Ground anchor installation with gravel!
Discussion
Hi everyone!
Newbie here so glad to have found this forum!
I'm needing to install a ground anchor at my new property but can't fathom how to do it!
I've done some in the past successfully where I have either drilled straight into solid concrete or dug a cubic foot of earth out and used postmix to create a solid anchor before installing the actual anchor.
However, at my new place, I want to install it on my front driveway which is currently covered in about 10cm of gravel and then its concrete I believe (haven't been able to properly dig down enough yet!)
So the option of digging a foot down isn't possible and I can't drill into the concrete as it will be below the rest of the driveway.
My only thought would be to create a large shallow area to fill with post mix but my concern is that a decent whack with a sledgehammer will break it up and the ground anchor itself will then only be attached to a smaller piece of concrete.
Can anyone suggest a solution?! I need to get this sorted in the next week or so as I don't want my bike and my partner's to be left untethered for too long!
TIA
Ally
Newbie here so glad to have found this forum!
I'm needing to install a ground anchor at my new property but can't fathom how to do it!
I've done some in the past successfully where I have either drilled straight into solid concrete or dug a cubic foot of earth out and used postmix to create a solid anchor before installing the actual anchor.
However, at my new place, I want to install it on my front driveway which is currently covered in about 10cm of gravel and then its concrete I believe (haven't been able to properly dig down enough yet!)
So the option of digging a foot down isn't possible and I can't drill into the concrete as it will be below the rest of the driveway.
My only thought would be to create a large shallow area to fill with post mix but my concern is that a decent whack with a sledgehammer will break it up and the ground anchor itself will then only be attached to a smaller piece of concrete.
Can anyone suggest a solution?! I need to get this sorted in the next week or so as I don't want my bike and my partner's to be left untethered for too long!
TIA
Ally
Drill into the base concrete and set some fixings which protrude up into where you are going to pour your post mix it will help it anchor and make it less likely to be bashed off.
The ground anchor will be a good deterrent anyway; park the bike in such a way as it makes it difficult to swing a hammer
The ground anchor will be a good deterrent anyway; park the bike in such a way as it makes it difficult to swing a hammer
Edited by MDUBZ on Monday 6th May 13:46
MDUBZ said:
Drill into the base concrete and set some fixings which protrude up into where you are going to pour your post mix it will help it anchor and make it less likely to be bashed off.
The ground anchor will be a good deterrent anyway; park the bike in such a way as it makes it difficult to swing a hammer
Thanks MDUBZ - what kinda fixings would you suggest? (ie. link to screwfix/wickes etc would be handy!)The ground anchor will be a good deterrent anyway; park the bike in such a way as it makes it difficult to swing a hammer
Edited by MDUBZ on Monday 6th May 13:46
I'm more of a carpenter so concrete is out of my realm of comfort and knowledge!
Thanks,
Ally
I’m more of a bodger by trade, but if you can’t break up the existing concrete something like this in the base and some rods that run through the holes in the upright to stop lifting and rotation should do the job..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/GAH-Alberts-215538-Hot-Di...
https://www.screwfix.com/p/easyfix-sleeve-anchor-1...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/GAH-Alberts-215538-Hot-Di...
https://www.screwfix.com/p/easyfix-sleeve-anchor-1...
vtr1000f said:
I wouldn't worry about the hammer - the scrotes that nicked mine were through the chain in seconds, with the quietest angle grinder I've seen or heard...
Same here. KTM enduro and my R1 gone. To add insult to injury they then also stole the Almax chain (and the entire contents of my garage as well. Things got worse when what I though was no limit on contents cover turned out to be £2k (detached garage) so I lost about 20k - not to mention the 5 years of f
ked up car and bike premiums).Dog Star said:
Same here. KTM enduro and my R1 gone. To add insult to injury they then also stole the Almax chain (and the entire contents of my garage as well. Things got worse when what I though was no limit on contents cover turned out to be £2k (detached garage) so I lost about 20k - not to mention the 5 years of fked up car and bike premiums).
Since that, Dog Star hasn't needed to use any security deviceked up car and bike premiums).
CrankyCraig said:
I wish - the garage is like a fortress now and I still have nightmares about it, I'm forever jumping up in the night to check.Funnily enough it's never had anything happen since or anyone even try, the alarm would go off and log anyone even moving the padlocks on the door or trying the handle.
Dog Star said:
I wish - the garage is like a fortress now and I still have nightmares about it, I'm forever jumping up in the night to check.
Funnily enough it's never had anything happen since or anyone even try, the alarm would go off and log anyone even moving the padlocks on the door or trying the handle.
I've seen films with less justification for the engagement of full rampage vigilante mode, and the subsequent murder/s. I don't know how that event didn't tip you over the edge. Or perhaps it did and the bodies haven't yet been discovered. Funnily enough it's never had anything happen since or anyone even try, the alarm would go off and log anyone even moving the padlocks on the door or trying the handle.
OP, I'm having a hard time picturing the problem here. It sounds as if you have a substantial lump of concrete (house foundations possibly?) just inches from the surface, which is close to ideal.
Even if it were a foot beneath the surface, at worst it would just mean buying either a longer chain lock, or an additional chain to link the burried lock with the one on the surface wrapped around the bike.
What am I not understanding?
I'm still trying to work out how you are managing to stand a bike on 10cm thick gravel.
Anyway, scrape the gravel off the underlying concrete for about a square metre.
Make a shuttering box, say 60cm square and place it on the concrete. (4 pieces of 4x2)
Suspend a ground anchor in the box so its level with the top of the wood and fill with concrete.
When dry remove wood. Level shingle and job done.
I favour the half circle with a bar across design and I have several of these dotted about, mainly for my trailer.
I make my own but I'm sure you can buy them at an exorbitant price somewhere. The underside has loads of spikes that grip into the concrete.
Paul G
Anyway, scrape the gravel off the underlying concrete for about a square metre.
Make a shuttering box, say 60cm square and place it on the concrete. (4 pieces of 4x2)
Suspend a ground anchor in the box so its level with the top of the wood and fill with concrete.
When dry remove wood. Level shingle and job done.
I favour the half circle with a bar across design and I have several of these dotted about, mainly for my trailer.
I make my own but I'm sure you can buy them at an exorbitant price somewhere. The underside has loads of spikes that grip into the concrete.
Paul G
Weakest link will always be the chain, so it doesn't really matter how well you set it into the concrete within reason.
You could get a very large bucket/drum filled with concrete, and chain to that via a shackle/ground anchor sunk into the concrete. They'd then have to detach it and drag that off with the bikes if they wanted to lift them. Otherwise they'll just cut your chain and wheel it away anyway.
Security is a multi layered thing. It's a pain, but make sure you have chains, disk locks, and anything else that makes it a right pain in the arse to nick. They might move on to an easier target then.
You could get a very large bucket/drum filled with concrete, and chain to that via a shackle/ground anchor sunk into the concrete. They'd then have to detach it and drag that off with the bikes if they wanted to lift them. Otherwise they'll just cut your chain and wheel it away anyway.
Security is a multi layered thing. It's a pain, but make sure you have chains, disk locks, and anything else that makes it a right pain in the arse to nick. They might move on to an easier target then.
Hi everyone
Thanks for all the replies -
CrankyCraig - argh why didn't you post that a few days ago?! Didn't think about just using another chain but would be worried that the chain is the weakest link.
finishing touch - there are gravel grids but positioned for a car so got some more on the way to fill the gaps to enable the bikes to sit comfortably!
cbmotorsport - yep got the chains and disc locks too. As I said in my OP, I've had a couple of ground anchors before and they do give a good sense of security as well the additional bits.
R1 Dave - already got an Oxford Anchor Force ground anchor as I've had this one in the past and am familiar with it.
So my plan is an amalgamation of all the ideas I've been given. Going to drill a couple of concrete screws into the existing concrete, create a well (to keep the water in for the postmix) and a plate to hold some tubes slightly narrower than the ground anchor bolts. Fill the hole, take the tubes out and then I only have to slightly drill the holes bigger for the tubes hopefully eliminating the chance of the new concrete from shattering. Then I can install the ground anchor as normal.
Hopefully this will work!!
Thanks for all the replies -
CrankyCraig - argh why didn't you post that a few days ago?! Didn't think about just using another chain but would be worried that the chain is the weakest link.
finishing touch - there are gravel grids but positioned for a car so got some more on the way to fill the gaps to enable the bikes to sit comfortably!
cbmotorsport - yep got the chains and disc locks too. As I said in my OP, I've had a couple of ground anchors before and they do give a good sense of security as well the additional bits.
R1 Dave - already got an Oxford Anchor Force ground anchor as I've had this one in the past and am familiar with it.
So my plan is an amalgamation of all the ideas I've been given. Going to drill a couple of concrete screws into the existing concrete, create a well (to keep the water in for the postmix) and a plate to hold some tubes slightly narrower than the ground anchor bolts. Fill the hole, take the tubes out and then I only have to slightly drill the holes bigger for the tubes hopefully eliminating the chance of the new concrete from shattering. Then I can install the ground anchor as normal.
Hopefully this will work!!
Even the best chains are only measured in terms of seconds (not minutes) needed to circumvent them, so your ground anchor, even if less than perfect, still probably won't be the systems weakest link. 2 chains linked together, assuming they're the same or similar, won't be significantly more or less secure than one chain. As cbmotorsport states above, it's all about making it as difficult as possible to steal by using multiple security devices.
Something I bought recently that I've been really impressed with was a Pragmasis Roundlock, following a recommendation on here actually. It can be used as a chain padlock if the chain is substantial enough, but I've been using it as a front disk lock on my GSXR. It fits perfectly in the gap between the brake calliper and fork, making it enormously difficult to get at with an angle grinder. For anyone in the market for a disc lock, I'd highly recommend determining if it could work in a similar fashion on their bike.
Another security layer to consider, if possible, would be to get the bike out of sight, be that with the use of a fence or metal shed. Neither need to cost very much, but it's another valuable barrier.
As we've learned above though, even the best security isn't impenetrable, so perhaps most important of all is a dependable insurance policy... if such a thing exists.
Something I bought recently that I've been really impressed with was a Pragmasis Roundlock, following a recommendation on here actually. It can be used as a chain padlock if the chain is substantial enough, but I've been using it as a front disk lock on my GSXR. It fits perfectly in the gap between the brake calliper and fork, making it enormously difficult to get at with an angle grinder. For anyone in the market for a disc lock, I'd highly recommend determining if it could work in a similar fashion on their bike.
Another security layer to consider, if possible, would be to get the bike out of sight, be that with the use of a fence or metal shed. Neither need to cost very much, but it's another valuable barrier.
As we've learned above though, even the best security isn't impenetrable, so perhaps most important of all is a dependable insurance policy... if such a thing exists.
"hopefully eliminating the chance of the new concrete from shattering"
I would probably use resin for most situations now. Much easier than traditional expansion fixings. Gives you some wiggle to align, can be drilled much deeper, and with narrower holes. Not expensive - https://www.screwfix.com/p/easyfix-kem-psc-175-ef-...
I would probably use resin for most situations now. Much easier than traditional expansion fixings. Gives you some wiggle to align, can be drilled much deeper, and with narrower holes. Not expensive - https://www.screwfix.com/p/easyfix-kem-psc-175-ef-...
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff