allow for acess,some kind of cover,light, you will be close to a new lift.If you are doing a new roof it will be quite easy to allow for a space in the middle to allow a car to go up.A pit is always narrow because you have to stay within the track of the car....mind you a mate has one and it makes oil changes a breeze.I can give you some tips on your roof design :)

[rickm]

Mann I come off angry...

Leave George out of this.

[MO525]

Will probably remove and set a new roof, but don't think it will be higher than 10'

I'm HOPING I can put a lift in there sometime in the future.....money is the ONLY issue.

Raising the ceiling is no small undertaking.
Have you seen the "roll-on and lift" lifts?
They get the car up a couple feet-high enough for most projects-and they're only $800 or so (I believe).

By the way, my garage is fully insulated/drywalled/painted with HEAT and A/C, hot/cold water, 200 amp service and a rest room. Ahhh.....

[Javier]

garage floor reviewed to have a leveled area on it, as all of it is in a slight slope now, also may consider the roof to slide or something, will be an open area, the roof is only to protect from rain and sun. Otherwise it will have to go up about 13' or 14' (The Cherokee is the tallest). Probably will prepare all the area and wait a little bit to install the lift when posible (Money and availability. I'm not in USA, so it is not a phone order).

[Bill R.]

at a reasonable price... heres one (http://www.gesforless.com/product_info.isg?products_id=165)

here is the address for the non profit organization of lift manufacturers in the US here www.autolift.org
If you poke around in their site you'll find lots of info on the various styles of lifts and quite a few manufacterers




garage floor reviewed to have a leveled area on it, as all of it is in a slight slope now, also may consider the roof to slide or something, will be an open area, the roof is only to protect from rain and sun. Otherwise it will have to go up about 13' or 14' (The Cherokee is the tallest). Probably will prepare all the area and wait a little bit to install the lift when posible (Money and availability. I'm not in USA, so it is not a phone order).

[Javier]

in the free area between the house walls and the street, the roof is there only to protect from sun and rain. Fortunately, temperatures here stays between 54 and 90 all year round. The floor is slightly sloped as the house is somewhat higher than the street level, if I level it, then I will have some steps to climb into the house kitchen area. Thinking on leveling the lift but not the floor surface, may work this way.

The two post lift suggested by Winfred look pretty good, and will not sacrifice any parking place as I can rise it top and park between the poles.

Bill sent a link to a portable scissors lift that looks simple and economic, may be a better thinking for light mechanics. It does not rise much so may be I can keep my roof height, but won’t be able to stay stand under the car (my back is sending me final warnings now).

Will have to think and look carefully into this, may be I'm being too exquisite on this project, but recently, I've been postponing some car projects just because the fear that causes me all the inconveniences of the jacking.

[MO525]

in the free area between the house walls and the street, the roof is there only to protect from sun and rain. Fortunately, temperatures here stays between 54 and 90 all year round. The floor is slightly sloped as the house is somewhat higher than the street level, if I level it, then I will have some steps to climb into the house kitchen area. Thinking on leveling the lift but not the floor surface, may work this way.

The two post lift suggested by Winfred look pretty good, and will not sacrifice any parking place as I can rise it top and park between the poles.

Bill sent a link to a portable scissors lift that looks simple and economic, may be a better thinking for light mechanics. It does not rise much so may be I can keep my roof height, but won’t be able to stay stand under the car (my back is sending me final warnings now).

Will have to think and look carefully into this, may be I'm being too exquisite on this project, but recently, I've been postponing some car projects just because the fear that causes me all the inconveniences of the jacking.



I hear you loud and clear.
Jacking issues are a pain.
A lift would be nice.
If I would quit SHOVELLING money into my 525, I could probably start a "lift fund"!!!! :(

My garage is attached to the house.
I enter the house through the mud room and we have an exit from the garage to the deck as well.