I have decided to flush mount a used Hunter RX-9 we recently picked up. I've read Tom Gebbie's account of his installation and shallow pit design.

I'd like to hear from Tom 10 years later and others with flush mounted drive on racks what the ideal pit design would be. Hunter gives specs for a simple box, with a drain and a single conduit running into the pit from the control box. http://www.hunter.com/Portals/0/Media/6494-T.pdf

Obviously the pit should be pitched towards a drain. It's clear there should be a conduit run underneath the concrete from the control box into one of the ramps.

Major questions are: 1) Angle iron all the way around the edge of the pit is not in Hunter's design specs for the pit. Do you guys recommend it?

2) Running conduit with hydraulic lines underneath the floor from one ramp to the other sounds like a nice way to not use the on-pit-floor protection plate Hunter offers, but aren't we then dealing with an open conduit exposed to water and salt with its lowest point underneath the floor? I mean it won't drain on its own will it? Also how would we then service these lines? Would we need to break the concrete out?

3) Tom Gebbie points out that dropping in and out an oil caddy into the pit is not such a big deal, but what about the welding cart? Our smaller rolling toolboxes? Is the portable ramp the best idea or has anyone considered having a taper in the concrete made about two feet wide at some point in the perimeter of the pit?

Thanks boys.

Jonah Dayan
Owner/Technician
Forest Automotive
Buffalo, New York, USA