Need skinned knuckle engineering advice on building an engine hoist from 2 inch (nom.) schedule 40 steel pipe. I'm thinking of making an X base with a center post capped by a pivoting, fixed-angle hoist arm. Either a come-along or winch and cable could be used to lift the engine. The pivot would allow it to swing to deposit the engine on a truck bed or trailer. This arrangement would be useful where there is no concrete floor for a wheeled hoist.
Any thoughts, criticisms, strength numbers on the pipe, etc., are welcome.
Just what are you wanting to do? Pull the motor or place the motor in a truck for transport? Or both?
If it's for just placing in a truck for transport. I've been thinking about one that would go into the receiver hitch. 2" box out to 3" round with id of 2" then 2" round up with a boom and either a cable winch or one of the cheap electric winches. Of course you could prolly use something like that to pull one to if you build it with a extendable boom.
only down side to an X for the base, It's entirely possible you might need to straddle one wheel or jack stand sometime. and remember, this could kill you if it was to fail in use.
The big problem here, as Larry already pointed out, is the base would have to be very wide to accommodate a side load,so wide in fact it would probably be awkward for installing or removing an engine from a car. Now if you are talking about a fixed mount like maybe concreted in the ground then that should work just fine. I have one built from I-beam permanently mounted at one end of a concrete pad that has a swinging arm and is quite useful but the load must be brought to the hoist. The swing arm has a trolley with an electric hoist rated at 880 lbs. that will travel from the end of the swing arm all the way back to the support beam giving total area coverage for lift. Both a trolley and hoist similar to what I used are available from Harbor Freight for less than $200 but I have never used the HF units so I don't know about quality.
One leg of the X would be placed directly under the engine. That puts 2 legs acting as chocks for the wheels, too. I was thinking of each leg being about 5 ft long with the lift arm being 4 ft. If that lift arm could tilt as well as pivot, then the engine could be brought close to the center post before swinging, to make it more stable as it passes the open areas of the X.
Actually treated wood would make a better base than steel pipe. It would be unlikely to get pushed into the ground. A 2x8 laid flat with a 2x6 rib down the center (upside-down 'T' in cross section) with steel brackets for attaching the braces on the center post would provide a stable base. The least stable position would be when the lift arm and load are at 45 degrees to the legs.
Need skinned knuckle engineering advice on building an engine hoist from 2 inch (nom.) schedule 40 steel pipe. I'm thinking of making an X base with a center post capped by a pivoting, fixed-angle hoist arm. Either a come-along or winch and cable could be used to lift the engine. The pivot would allow it to swing to deposit the engine on a truck bed or trailer. This arrangement would be useful where there is no concrete floor for a wheeled hoist.
Any thoughts, criticisms, strength numbers on the pipe, etc., are welcome.
Are you looking to make something like this ? Myself, I'd just spend the $59.99 and buy the ready-made model. Or you could try this model for $40.00 more. But, that's just me...
Unless you already have the steel and parts to make the hoist, its gonna be cheaper to buy it already made than to build it yourself. I used to have my dads mentality of making everything myself and have realized that sometimes its cheaper in the long run to buy some things you need than to make it yourself when you factor all of your costs and time together to make something.
Are you looking to make something like this ? Myself, I'd just spend the $59.99 and buy the ready-made model. Or you could try this model for $40.00 more. But, that's just me...
Thanks for the links. That is very similar to what I had in mind. It just needs to be taller and independent of a truck. I could take something like that and build a rough ground base for it and add to the height. The boom reach and capacity are plenty.
Unless you already have the steel and parts to make the hoist, its gonna be cheaper to buy it already made than to build it yourself. I used to have my dads mentality of making everything myself and have realized that sometimes its cheaper in the long run to buy some things you need than to make it yourself when you factor all of your costs and time together to make something.
Yes, I do have the parts and agree that there are a lot of times when it makes more sense to buy than build from scratch. Sometimes, though, just like life itself, it's the journey rather than the destination that counts.
In this case it looks like the best route for me is to adapt an existing hoist to the job. Combining some ideas in this thread should do it. Oldred has me thinking of setting up a trolley hoist for my garage loft entrance.
Are you looking to make something like this ? Myself, I'd just spend the $59.99 and buy the ready-made model. Or you could try this model for $40.00 more. But, that's just me...
have you ever seen a coffin truck or a septic tank truck with the "I" beam in the center of the truck with the I beam extending out past the rear of the truck
I think the 2nd link with a Reese hitch insert and a couple of feet would be a handy easily made tool.
I agree with the others, it is going to be cheaper and safer to buy one designed for the task.
Vince
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