The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Engine hoist and Stand

Would love to hear your .02 worth on what to look for when purchasing a hoist and stand. I know weight capacity....but what else?

gmchix,

Although I don't own one, I've always thought the foldaway cherry pickers were pretty cool from a space saving standpoint in the crowded garage or workshop.

Stuart

I have an engine hoist and 2 engine stands. I bought the engine hoist, which is the front leg fold-up type, and use it for anything that I can to save my back. I use it for engines, transmissions, cab removal, etc. I use the engine stands for both engines and transmissions. Both are great and handy.

I think that I paid a little over $100 for the engine hoist at Pep Boys. I paid around $50 for each of the engine stands. They are the type with 4 wheels.

I hope this helps

If you're going to mount a stovebolt 6 on it, get the biggest, longest-legged engine stand you can find. They're heavier and longer than a small block V-8, and there's a real danger of tipping over forward or turning over sideways due to the high center of gravity of the inline engine. A student at the school where I teach needed almost 100 stitches to close up the cuts on his foot from getting in the way of a falling engine/stand combination several years ago, before I took over the shop. The kids had mounted the engine back onto the stand after installing the flywheel, clutch, and bellhousing, which made it too front-heavy. This was a professional-quality stand, also, not a cheap square tubing type. Don't believe the weight ratings on some of the Mickey Mouse stands that are available on the internet or one of the Chinese tool places. They'll get you hurt!
Jerry

definitely get unit's that fold up !for space saving .but get a hoist that has a lift ram that pump's on the up and down stroke .i changed my cylinder out about 1 1/21 yea4s ago and i could not believe the difference in speed .make sure both are heavy enough to be stable the 6 cylinders are pretty heavy sticking out quite far .

I have a 3 leg stand that I use on the V-8's and I also have made out riggers for the stand that can be bolted on the back section and the front section has a small 12" cross piece that can be bolted to it also. If I build another stand I will incorperate a slide out center leg with pins and 2 wheels 16" wide for extra safety. I had a simlar expericence with a Chevy 6 rolling over but was lucky I still had the engine hoist attached. That could of gotten messy too. My engine stand is built out of 21/2" sq. tubing 1/4" thick and the mounting bars are of keystock 5/8" sq. all bolts are grade 8. It's better to be safe than sorry. The Cheery picker I use is made out of 3" sq. 3/8" thick tubing all the away around and I have picked up some heavy engines and other things with it. It comes apart but does not fold up. This is my friends picker he used a 12 ton jack on it. That is a little overkill but it works.
62Blue.
Don

I have worked with the fold up units and they work great.

I have a chainfall, I do like being able to inch things around.
I got it for dissasembling a Farmall C and it was a lifesaver.

As for moving onto vehicle for transport,I cheat and use the New Holland

not that you would have to have it, but my cherry picker is set up to be tilted over and pulled down the highway. it has a set of spindles and tires and a coupler on it. sometimes i pull it behind my truck and load engines at auctions or use it to pull them. i also used it in a parking lot when my 66 threw a rod years ago.

I bought both cherry picker and engine stand from Northern Tool and they have served me well. The cherry picker is really more useful around the shop than just pulling engines.

Im with BIG CHEVY on this one .. I also have the Northern Tool foldable cherry picker I purchased for pullin motors but have found it to be THAT EXTRA HAND allot round the shop I use it all the time from liftin the ridin mower to pull the blades for sharpenin to whatever needs some muscle to move around.
I personally love the darn thing!
an when ya done pull the pins fold up the legs an stow it away in the corner, its kinda like havin that buddy that hangs out in the shop time to time there 24/7.
Tim

I also have a foldable cherry picker from Northern Tools. It works great for at least the home/hobbyist. I would recommend it for the price.

Northern sells "Torin" lifts which is the kind I have, but a different model than the one they show on their web site. Mine has an angled boom above the pivot and an air powered pump and is foldable.
I bought a smaller one, but took it back the next day because it was too short.
The first job I had for it was to take the fleet side bed off my '67. The boom lifted high enough, but the bed rail was up against the bottom of the boom. I had the bed up at almost a 45 deg angle before it cleared enough. When I put it back on later with the second lift, the bed rail cleared the boom much better. This lets the boom clear the radiator support with more clearance.
Six cylinders engines are a lot taller than the V8's. Pulling a six out of a truck means you need a lot more total height than the guy pulling a V8 out of a car.

I can't believe the forum police haven't moved this thread!

Some pics of the Northern Tool cherry picker that others have spoken about in my engine rebuild album. Also have the engine hoist that I got (I think)from Harbor Freight. Both worked great!

fold up tools are awesome. if you saw my garage you would understand. i bought a 2 ton unit from pep boys that folds and also has a pnuematic assist on the ram as well as the hand pump, works way cool. many guys swear by a leveler for the hoist as well. definitely go big on the engine stand as everyone else has mentioned the I6's are front heavy b/c of the length.

I also looked into the harbor frieght hoist and even the large gantry. Decided to build one myself with 2" ID iron pipe. It worked great with a 2 ton chain hoist. This will even lift the cab off the frame. Welded at stress points and left thread to take apart if needed.
See pics- http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2758989080103567918qtfmwk