[matt167]

My shop crane will not go high enough/ boom barely long enough to pull the 460/C6 out of my trucks bed. It was put in there with the trans to the back of the truck. so my chain is barely long enough to reach the crane.. But it just won't go up far enough.. My thinking is I could create a longer boom that will extend the reach out 12" extra or so, but utilize all the bolt locations/ length of the outer tube for structural integrity.. Then take some round or square tubing that is slightly bigger than the cylinder. cut a peice that is 6" or so long, and drill it so that it is an extension of the cylinder and would go higher with less cylinder stroke.. These mods safe for temporary purpose?

[Blazin72]

At a minimum you would have to add counterbalance to the other end of the hoist. I've used mine at full extension a couple times and it was getting a little tipsy with a fully assembled 350 in the bed.

[evolvo]

So the out put end of the tranny is at the tailgate, engine at the cab? Any chance you could just slide the engine/tranny back so you don't have to reach in so far?

[matt167]

thinking about doing that. it's setting on a tire so it won't hurt the truck. But I will still need to increase the height to lift the engine enough to get it out..

I really prefer A frames with chain hoist's for this issue. but I havn't had time to build 1.

[willowbilly3]

Don't extend that cherry picker. If it's a standard sized shop crane you are already overloading it just lifting a 460 with the transmission attached. If you need more height just to get this engine unloaded, maybe you could let the air out of the tires.

[Irelands child]

Originally Posted by willowbilly3

Don't extend that cherry picker. If it's a standard sized shop crane you are already overloading it just lifting a 460 with the transmission attached. If you need more height just to get this engine unloaded, maybe you could let the air out of the tires.

.....and pull the C6 and torque converter off and maybe even the intake and exhaust manifolds if for no other reason then to reduce the weight. I had to partially disassemble a much lighter 351W in the back of my high F350 one time to do that very thing after the junk yard had put it in with their cherry picker. DON'T extend the boom!!!!

Dave W

[matts37chev]

you could make an extension for the bottom of the main post, kinda like a lift block, that bolts in between the base legs and the main upright post.
or just make a new taller post.

[Jim Rockford]

Remove the tailgate to let you in farther.

[joe_padavano]

You can't just drag the motor to the back of the bed first? And yes, unbolt the trans from the block.

[trees]

Your "crane" is a function of leverage. You extend the boom, then you have extended the length of the lever arm. You must extend the length of the legs to neutralize the increase. Additionally, the extension increases the load the cylinder must lift and you possibly exceed the maximum capability of the cylinder. Better options have been suggested since you are at or over the maximum capacity of your "crane". I would remove the tranny and converter in place as mentioned. Then scoot the engine back to a position I could lift it clear of the bed floor from the rear of the truck. Once clear, drive the truck forward and then lower the engine to reduce the center of gravity and move to where I wanted it. Even better, lower it to a dolly that will support all that cast iron and move it.

Trees

[timothale]

I saw a kid lifting and engine with a home make crane mounted on a pallet jack. They did not extend the bottom legs and the thing tipped over, bent the oil pan and broke the oil pump. very unsafe. Some rental yards have a towable engine hoist, rubber tires and a trailer hitch. , a lot larger than the normal ones you see. We had one on a job site to install a big water pump and piping for a city water system.

[Springer]

any trees around? I lift stuff out of the back of my truck 3500 Dodge turbo diesel with a chain and a 2 ton come along over a limb. Just need to lift it and inch or so and then drive the truck away and lower her down to the ground .

[CQNRQY]

Originally Posted by trees

Your "crane" is a function of leverage. You extend the boom, then you have extended the length of the lever arm. You must extend the length of the legs to neutralize the increase. Additionally, the extension increases the load the cylinder must lift and you possibly exceed the maximum capability of the cylinder. Better options have been suggested since you are at or over the maximum capacity of your "crane". I would remove the tranny and converter in place as mentioned. Then scoot the engine back to a position I could lift it clear of the bed floor from the rear of the truck. Once clear, drive the truck forward and then lower the engine to reduce the center of gravity and move to where I wanted it. Even better, lower it to a dolly that will support all that cast iron and move it.

Trees

I have to agree with "trees"
You said it write!!!
If you extend the booom the lever is longer and the load rating at the end of the boom will be less!!!
If you go up your lift becomes less stable and will tip over quicker.
Your lift cylinder rating is also something to consider.
If you do extend yourboom length also extend your leg length for better stability and stay clear if it in case the cylinder cant take the extra pressure Do the math on the leaver and pivot pnt.(2;1 vr 3;1 you willy loose 1/2 your liftrating on yourcylinder)
CQNRQY

[matt167]

I got it out with no other mods to the crane than 2 cinder blocks that were filled with concrete to stabalize the rear because the chain was a little off.. I had forgotten about the second bolt hole ( lower on the beam ) that the cylinder can bolt into to gain a higher lift. I used it and it increased the lift height alot. at first I just took some weight off the truck and with the beam all the way out on the 1/2 ton mark, slowly slid the engine/trans back until the the trans was almost off. then slid the beam to the 1 1/2 ton mark, and was able to slide it some more. then I made a trans sling with a ratchet strap around the tail shaft and over the beam ( actually had to offload this backwards ). raised it up till it was away. then was able to drive the truck away...

I havn't a clue what the total weight of that fully loaded 460/C6 is, but I know the engine assembled w/o accessory's is 640lbs, C6 has to be at least another 175lbs I would think, and it wouldn't supprise me to find out it weighs 1/2 ton togther. but The shop crane handled it just fine and it was safe.. needed a come along to release tension on the ratchet strap, and lower the trans down, but once it was 12" or so from the floor, it rolled kinda easy and very stable.. now sits in the corner on a couple tires.. As far as what the shop crane is. it is 1 from Harbor Freight from probably 10-12 years ago or better. 2 ton rating with an 8 ton ram. but it's not the foldable crane they sell now. got it used 5-6 years ago.. I think I'm going to build an A frame gantry hoist out of 2x3x11ga and use a chain hoist. and put wheels on it. should make it a lot easier than what it is now, and I could use it for positioning and lowering the cab over the frame

Oh, and I'm going to build a dolly for it too. but it will have a mount for a radiator, a few gauges and an ignition switch

[JohnnyK81]

How long is the crane now, and what is the rating of the cylinder?

Moment = Force x distance

Calculate the moment from the pivot or ideally where the cylinder is. Check with your expected weight, and do it with both distances (Extended and not).