Has anybody else had an engine block on a stand do an unintended quick flop while you're turning it over to install the cylinder head, or maybe do a final check on connecting rod and main bearing torque before installing the oil pan, or bolting on accessories? I have, and it can be pretty hazardous to fingers and other appendages.
I just had a brainstorm. Stewart had a very fancy, brand new engine stand at Wrenchfest, one with a gearbox and a hand crank on it so an engine can be turned to any convenient position and locked into place. Now, I'm going to wager that his checkbook needed a little CPR after that purchase! Being the dyed in the wool cheapskate that I am- - - -why not bolt or weld a surplus automatic transmission flex plate to the head of the engine stand, and do a little creative bracketing to mesh a recycled starter drive gear and a hand crank with it? A 168 tooth flywheel and a 9 tooth starter pinion gives nearly a 19:1 mechanical advantage over that heavy engine, especially if it's turned with a hand crank about 10 or 12 inches long!
Comments, suggestions, modifications, etc. from the peanut gallery are cordially invited! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
When I had a 6.5 Detroit Deisel on the stand, I used a long bar between the stand-off legs at the rear of the engine, pretty good control and the ability to lock the bar against the floor.
1957 Chevrolet 5700 LCF 283 SM420 2 speed rear, 1955 IH 300U T/A, 1978 Corvette 350 auto, 1978 Yamaha DT175, 1999 Harley Davidson Softail Fat Boy
Maybe an old boat trailer winch would do the trick, although they basically ratchet in one direction at a time. Pretty good gear reduction, so if you keep control of the crank, it might work OK. The one on my boat trailer is double reduction.
Last edited by klhansen; 05/02/20245:14 AM.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
If somebody has enough common sense to keep his fingers out of the ring gear/pinion junction, a 20:1 ratio should give him plenty of control over the engine's position, and if he doesn't, he probably shouldn't be handling anything more dangerous than a potato in the first place! I guess I could incorporate a small sheet metal shroud over that area. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
I just drill a bunch of holes in the tube for a drop-in lock pin- - - - -maybe every 30 degrees or so. When I'm whittling on the front or back of the block, I bolt a pivot plate to a few cylinder head bolt holes- - - -for machining the flywheel end of the block for a full circle lip seal with my Van Norman boring bar, etc. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
I guess I could incorporate a small sheet metal shroud over that area. Jerry
OSHA would be proud of you for that, Jerry. LOL!
But I'm with you on keeping fingers out of where they don't belong. It doesn't take much brainpower to do that.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
65+ years of tinkering with dangerous stuff with unshielded moving parts- - - -and I've still got all my fingers and toes- - - -but a few of them have some impressive scars. Maybe being "lucky" is better than "good" at times! LOL! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Yeah, I've got a distinctive L-shaped fingerprint on my left pinky that was from helping a buddy install a Triumph sports car 4 banger engine without a hoist. Seems that finger was in the wrong place as we set it in.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
I eyeballed Stewarts engine stand real close-like. He left without it. I pondered about taking it home with me, but heck, Stewart's too nice of a guy to do that to... Besides that, the cops pulled me over for sightseeing on the 301 bridge on my way home and I never would have gotten away with it.
Last edited by 52Carl; 05/05/202412:10 AM.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
Carl ... As I still have, essentially, Stewart's engine stand in my "control" ... I could let you have it for a nominal gratuity .... to quote Pooh Bah, "For a very low figure ..."
~ John
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 1963 Kaiser M38A1 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
That stand is a Harbor Freight product- - - -and while it's a bit pricey ($300.00 or so) it looks to be very good quality and is capable of handling the weight and length of a stovebolt six safely. It's even got four leveling jackscrews to make sure the stand doesn't roll all over the shop while you're torquing cylinder head bolts or main bearings. And it folds up into a very compact package for storage when not in use. If you think that's expensive- - - -check out the doctor's labor rates at your local emergency room after an engine stand tips over and mashes a foot!
Last edited by Peggy M; 05/05/20244:51 PM. Reason: added the HF image here
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
I would like to stick MY25000 CENTS in, whether anybody likes it or not; since the stand was put together the night before Wrenchfest, I was kinda hoping to be the 1st to use it. But since MY engine is in Tennessee right now, IF somebody REALLY needs to BORROW it, I GUESS I wouldn't mind. But it has to be back in my garage when my engine gets back home. And thank you for thinking I'm a NICE GUY! Plus, if our "Chief Bottle Washer" collects any monetary contribution, it best be put into the ODSS fund.
But SERIOUSLY guys, YOU FOLKS are the NICE ONES and I CAN'T THANK ALL OF YOU ENOUGH!!!!
S2
Stewart2 1955.1 3100 Both Owner and P/U have lots of miles, lots of history and need LOTS of TLC Jack of several trades and experiences; Master of none
... How about a picture or two for those of us that couldn't make it to Wrenchfest?
Here's the one HRL mentioned above. The pictures from WF show more engine than engine stand.
~ Peggy M 1949 Chevrolet 3804 "Charlie" - The Stovebolt Flagship In the Gallery "We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give." -- Winston Churchill
That HF engine stand has a worm gear drive...when you let go of the handle it stops right there...no chance of the handle smacking you in the arm if your hand slips off, I like that feature!
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
I eyeballed Stewarts engine stand real close-like. He left without it. I pondered about taking it home with me, but heck, Stewart's too nice of a guy to do that to... Besides that, the cops pulled me over for sightseeing on the 301 bridge on my way home and I never would have gotten away with it.
HHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
~ Cosmo 1949 Chevy Half Ton Rocinante, like Don Quixote, he is awkward, past his prime, and engaged in a task beyond his capacities. "...my good horse Rocinante, mine eternal and inseparable companion in all my journeys and courses." ...Don Quixote, Cervantes "If you come to a fork in the road, take it."...Yogi Berra "Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength." ...Eric Hoffer
~ Victor 1941 3/4-Ton Pickup (in process). Read about it in the DITY Gallery 1955 Grumman Kurbside "Doughboy" 235/3 on tree w/ OD 1957 3100 - moved on 1959 C4500 Short Bus "Magic Bus" - moved on 1959 G3800 1 Ton Dually "Chief" - moved on 1958 C4400 Viking "Thor" ~ moved on to fellow Bolter
I like the idea! When I get around to opening up the 261 that’s just waiting to get back to work I plan to do a couple of cheap upgrades on my 40 year old engine stand. First is to widen and lengthen the wheelbase. Second is adapt a slack adjuster off an old Nabors flatbed that’s now a bridge to a gear drive for the engine stand. Should be pretty easy. If/when I do pictures will be posted.
