adding traction

[Jimmy Buffett]

I have an angle iron piece with holes in it to protect my undercar spray. Since we added the cta this angle gets really slick and cars spin on it. Sometimes they roll back and that screws up the timing of the whole cta. What could I put on that angle iron that could withstand the traffic and the chemical and help cars get better traction so they can get over the hump?
Thanks

 

[DiamondWash]

Would that traction tape work they put on stairs or would the chemical destroy it???

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

I think the traffic and chemical would eat that up pretty quickly. That was the first thing I thought of, then I thought about the stuff they spray in truck beds. Now I'm wondering about a good high quality paint with a cup of sand mixed into it. Not sure how great the paint will stick though. I'm probably going to have to move the cta forward too. I think when we get it right we will be cleaning wheels better than we ever did with the scrubbers.

 

[DiamondWash]

How about having a trench cut into the floor for the undercarriage to eliminate the angle iron all together.

 

[madscientist]

Take a grinder and rough up the angle iron.

 

[pitzerwm]

I took and welded some beads on mine when I had the same problem.

 

[ted mcmeekin]

You can buy non skid paint--used on decks on Navy ships for years.

Ted

 

[under pressure]

I would weld some expanded metal over it, or even make a ramp so thers no big bump to drive over...

 

[soapy]

I have a similar setup and I welded some 1/4 key stock onto the angle iron so that it gives a good edge for a tire to grab. It has worked for over ten years.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

Soapy,
Do you have a cta?
I would like to have both pads after the angle iron but am not sure I have room.
We thought about a trench but we have so much tubing running through it now it would be a pretty good size trench.

 

[mac]

Go with Diamond's suggestion. That's how I've been doing them for years. Get a diamond blade for your saw. You only need to cut down deep enough to bury the pipe, so that just the nozzles are sticking up. Then fill in with concrete patch.

 

[soapy]

I do have a CTA on all of mine. At some locations I also have done the cut for the trench into the concrete. I called the local concrete cutters out and they only charged about $100 to cut the trench that I needed. I would price that out first before you started buying diamond blades for your skill saw.

 

[mac]

This depends on how much you want to do yourself. A diamond blade for a circular saw is around $20. If you don't have a chipping hammer to remove the concrete, then $100 for a company is a good deal.

 

[Wash-it]

New construction... we always recommend to have a trench installed from the wall to the end of the undercarriage and even trench back to center of bay to the pit. This gives an area to route hose and helps keep the undercarriage trench cleaner. (But it still gets quite nasty)
We offer a stainless steel plate with slotted holes for the tips to spray through as well.....
Remodel.... Ramp works well. But, if you have tire/wheel cleaner spraying onto it.. it would need some traction welded to it. These do not look very attractive. IMO...... Trenching is the best option. BEWARE of floor heat, line voltage and low voltage conduits, plumbing....... Good luck with what ever you decide or have decided.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

We added ramps with traction. Seems to be working nicely although it's hard to tell since it rains 4 days every week. Now it's a matter of training customers to drive in at the correct speed. Not ever an easy task but harder in the winter than when the weather is nice. It's an ongoing process.. It's going to work though.