Engine Stand

.40CalPatriot

.40CalPatriot

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Westminster, CO
Does anyone have an engine stand that I can borrow for a little while?Troy and I are going to get started on my engine swap, but first we are going to replace a few gaskets and need a stand to work with. Troys is being used at the moment. We are starting this weekend but it could be 2-3 weekends until the engine could finally be swapped in. :worship:Thanks!
 
Hypoid said:
If I didn't need to watch my spending I'd be picking this up: http://denver.craigslist.org/tls/1174260201.html

As it is, if I can't borrow one, I'll have to set an engine on the ground...or make another dolly for it. :(
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Yeah we need to put it on a stand and be able to flip it over for the RMS.

JJacobs said:
Tom (old man) has mine. You're free to use it, it's somewhere in the wilds of Loveland.
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I was thinking of asking Tom but with him being in the wilds of Loveland I was hoping I could find one closer.
 
Don't you dare bring one of those cheap H.F. stands over here...... I've broken two of 'em in the past putting small block V8's on 'em..... I've currently got my street rod engine on one and I've got a 2x4 wedged between the harmonic balancer and the front leg just to get that wobble-weight issue under control so a weld doesn't break..........junk steel, junk welds.
 
YELLAHEEP said:
Don't you dare bring one of those cheap H.F. stands over here...... I've broken two of 'em in the past putting small block V8's on 'em..... I've currently got my street rod engine on one and I've got a 2x4 wedged between the harmonic balancer and the front leg just to get that wobble-weight issue under control so a weld doesn't break..........junk steel, junk welds.
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Will do! :thumbup:

I found a few on craigs plus I may have a family member that may have one.
 
YELLAHEEP said:
Don't you dare bring one of those cheap H.F. stands over here...... I've broken two of 'em in the past putting small block V8's on 'em..... I've currently got my street rod engine on one and I've got a 2x4 wedged between the harmonic balancer and the front leg just to get that wobble-weight issue under control so a weld doesn't break..........junk steel, junk welds.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they do tend to be a little saggy, don't they. Might not want to keep it like that long term. Cranks are stout in their intended application, but are not designed to have the engine resting on the snout. Given enough time it will bend or break the crankshaft.
 
JJacobs said:
Yeah, they do tend to be a little saggy, don't they. Might not want to keep it like that long term. Cranks are stout in their intended application, but are not designed to have the engine resting on the snout. Given enough time it will bend or break the crankshaft.
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Sorry, I was keeping things brief - the 2x4 is between the harmonic balancer and the oil pan - the weight is actually supported by the oil pan flange just behind the balancer where the pan seals to the timing cover. It's not holding all that much weight, just enough to keep the bounce/wobble down if/when I move it.

I know what you're talking about though Jon - same rule applies to buying a used crankshaft or storing one out of the block - if you see it's been stored lying on it's side, it's no good - they're supposed to be stored standing on the flywheel end or supported in some sort of holder supported by the mains if it can't be left in the block.

Had a bad situation when I was helping a buddy replace the rod/main bearings on his builder Chevy in-line 6 engine. That long block was mounted to a H.F. stand and he was using a torque wrench on the mains. He was pulling on the wrench and I was holding the block in place and the welds broke holding the upright part at the bolt-together base. Fawkin' block damn near crushed my feet. Smashed the valve cover, broke the t-stat housing, and intake. The other H.F. that broke was the first one I ever bought. I put a Buick 455 block on it and I knew it was gonna be heavy on the stand, so I had made a 2x4 brace that was to cradle the oil pan. It was bolted to the stand, but still being held by the hoist. I lowered the hoist to have the engine weight on the stand so I could measure and cut the brace I was building and the weld broke. Nothing fell, but coulda been bad. I ended up buying a roll-around 4-caster engine carrier for that beast of a block.
 
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Ow! That would have been bad. Never had one snap, but they sure are springy. On second thought, maybe Tom can just keep the damn thing. I lost track of it years ago and it just resurfaced.

I oughta snap pics of this monster stand at work. It has two uprights and the engine goes in between- like a rotisserie. It'll hold any v-8 diesel like there's nothing there and you rotate it around with a hand crank. We have a cherry picker that's built to an equal scale.
 
Well, the newer version of the "cheap" H.F. engine stand has improved since I last used/bought one. The one I have in the garage now with the small block on it doesn't have the little piece of square tube acting as a truss between the upright and the lower - that's where the welds have broken on the previous two. The other improvement is the 2 casters on the end - the earlier one I have has just 1 caster and the damn thing is easy to tip when trying to move the block.

Looks like H.F. has a better one available as well.


The "cheap" one:

32916.gif


The "better" one:

04420.gif



You can see a notable difference between the two. Which would you want a 350 lb engine on? :D


EDIT: Found a pic of the one I have and has broken for me before. Says it has a 750 capacity....... :bs:

engine%20stand%20750.jpg


Never buy one of these.......... :nono:
 
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