Engine stand recommendations, please!

73WinnieIndian · January 22, 2013, 11:25 AM

I'm now looking for an engine stand. Reviews are awesome. As the one Johnny wanted I guess is too wide to fit in between the hoist. No good. Trying to keep it easy, the whole purpose of the hoist and stand is to not to have to lift it.

Oz · January 22, 2013, 11:27 AM

As for a specifics on engine stands, I don't have any input for you but, take a Look at TJ's 318 rebuild cost topic. He shows a couple, excellent tricks he came up with for squeezing the hoist in with little clearance and there's some shots of the stand he's using.

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,4408.msg14646.html#msg14646

LJ-TJ · January 22, 2013, 11:44 AM

Can you explain a little better what your trying to do? Are you trying to lift the engine out? or do you already have it out on the engine hoist and trying to get it so you can mount it on an engine stand? Have you got any pictures of what your trying to do doing. i??

LJ-TJ · January 22, 2013, 11:52 AM

If it's an engine stand your looking for this is the style I would recommend because of it's stability. If you plan on working on your engine and spinning it over to work on the bottom end this one I found the best. The other engine stands that look like a "T" on the end with the casters are very tippy and in my opinion dangerous.

http://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lb-foldable-engine-stand-67015.html

Froggy1936 · January 22, 2013, 12:21 PM

This stand i pur on line for $80.00 then saw same thing at Harbor freight for $65.00 There both rated for 1000 lbs the chev 350 engine is listed at 750lbs It works just fine Frank

Lefty · January 22, 2013, 07:30 PM

I have the exact engine stand shown by LJ-TJ, I purchased at Harbor Freight about 10yrs ago. I've built several 350 Chevy's on it. My brother-in-law borrowed it to build his 429SCJ engine, and it didn't have any problem with that either.

I've owned a cheap 3 legged model and I tossed it after the first use. They are dangerous. If you push/pull in the wrong direction they can tip over on you with little to no warning. I would never allow one to be used in my shop again.

Lefty · January 22, 2013, 07:39 PM

If I understand correctly, you have an engine stand and it won't fit/roll between the legs of the hoist your using... That's actually a common issue with the 4 legged stands when used with a standard 1-ton hoist. You'll either have to improvise a longer lifting arm for the hoist (which reduces it's lifting capacity), use a less stable 3-legged engine stand that will roll between the hoist legs, or do what I did and get a 2 ton hoist. The 2 ton hoist is about $225 at Harbor Freight and is wide enough for the 4 legged engine stand to fit between it's legs.

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-foldable-shop-crane-69051.html

LJ-TJ · January 22, 2013, 07:47 PM

One thing I did that might work for you is I bought a swivel hook. It allowed me to straddle the two legs" host and engine stand" and turn the engine into position. i??

73WinnieIndian · January 22, 2013, 09:29 PM

Oh, someone added the subject line for me.
LJ-TJ....just looked and we do have a swivel hook already on the engine hoist.

Johnny was looking at the fold up type engine stands....thinking it would store better in the garage. I told him, just get the cheaper one either at harbor freight or craigslist.

Then when done with it, re-list it on craigslist. Easier than having it in the garage for years in my opinion. We have figured it out, thanks for all the posts. The much cheaper engine stand actually would work better with our leg stance on the hoist.

73WinnieIndian · January 22, 2013, 09:48 PM

Okay, I need to put my glasses on.

I just re-read and understood. 4 casters = better stability. This is what Johnny was worried about as well Lefty. We are spending so much money on this thing, if it tipped...oh, well, we don't even want to go there.

The concern with the 4 caster one was that some of them are really wide and it wouldn't fit inside Engine hoist.

Engine hoist seems really narrow. /\

Yet looking at Froggy's picture below....some are more narrow in the front.

So bottom line is we just need to break out the tape measure before buying one.

Would love to get one cheap on craigslist. I am going to go look now.

Thanks for all the input.

ps.I can't see who asked, but we have the engine out already and apart.