Do you have a chain hoist and something to hang it from?
My engine crane won't fit under my frame rails? Any tips?
Here's the deal. My car is bagged and I'm about to put the motor/tranny mounts in. The car needs to be sitting at "full drop" so I can determine how high to mount the motor/tranny in the rails (so as not to touch the ground).
I took some measurements and checked the angle of the rails at full drop and then set it on jackstands in the same relative position, but even that is "iffy".
Is there another method that I'm overlooking? Wouldn't be the first time I overlooked the obvious!
Thanks,
Richard
I took some measurements and checked the angle of the rails at full drop and then set it on jackstands in the same relative position, but even that is "iffy".
Is there another method that I'm overlooking? Wouldn't be the first time I overlooked the obvious!
Thanks,
Richard
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
cranky1 said:Do you have a chain hoist and something to hang it from?
No. That's the problem. If I can't get the crane to work to my satisfaction, I may have to fab up a rolling A-Frame that'll straddle the car. I hate to build that for a one-time use, though.
Get some lumber 2x6 or 2x8 at least the length of the wheel base chafer the one end and put wheel stops at the other end stack as many as needed ,and roll the car up on them the use a straight edge on top of then to get your measurements . Or jack it up and put it on four milk crates if the car is not too heavy
Just a variation on this. What ever you put under the tires to give you the clearance you'll need for the crane, put the exact same thing under where the motors going. Then when you put the motor in, drop it down to the clearance your looking for and Bob's your uncle.justold said:Get some lumber 2x6 or 2x8 at least the length of the wheel base chafer the one end and put wheel stops at the other end stack as many as needed ,and roll the car up on them the use a straight edge on top of then to get your measurements . Or jack it up and put it on four milk crates if the car is not too heavy
No measuring required.Good ideas. Thanks. Whatever I put under the tires needs to have a small "footprint". Not being able to work around the tires has been an issue too. I built large sawhorses to set the body on. They are wide enough to roll the chassis under but not tall enough to lift the motor. I may try to modify one of them. With no body on the chassis I dont have to lift it very high.
Another trick is if you can assemble your crane with the part that goes under the car , backwards ! Then you have to add weight to the base to counterbalance for the motor.
They actaually make this set up for industrial application where no space under the load exist. Like picking up electric motors that are set up on concrete pads, etc. :welcome:
They actaually make this set up for industrial application where no space under the load exist. Like picking up electric motors that are set up on concrete pads, etc. :welcome:
Not sure what I'd use for a counterweight. Maybe my Avalanche! LOL! Another good idea though. Thanks.Cape Cod Bob said:Another trick is if you can assemble your crane with the part that goes under the car , backwards ! Then you have to add weight to the base to counterbalance for the motor.
They actaually make this set up for industrial application where no space under the load exist. Like picking up electric motors that are set up on concrete pads, etc. :welcome:
Speaking of counterweights, this will make you sick. > http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/fire-truck-kills-firebird-160242.html
What i do is to place a plank acroos the car under the frame rails and when the pan touches the plank the engine is low enough that should give you a good idea of the height that you need for the mounts..That way you can have the car up on stands while fabricating the mounts..
Sam
Sam
Use six cinder blocks.
Jack the car up in the air, then set the four tires down on cinder blocks. Let the air out of the bags, and you'll be at the lowst point. You should have enough room to both drop in the engine/trans combo and tack in engine and trans mounts using another two cinder blocks under the engine and trans pan. I'd also use a 1/2" - 3/4" piece of wood between the cinder block and engine/trans pan to make sure there'll be enough room to clear the ground in a 'worst case' scenario.
Jack the car up in the air, then set the four tires down on cinder blocks. Let the air out of the bags, and you'll be at the lowst point. You should have enough room to both drop in the engine/trans combo and tack in engine and trans mounts using another two cinder blocks under the engine and trans pan. I'd also use a 1/2" - 3/4" piece of wood between the cinder block and engine/trans pan to make sure there'll be enough room to clear the ground in a 'worst case' scenario.
Thanks to all who contributed. Some good ideas. I'll let you know what I ended up doing and how it went.
lifting car
DO NOT PUT A CAR ON CINDER BLOCKS! It is a good way to get hurt or killed-they can have cracks that you would never see untill it failed under load- I have seen them come apart many times. Use 2x8 or larger lumber nailed together or better yet decent quality jackstands but never get near a car
on cinderblocks. Jim
DO NOT PUT A CAR ON CINDER BLOCKS! It is a good way to get hurt or killed-they can have cracks that you would never see untill it failed under load- I have seen them come apart many times. Use 2x8 or larger lumber nailed together or better yet decent quality jackstands but never get near a car
on cinderblocks. Jim
jetnow1, I agree with you wholeheartedly. Jackstands are a much safer method of supporting an entire car than cinderblocks. But I recall the question was about how to support a chassis with no body. Four cinder blocks should be plenty enough to support a frame and suspension with no body, engine, transmission, or other weight.
Support the weight of the engine/trans with the cherry picker just to get the mounts tacked in, and pull the blocks back out.
Support the weight of the engine/trans with the cherry picker just to get the mounts tacked in, and pull the blocks back out.
Sorry.. :nono: I have to agree with Jetnow1 ..CINDER BLOCKS should ''NEVER'' be used when working on a car.. :nono: The thing about Cinder Blocks ''THEY WILL NEVER LET YOU KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BREAK'' And today's blocks are no where's built the way they use to be built.So please don't encourage no one to do that..It may have worked for you 99 times.But sooner or later it will get you..I have seen some break with less weight then a frame.Don't do it.. :nono:
I'll quit doing it then. Jackstands it is.
I have used cinder blocks to raise the height of a jackstand.. of course, just working on front drum brakes, never being under the car with it... thing to remember is, a set of stands used improperly can be just as bad, or worse than blocks.. all it takes is 1 of them to shift the slightest bit and they can all come down on you.. they can also sink in unsturdy ground or tilt in unsturdy ground and give way.. really the best way would be 4 sturdy drive on ramps if the car has to be sitting on the tires
matt167 said:I have used cinder blocks to raise the height of a jackstand.. of course, just working on front drum brakes, never being under the car with it... thing to remember is, a set of stands used improperly can be just as bad, or worse than blocks.. all it takes is 1 of them to shift the slightest bit and they can all come down on you.. they can also sink in unsturdy ground or tilt in unsturdy ground and give way.. really the best way would be 4 sturdy drive on ramps if the car has to be sitting on the tires
That's why I use 6 ton jack stands.. :mwink:
I have 4 ton stands, and I use squares of 1'x1' 3/4" plywood under them... also shove tires/ rims under the vehicle with me.. if they do kick out, the tire/ rim will save me... had 1 car fall on me, got lucky and didn't get hurt, but once is enough.. now I also use my 3 ton jack under the vehicles, jacked up to just below the stand height.. it might get a little cluttered under there with so much stuff, but at least it won't come down on me
That's why I bought the 6 ton jack stands.I don't have to put nothing under them..But my cement slab..Don't have to worry.That was money well spent.Plus I can put that car in the air.They have a very wide base on them..They make a big difference when using them... I feel very safe under the cars I do now. :thumbup: Guy's ..don't play around, buy a good set of 6 tons.You won't be sorry you did.. :thumbup:
I feel very safe under the cars I do now. :thumbup: Guy's ..don't play around, buy a good set of 6 tons.You won't be sorry you did.. :thumbup:1 - 20 of 28 Posts
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