Reshaping Bent Metal SS Bay Pit Grates

[Carl]

Was wondering if your ss bay metal grates get bent that often? From some of our customers' heavy vehicles ours seem to get "caved in" and bent from extreme weight to where I am now worrying that a customer walking through the bay to the bill changer area might trip on the edge of a protruding metal grate and get hurt. I've tried hammering these bent grates back into shape, yet I only seem to break them and/or make them worse.

Any advice how best to get your curved/bent metal grates back to a more flattened shape again?

Thanks & Happy Independence Day Weekend! - Carl

 

[mjwalsh]

Was wondering if your ss bay metal grates get bent that often? From some of our customers' heavy vehicles ours seem to get "caved in" and bent from extreme weight to where I am now worrying that a customer walking through the bay to the bill changer area might trip on the edge of a protruding metal grate and get hurt. I've tried hammering these bent grates back into shape, yet I only seem to break them and/or make them worse.

Any advice how best to get your curved/bent metal grates back to a more flattened shape again?

Thanks & Happy Independence Day Weekend! - Carl

Carl,

Make sure that they are welded in the right pattern. We learned that our original grates were not fabricated for strength so they did not last as long as they otherwise would have.

MJ

 

[soapy]

Do your long flat bars on the grates run across the shortest distance of your pits? This will give you the most strength. ON the pits I have that the flat bars runs the longest distance I also get bending but not on the ones where the grates were cut to cross a shorter distance.

 

[Earl Weiss]

The grates should be "Banded" meaning a bar frames the perimeter welded to all cross pieces.

I would try heating before straightening.

If they are more than 10 years old they may have become weak thru deterioration

If it occurs repeatedly i would either replace with better rated grate or weld on reinforcements.

 

[robert roman]

Would fiberglass grating be a workable alternative to the problems you are having with metal?

 

[Jeff_L]

I have seen the fiberglass ones online and was wondering if anyone had any feedback on them.

 

[Randy]

Carl,
What are the dimensions of your pits? Can you post some pictures of your grates/pits?

 

[JustClean]

I had the same problem until I noticed I installed them the wrong way. Turning them 90 degrees and all problems gone.