Ideas for locking pit grates

[Rudy]

I've always locked my metal pit grates. I've used long shank keyed padlocks in the past.....but it's hard to get more than a year out of them. The car wash chemicals are just too rough on them....and I usually just end up cutting them off and replacing them.

At 10-15 bucks apiece....I've just chalked it up to the cost of having my pits pumped.

Any other clever ideas out there?

 

[Jeff_L]

Switch to fibrerglass perhaps? Depending on your pit size, you might have to add some metal supports.

 

[Greg Pack]

In the past I've just bolted them down with a long enough chain so they can be removed from the hole for pit cleanout. That seemed to stop them from getting stolen.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I would run a chain through a concrete block and attatch it to each grate. Throw the block down in a clean pit and let the mud cover it. As cfcw said, leave enough chain so you can remove them. I would think this would thwart 99% of the thieves since those of this mentality are planning to grab and go, not be prepared to cut them loose.

 

[chiggybite]

I weld a chain to mine and anchor it to the inside of the pit. Easy to move for clean out and haven't had one stolen since.