Wrongheaded/unwarranted assumption #99:



OK. I bought two standard items most every mechanic owns. A cherry-picker hoist, and a rotating engine stand. Who would have thunk they are not compatible? For the life of me, I cannot figure out how you attach a hoisted engine to the stand, as the legs of both interfere with each other (unless I am overlooking something obvious, which at my age is entirely feasible). You would think this problem might have come up before?



My only apparent option, since the motor assembly work is going on in my basement, which just so happens by some stroke of incredible serendipity to have a steel beam supporting the overhead floor joists (installed to stretch floor space for a full sized pool table), is to get a chain hoist and drill attaching bolt holes in the I-beam flanges. If anyone with construction experience advises against this, I'm all ears!

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Does the stand fit if you back it into the hoist? That's the way I have to do mine. If I drive them toward each other, it would never work. I also find it easier to attach the rotating head to the engine first.


Lawrenceville, GA

Nope. I HAD to buy the heavier-duty stand with wider support legs, after reading on the forum about cheap chinese product failures. No big deal, I guess. I can always use a chain hoist in future. Better than coming home some day to find my engine on the ground!

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

"is to get a chain hoist and drill attaching bolt holes in the I-beam flanges. If anyone with construction experience advises against this, I'm all ears! "

Generally not a good idea to drill the flanges of the bottom of an I beam.  Instead put wood blocks on either side between the flanges and then drill through the wood and web of the beam.  Run about a 1/2" bolt through a loop of chain, the blocks, and the center of the beam's web. This transfers the load into the beam at neutral axis of the beam, the location of minimum stress from the rest of the load ie pool table etc. Drilling the flanges removes material from an area of much higher stress.

 

Doug T

The Highlands, Louisville, Ky.

Any chance we could have that in English? Oh, never mind, forgot where you are.

1

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Thanks Doug,

I had considered rigging a double hook/link arrangement using the lower flanges on both sides of the I-beam (to spread the load), but hesitated due to limited overhead space required for the hoist gear, and the fact that one side of the beam abuts my furnace duct. I like your idea better, and will likely just bend the ducting out of the way for access.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Can you just slide the legs in and the boom out enough to get it on the stand?  That is what I did.  (I took off the exhaust and intake manifolds to make it a little lighter)

Boom is fully extended to the 500 lbs. hole. If I had bothered to plan ahead/take measurements, I would have bought a stand with a narrower stance (likely what you have, unless your hoist if different).



While I'm on the subject, since my stand has no crank and the heads are already installed, what kind of trouble can I expect when rotating 180 degrees? Will this be a two-gorilla job? The tube head is tilted back a bit, unlike other stands I've seen. Could maybe affect rotational friction?

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Dan, i,m supprised your engine lifter doesnt extend out far enough to enable engine stand to be accessable, i often extend the boom out past the last hole and have a chain and bolt to stop it slideing out, just should,nt try moving lifter too far while extended. As for rotating engine, friction comes into play due to the weight on the rotating head of the stand and slowly rotating engine using pipe or bar as lever works, usually easier without heads on. All of the above has worked for me over 40 yrs.

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

My engine stand was to wide to go between the legs of my engine hoist,so what i did was cut a couple inches off each of the front legs and relocated the casters,problem solved,it now goes under far enough to hook.i put a small amount of white grease on the shaft of the engine stand to make it rotate easier.   Carl