Some 30 years ago I built an engine crane based on an old Chevy 283 bare block. I knocked the center main bearing web out with a sledge hammer, and used the center main bearing oil holes to attach a steel cable. I used the starter motor/flywheel to wind up the cable up around the main, raising the load. I then used a long handle which released the clutch to slowly lower the load. A highly impractical, but fun project. It worked too. I eventually dismantled it and s****ped the block.
Here's another slightly more practical shop crane I use to move moderately heavy items. This one uses a 440/880 lb capacity electric winch. Frame will fit through doorways, straddle workbench end, etc. I lift an object and set it down on a couple of boards across the base in order to move it.
Now you would use a cheap 2 or 3k ton winch from Harbor Freight with a small battery mounted on the lower frame of the picker. But why do you need it in the first place?
Not the scariest cherry picker I have ever seen by a long shot. About 50 years ago a buddy welded one up that wasn't balanced real well and someone would have to stand on the back of it to balance it when he lifted and engine up until he extended the legs. He even brought me a beer while I was standing on the back of it with an engine hanging off it once. I'd call that second one a back saver though. I've strained my gizzard too many times moving something heavy around the shop that something like that would have made an easy task of it.
A friend gave me this little crane over 20 years ago, I finally mounted on one of my rolling tables. Picking 9" third members, complete transmissions, and other items directly from the floor, hurt my back. Not anymore !
I bought this 110 volt hoist from Harbour Freight for about a hundred bucks. I mounted it on the ceiling of the garage and and use it all the time. The only complaint I have about it is it jerks a little too quick when going up or down so if I'm using it to install heads I hook a small chain fall to it to ease it down slower.
Hello, When my brother started to get some engine work done on his 51 Oldsmobile and then in his 58 Impala, we used our two car garage rafters for cross beam support and a chain lift mechanism. At the time, no one had cranes to lean over the motor and roll it into place. Perhaps the professional engine rebuild shops did, but we did not see too many rolling cranes. The cars rolled to the chain lift mechanism and then the action took place. We noticed that at Lion’s Dragstrip, there were some frantic pits action going on during the eliminations or between the rounds. The teams with their helpers utilized an old playgroud swing set converted to a chain lift engine removal support. We have all seen these in the early playgrounds and later on, they were mainstays in the family backyards. With a little extra support, it seemed like a good idea from the early drag racers. But, use or over use with heavy motors, etc. made the strong tubular support bend a little in the middle. “What happens if a engine lift was needed for any work while at the dragstrip? Someone had brought a sturdy backyard swing set and made use of the center area with their own chain-pulley systems. It was getting well used and started to sag in the middle, but it helped plenty of racers do their own between elimination runs to make necessary changes while at the dragstrip.” “The serious need for motor removal and tear downs sometimes had the racers go a few miles down the streets from Lion's Dragstrip, to Joe Mailliard’s Speed Shop, Mickey Thompson Enterprises, or Speed Engineering. If you had a Clay Smith Cam sponsored racecar and needed work space with a garage, ceiling mounted chain hoist, that was also a block or two away from the grouping of hot rod/drag race shops.” For all others, the Lion’s Dragstrip hoist was handy and located in the far reaches of the huge pit area. Lion’s Dragstrip Pits at :43 Jnaki Here is that sneaky teen getting all of the speed secrets he could from the famous Doug Cook’s Tahitian Red C/Gas record setting 1937 Chevy Coupe. at 1:04 We were so close to our house that the chain hoist was available if we needed work. But, that would call for some extreme measures that, for us, wasn’t necessary. The only problem was that with our home chain hoist, we had to use 4x4 and 6x6 beam supports for the cross beams. When we were finished, those supports had to come down, so our dad could get his big Buick sedan in the garage without any h***les. From the 51 Oldsmobile motor work to the 58 Impala and finally to the 1940 Willys Coupe, the hoist got used quite a bit in our small two car garage. Back then, it was the hot rod rolling up to the crane and the chain was lowered in smooth increments. Whereas today, the crane comes to you. Watching plenty of current engine installs, it just seems like the current crop of engine cranes need a better adjusting mechanism that lowers in increments and not in lumps as fast as the operator can push the lever or ****on. It seems like the editing portion of the engine installation had several cuts/edits after mistakes or errors were done in the first takes.
Well you asked for ridiculous. When you own a Cadillac flathead engine and try to lift it with ****** attached most shop cranes dont have the reach and capacity to lift that kind of weight safely, plus able to manouvre easily...
Before I had a cherry picker, I did my engine swaps (maybe a dozen or so) using a cable puller and three 4x4s arranged into a tripod with a 1/2" bolt through the top. I was too young and stupid to question the stability of the rig, but never had a problem.
i have a a-frame i built out of ridgid pipe about 38 years ago, it is where it can be broke down to haul. i use a chain hoist on it. my grandson and i just used it a couple weekends ago pulling engines out of ot trucks. been very handy.
Used to have one of those chainfalls with the one piece endless chains, a section of 2 inch black iron pipe and some chain. Placed the pipe on the trusses in the garage, it hit about 5 or 6. With the loop of chain holding the chainfall, it could be rolled back and forth making it easier to get engines in and out of the car. Of course I didn't know that those lower 2x4s weren't really good for holding up that kind of load. That part never failed, thank the gods looking out for children, drunks and teenagers who know better... The chainfall, however, was probably 50 or so years old when I got it. And it's ratchet mechanism was, well, sketchy? To say the least. Working alone to change engines was not the smartest thing I ever did. But I survived it regardless, and didn't loose any body parts along the way...
Hello, The rigid pipe "A" frame from our neighbor's backyard swing was tempting, as they no longer played on it and it was starting to corrode. The structure was ok, similar to the one at the Lion's Drag Strip Pits. All we had to do was to take all of the swinging items off and it was strong enough to hold a pulley system and hoist. This was before we used the lumber inside of the regular two car garage for the engine removal and installation spot. We did not mind setting it up and then when finished, taking the large post supports out, along with the pulley system. Then the whole regular garage was a normal two car garage. We only took out/installed the SBC motors 6 times and took out the Willys Coupe 4 cylinder motor once. Plus, it was cool and shady inside of the garage, with the door up and side door open for a cross breeze from the ocean to the West of us. Jnaki It all depends on what space you have, where you want to work on the car. We had a large canvas tarp stretched out from the open backyard garage outward and that covered the concrete work area and then some. So, if we had moved the "A" frame there, it would have worked nicely. The only problem was that it was difficult to take apart the "A" frame joints, as they were rusted. Plus, there would be a giant structure just sitting there in our backyard not being used for anything else, until we did another motor exchange. YRMV When we sold the old house and moved, the walk through brought up the sight of the newer wood supports up in the regular garage rafters. I explained that it gave extra support to the roof and garage structure overall, the inspector and buyer were ok with that. Why did we have to remove the wooden supports in the regular garage after we used the pulley system for motor install/removal? Our dad's big Buick Sedans took up a lot of space and we also wanted to park the 58 Chevy Impala in the other side. The large 50's cars took up a lot of space, but, it worked out for the time we had that situation. My flathead 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery was outside all of the time on the gr***y area of the backyard.
Nochop , I would use your set up to pull engine's in a heart beat . Here's mine , I have used it like this in this shop for 33 years , and before that for several years with an A- frame bolted to one end and the other end resting on a wood framed garage wall . .
The I beam is lashed to 4x spanned over garage trusses, have a hoist for motors. Got to love Harbor freight. Cheers W
I have built two of these over my years! One I left at the Fire Dept! They both have huge ( 10 inch) swivel type wheels that will lock either straight or 90 degrees. I just park them at the entrance to the shop! In my shop it is kinda in the way due to the overhead door rails. At the Dept, the doors were different and the hoist would fit right up next to the wall….out of the way! These type lifts are very handy! I used this one many times installing truck beds that weighed over 2000 lbs! Also note the number of chain hoist on it! I also have a bracket to mount an engine stand on one leg. And a device to bolt to a leg to use the hoist to pull side ways. It is also wide enough to put a short vehicle in it sideways! Bones
One of the handiest tools around the shop that I have, is this knock down A-Frame, given to me by a friend 25 years ago. It's simple in construction, easy to store when not in use. Install engines, move ch***is, mount bodies.
My current project under the trolley crane, sure makes things handy. Tires are sitting on12 x 12 blocks with skates to center up under the crane. Adjustable stands at each end lock it down to the floor and allow me to mess with suspension ride height.
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