Steel Plate vs. Grates (Heavy Mud)

[UtahYoutubeGuy]

I have a car wash close to a big mountain mine and I get very heavy mud usage. We scoop mud from the floors when cleaning but a lot goes in the pits. We just filled the pits again after only 2 months.

Whats the best design for a mud catcher cover over the pits?

I was looking at this design on this KleenRite vid.

 

[edredtop]

I use these grates after repeatedly coming into the wash to find the metal ones gone with a midnight scrapper. Welding heavy chain to the grates didn't help as it just added to his haul. We ended up catching him but not before a handful of headaches.
I guess it was dumb luck, but the height of the fiberglass grates we got is higher than the bay floor by about 3/4" and if a mudder comes in, it accumulates around the edges which is easily scraped up with a square head shovel. I notched out one (side) square on each side of the grates to allow water to drain. I really like 'em and the plugs are good at stopping debris build-up around the edges.

 

[David Rolf]

I use these grates after repeatedly coming into the wash to find the metal ones gone with a midnight scrapper. Welding heavy chain to the grates didn't help as it just added to his haul. We ended up catching him but not before a handful of headaches.
I guess it was dumb luck, but the height of the fiberglass grates we got is higher than the bay floor by about 3/4" and if a mudder comes in, it accumulates around the edges which is easily scraped up with a square head shovel. I notched out one (side) square on each side of the grates to allow water to drain. I really like 'em and the plugs are good at stopping debris build-up around the edges.

How much weight can these composite grates handle? I often get some very heavy rigs at my wash. That would be my only worry.

 

[HeyVern]

I use these grates after repeatedly coming into the wash to find the metal ones gone with a midnight scrapper. Welding heavy chain to the grates didn't help as it just added to his haul. We ended up catching him but not before a handful of headaches.
I guess it was dumb luck, but the height of the fiberglass grates we got is higher than the bay floor by about 3/4" and if a mudder comes in, it accumulates around the edges which is easily scraped up with a square head shovel. I notched out one (side) square on each side of the grates to allow water to drain. I really like 'em and the plugs are good at stopping debris build-up around the edges.

I'd be worried about liability with a trip hazard like that.

 

[edredtop]

I'd be worried about liability with a trip hazard like that.

Noted.
99.9 % of the time it's under the customer's vehicle.
That 3/4 of an inch gets gobbled up pretty fast with dirt and mud accumulation too.
To your point, maybe I'll try safety yellow next time.

 

[edredtop]

How much weight can these composite grates handle? I often get some very heavy rigs at my wash. That would be my only worry.

Grate question!

Molded Grating Load Charts Load Tables.pdf

 

[soapy]

I have heavy metal plates at one location and would not recommend them. While mud does collect on top it also becomes completly blocked and creates a dam at times leading to large pools in the bay.

 

[Stan Alan]

We use wooden grates built out of treated 2x6 & 2x4
3 out of 5 are original from when we built wash in 1998