There’s an age-old debate in the workshop industry.
It’s been going on for years, and it never fails to spark a heated discussion: Should you use lifts or pits for your vehicles?
We’ve talked before about the battle between the two sides. But we all know deep down that there’s a time and place for both, and they’re each fantastic solutions to the problem of getting under vehicles.
(Of course, we would say that – because we’re a leading supplier of both Vehicle Lifts and Inspection Pits.)
But today, we’re going to throw a spanner in the works. We’re going to add a new option to the discussion – and with it, a new question: Should you use a full-size pit or a compact one?
Here’s what you need to know about our Totalkare Compact Pit.
A Compact Pit Saves Space
When you’re planning the layout of a vehicle workshop, space is almost always at a premium. You’ve got huge vehicles moving around huge equipment – and a huge selection of tools taking up valuable storage space.
So when you factor in the size of a typical inspection pit – which usually runs from 6m to 16m – that’s a massive chunk of your floor space that’s dedicated to one thing.
But with a smaller inspection pit, you can get the same easy access to the underside of a vehicle at a fraction of the floor space.
By comparison, our own Totalkare Compact Pit is just 4.27m long, with access stairs off to the side to accommodate its shorter length.
That’s a game-changer for smaller workshops that would normally never consider a pit. But it’s also a big deal for larger workshops, too:
Depending on the types of vehicles you service – or the types of under-vehicle jobs you carry out – you might not need a full-size pit to carry out the same work. And if a compact pit can give you everything you need, you’ve just opened up a huge space in your workshop with nothing lost.
Better yet: a larger workshop with a high demand for pit work can use a compact pit as a secondary inspection area for shorter jobs. You’ll be adding an extra lane to service more vehicles at once, taking the strain off an already crowded main pit – and giving your workshop’s productivity a massive boost along the way.
It Works Almost Anywhere
With a compact vehicle pit, you’re getting a smaller package – which means it’s much easier to fit into all kinds of premises.
But there’s a whole other side to compact pits that ensures their versatility:
A compact pit can be installed outside.
Our own Totalkare Compact Pit is built with galvanised steel to protect it from the elements, with an optional hydraulic aluminium cover to protect the brake tester from the weather.
You can even get one of our compact pits with an optional heating system – with thermostatic controls to help keep the brake tester and play detector in top condition throughout the winter months.
And the best part?
Our compact pits can be installed directly on a sand-base, without any need for concreting, subject to ground conditions – which opens up an even wider variety of locations and positions to make the most of the space you have.
It’s Plug-And-Play – And All-In-One
You might think a smaller inspection pit would come with a sacrifice in functionality – or that a tighter space means a more complicated installation.
But you’d be wrong.
Our compact pits come pre-assembled and ready to roll with everything you need to get started, including:
- A 1.6m operator tunnel
- A built-in brake tester with 1,000mm rollers and a capacity of 16,000kg
- A built-in play detector
- A remote-control hydraulic pit-floor lift that can raise a technician by 40cm
- Internal lighting
- And an integrated sump-tank – for easy waste management without a sewer connection.
You’ll also have the option of adding a hydraulic cover with a remote control, and a thermostatically controlled heating system.
And of course, our compact pits come with all the usual safety features you’d expect from a piece of Totalkare gear – including an automatic system that prevents the brake tester from running when there’s someone in the pit.
We can also provide a load simulating 18200 brake tester as an additional option.
Need to Save Space on Your Next Upgrade?
We might never see an end to the pits and lifts debate.
But when it comes to saving space on your next vehicle pit, we’ve got the answer right here:
Check out our Totalkare Compact Pit in our online store – or chat to one of our workshop experts to get the full details of what we can do.
This article was originally published by Totalkare Ltd.
