Majorlift: a brief history of pits
Workshop equipment supplier Majorlift has charted the evolution of inspection pits to the present day, from their origins as little more than holes in the workshop floor.
“Despite the fact that it made working under vehicles much easier, it was a pretty grotty place to work,” said Mike Selby, marketing manager at Majorlift.
“The normal practice of cleanliness in the workshop was to sweep the floor and then brush all the rubbish into the pit; perhaps then every few weeks the pit itself would be cleaned out – not very hygienic and by today’s health and safety standards, definitely not on.”
Mike also emphasises these early structures’ potential for accidents, with the possibility of mechanics falling into open pits.
“Gradually over the years, things improved, with permanent lights being added and other items such as air supply and waste oil disposal,” he said.
“Now, almost all pits have a cover over them or at least a guard rail to prevent accidents. In many modern workshops, several pits are interconnected, thereby allowing mechanics to move safely from pit to pit without the need to come to the surface.”
The most advanced innovation, Mike suggests, was the introduction of the steel bath-type pit, which can be purchased and installed complete with all the services connected, including central heating.
“An added advantage of this type of pit construction is that it is not affected by water ingress, a particular problem in low-lying areas like East Anglia, for instance,” he said.
“In conjunction with these pit improvements, the equipment manufacturers have also moved with the times, developing first the pit jack and then pit transmission jacks – manually operated and air driven in various forms, offering a range of lifting adaptors, making the area a safe and more pleasant place to work.”
For its part, Majorlift developed a pit transmission jack, which is a long stroke pit jack fitted into a frame that runs along the pit rails. This enables the safe removal of components such as gearboxes by one operative within a confined space.
Another Majorlift development highlighted by Mike is the double extension top beam, which fits over the ram heads and enables servicing and testing to be carried out on cars and light vans. If a truck fleet also contains these types of vehicle it would otherwise be necessary to purchase a suitable two-tonne jacking beam, he points out.
“Before building your pit, it’s a good idea to discuss with your proposed supplier of jacking equipment your proposed pit dimensions – i.e. pit width, depth, type and size of runners,” he advised.
“This information is vital, as pit jacks are bespoke items and are made to order. However, Majorlift will send out a pit survey form for you to complete. The pit jack is then built to the dimensions on the form, and provided your completion of the form is correct, it will fit your pit when you receive it.”
He added: “Majorlift has an excellent web site with action videos showcasing all aspects and types of pit jacks and accessories, to make vehicle servicing as safe and easy as possible.”
