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I bought a 261 a couple months ago and made a cradle that fits into my Class III hitch receiver to move it. I picked it up at the machine shop today after having it magnufluxed and got to thinking that I should share the cradle idea because it is so simple to build and easy to use.

I used the dimensions from the drawings included in Steve Peterson't Tech Tip on building an engine dolly. The cradle is made from 2x6's and sits in a 750 pound rated trailer hitch cargo carrier from Harbor Freight that runs about $80 on sale with a coupon.

If you build one, I suggest that you make sure that you make the 2x6 frame sit on the angle iron of the cargo carrier, not the mesh floor. Put the load on the angle iron frame, not the mesh.

Works great. Easy height for two of us to load the block or for just me to lift/load it with my engine hoist. Rides great.

I use five straps to hold the engine.

Here are a couple pictures:

http://s844.photobucket.com/user/ma...1315_zpstekwmccv.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

http://s844.photobucket.com/user/ma...1313_zpsz4upshjp.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

Matt

Matt,

Very ingenious! Just takes a little ingenuity, right? Perfect height to use your hoist to get the block off the rack when you get it home. Good luck with your rebuild.

John

That's pretty slick. Nice job!

Pretty cool, and great use of your hitch rack !!

Looks good, but be aware that adding weight that far behind the rear axle can cause some interesting changes in vehicle handling. That's particularly true if you're hauling a complete engine instead of a bare block or a short block.
Jerry

Jerry, thanks. I was super careful because of exactly what you said, particularly on turns and braking.

I'm responding to Jerry's post just to reinforce his advice. I should have stated this caution in my original post. Please be careful if you build one of these cradles and understand that the weight shift can affect handling.

I have moved the engine a few times with it, but have always done it with the head removed. This was on purpose to reduce weight and to lower the center of gravity. Be extra careful if you transport a complete engine.

Jerry, thanks for adding your advice. Safety first.

Matt

I got into a really scary situation once while hauling a complete 454 Chevy engine I had just assembled and dyno tested, while taking it to a marina where it was supposed to be installed in a big houseboat. One of the tiedown straps in the back of my pickup came loose and the engine shifted about 45 degrees and almost fell over. Getting it repositioned and tied down more securely was quite a chore!
Jerry

nice job on that mount,I had done something similar using a grinding wheel pallet
bottom of pallet made a nice vee as a start point