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Cracked Grate

S

stampedecarwash

Member
Hello, I noticed we have some cracks in one of our grates. Do you change the whole thing? or Perhaps just welding it is enough? Do you even worry about it? Is 65"X65" and supported by four side, but no beams. Pics attached.
 

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We have a similar setup. I'd guess we weld them up about once a year, as they break in different spots (usually along the edges for us). We have a welder and do the work ourselves, so it's an easy fix for us.
 
They will usually break like that unless you weld flat stock all the way down the sides. The round bar is just there to hold the rest together.
 
That's absolutely right. Here is another pic showing the side metal worn out. So other than welding the grate we also need to weld the a flat stock on the side.
The only question is if you add a flat stock on the side, then the grate going to stick out of the ground a bit? it wont be flushed like how it is now.
 

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The flat stock needs to match the flat stock the grate is made of so it won't stick out. Yours looks like it's almost too narrow anyway, so there's room to add stock to the sides without trimming the width of the grate.
 
Timely post as we have 2 that are broken pretty bad. I quoted one and it was $700 for a 2' x 4' grate! I will probably have my shop guys get the welder out.

Has anyone experimented with anything else for pit covering?
 
MEP001 said:
The flat stock needs to match the flat stock the grate is made of so it won't stick out. Yours looks like it's almost too narrow anyway, so there's room to add stock to the sides without trimming the width of the grate.
Click to expand...
Another idea is to weld a flat piece to the bottom of the grate, like I have it in the pic. The grate on that side seem to be already trimmed/worn out over time. so this flat part should be able to compensate that.
 

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I'd weld angle on the edge instead. Just a flat bar on the bottom won't add a lot of rigidity. It will most likely flex and the welds will crack. Welding a piece of flat bar all the way down the side will box it and make it very rigid because the bar won't flex easily that way.
 
Rfreeman said:
Timely post as we have 2 that are broken pretty bad. I quoted one and it was $700 for a 2' x 4' grate! I will probably have my shop guys get the welder out.

Has anyone experimented with anything else for pit covering?
Click to expand...
The fiberglass grates are a lot less than that, but shipping is pricey. At least you can go pick them up at Kleen-Rite.
 
I know someone who replaced his about a year ago. The pits aren't very wide so they're super sturdy. I only have one bay with a pit, and it's 4' across - I have my doubts that the fiberglass grates will be strong enough.
 
Rfreeman said:
Timely post as we have 2 that are broken pretty bad. I quoted one and it was $700 for a 2' x 4' grate! I will probably have my shop guys get the welder out.

Has anyone experimented with anything else for pit covering?
Click to expand...
Our FFA Dept would do that for $165. Not that far a drive to save $535 or nearly 80%!
 
Rfreeman said:
Timely post as we have 2 that are broken pretty bad. I quoted one and it was $700 for a 2' x 4' grate! I will probably have my shop guys get the welder out.

Has anyone experimented with anything else for pit covering?
Click to expand...

Ouch, call a local steel supplier and rent a rescue saw. I just priced a piece of 3'x20' 1-1/4 grate- It was less than $800.
 
Hi Here is how we fixed the grate..no need to change ..just a couple of hrs of welding, but you need to make sure to fill the gaps like I have it in the pic otherwise the round bar welds will brake again due to not having a solid place to sit on (As MEP already mentioned).
 

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I had a couple of grates stolen a while back and went back with fiberglass .. got them from Delta Composites in Houston. They had some scraps in the yard, and I got a 6x3 sheet and a 4x2 sheet for $120, both 1.5" thick. They've worked well, had them in place for about 9 years .. my bays at that wash are 16' wide, so the grates have definitely had vehicles drive over them with no problems (my pits are 96" x 30", longest span for the fiberglass grate is 60'). The squares are a lot smaller, though, so they grab a lot more mud and are definitely harder to clean.

grate.jpg
 
A friend replaced one bay about a year ago with a fiberglass grate from Kleen-Rite. He said no problems. Had some heavy pick up trucks
wash in the bay. Said he is going to replace his other bays with the fiberglass grates this year. The grates are 4' X 8'
 
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