foam pit?

[fmx dude]

how do u make a cheap sturdy foam pit for a dirt bike that won't cost
80000?

[psycho393]

Since the majority of the cost is foam you'd have a hard time getting something for much less than 50 grand.

[Crazy]

I bet you could make one using plywood and those foam peanuts, that shouldnt hurt to bad when you hit it? Foam peanuts are cheap too, alot of manufacturers throw away 10 - 50 gallon bags daily.

[MotoMan]

Foam is the big money factor here. I don't know if I would trust peanunts or not, but I suppose it could work, short of having to pick all those darn things off yourself. lol.

Also another $$ factor is the lift device used to remove the bike from the pit, you have to get it out of there somehow.

[valverde]

Keep in mind the size of a foam pit, they are large, requiring A LOT of foam or peanuts, which ever you choose.

I would hate to see what happens with the peanuts on a windy day!

[fmx dude]

at one foam factory i asked if they had extras and they have like a huge box of scraps
that they would give me for free.

[McCracken21]

Here's my idea that I got from some pro don't remember who though maybe Faisst? Put a 12ft tall chain link fence up about 20ft wide by 50ft long. Layer the inside of the fence with like 2 layers of mattresses you could get from the junkyard/furniture store or somewhere. Then fill it up with foam. The major cost of that would be the fence. If it was me personally I would get like old carpet foam from local carpet stores and places. One of the local guys around here gives away like a stock trailer full every week. That wouldn't take too long and as far as getting out just open the gate and ride out then close the gate and toss your foam back in. Good idea or not?
-Nate

[ekholms-mx-farm]

There is a good reason they use large blocks.The large blocks move out of the way as they compress giving your body and the bike to seperate.Small blocks or peanuts or carpet pad would not this as well.Also the foam pits are aprox. 15-20ft deep.

[Jim X]

Oh yeah, and cheap foam catches fire, keep that in mind.

[fmx dude]

i thought about 8 foot?

[Knucklehead]

http://www.harmonline.net/images/jer..._pi_in_pit.jpg

WHAT ABOUT ONE OF D'S?

[crazyrydermx]

Originally Posted by Knucklehead

http://www.harmonline.net/images/jer..._pi_in_pit.jpg
WHAT ABOUT ONE OF D'S?

LOL I hope you don't try that.
I would be interested in hearing about this, too. Whatever you do figure out, tell us how it works. I have thought about a foam pit in the past.
If I were you, I would make a sorta experiment. Maybe try a small version of each, and fill a certain area with those specific materials. I am sure that if you just took some scrap metal, you could easily just build a small "box".
Then, just jump in it with your body by itself. Get higher and higher, and maybe use a diving board or just ladder and see if it hurts. They say that even the real foam pits usually hurt, because a lot of impact on anything is going to hurt....
I seriously doubt those peanuts are a good idea...
Like I said, tell us if you do figure something out. I would really like to know for the future.

[TrainersMXPark]

im opening a track in sulphur springs, texas. im going to put in a foam pit at my track and no do NOT use peanuts they are to small and lite it wont work. you have to use very hard space foam its just like what they use to make beds, car seats, sofas and stuff like that...start going to the dump and pulling beding apart that should do it. you are going to want to dig down about 2-4 feet and put your box in the hole or your ramp is going to be to tall. if you built a 8 foot box you are going to want to put at least 2 feet underground. ply wood will be fine but make sure it is very strong or the sides will break out after to long. your going to need a winch to get your bike out too. you can build a boom with a pully on it and mount the winch at top of the boom... good luck.

[Rm rider 69]

i want to know where this track is,when its open and how much

[TwistedFMX]

I tryed to find pictures of our pit but couldnt it is doug into the side of a hill its about 10-15 meters square so if u miss it you shouldnt be on a mx bike to start with. We linnned it with black plastic then stacked tyres in the bottom about 6 tyres high so the foam can dry easily if it gets wet. would be over 2 thousand tyres easy i didnt bother counting. The foam is always free as its just off cuts the hard part is getting it from A-B Really we needed about 4 B Train Size Truck and trailer Units to fill the pit. We were lucky we had a mate who had a truck and would come back towards us with a empty truck so would grab the foam for us. Really the hardest part for us is going to be the cover for when it is not in use and the crane to get the bikes out other wise hasnt cost a thing yet as far as i know. Just alot of time.

[grab the throttle]

foam is made of the same material that fossil fuels are, so it can get pretty pricey, but what i did was go to a foam manufacter and get a bunch of scraps and using them. but the hard part for me was watter proofing the pit