Technical how did you lift/ sling your engine.

I made this simple plate for my flathead work. The blue tape covers up more options for the picking eye. A thin cardboard template covers the lifter valley.



The strap in use here was for two purposes. One is to steady the load to protect painted surfaces and to help hold the engine steady while lining up the clutch to transmission input shaft interface. We managed to get the engine out and back in twice without scratching the car. I wonder if we will be so fortunate next time.

 

Damn. I never thought of adding a swivel link to my picker. That would make life so much easier! Thanks!

 

Another handy hoisting tip. I have a towel duct taped to the end of my load leveler, and usually put foam pipe insulation over the chains at the rear. This gives it some cushion for the inevitable blow to the firewall and usually keeps the paint from chipping.

 

Are those things rated for heavy stuff. Any I've run across are probably just sturdy enough to pick up a bicycle.

Oh, wait, I found one that ought to hold most anything:
https://www.gamut.com/p/thread-moun...K9-x8fZTya6yFLbbZmrpj72WEj1YMCChoCXp4QAvD_BwE

 

This is a good thread. I have been racking my brain on how to reinstall my 235 chevy when I get it back from the builder with out undoing any of his work. Having a dual Fenton intake I'm kind of scared pulling on that. And pulling 2 head bolts kind of sucks also. I like the idea of sling straps but would that mess with the pan gasket or crush the pan? I don't know definitely one of the most unfriendly engines to pull/install that I've had to deal with.

 

A self-described smart guy in town here showed me the 'Best engine sling around: and he got it for free, the last job he did!'
It was a timing belt, about 1" wide...(25mm was its printed size) I told him it wasn't rated for heavy tension...he asked if I was going to argue with HIM. (this guy's a ham-fisted, self-taught mechanic, about 30, and knows 'everything'. "You realize how strong these have to be?" I responded, "Strong enough to last 'til their replacement interval? 60K miles?"
I wasn't there for the 'lift', but his nephew said that when the belt snapped, the freshly painted BBC came down 3 feet, right into the engine compartment of the A-D Chevy, and bent the pan over the axle. Put a bug curve in the tie rod, too. (he was stifling laughter)
I asked how it could possibly break...that Big Block was "only a 402"! The kid got it, and laughed even harder.

 

I had a chance to try out my Packard lift brackets. I also fabbed a quickie keyhole plate that would grab a link of the chain. It seemed to work pretty good.

 

I use straps and clevises for my rigging when lifting engines or the body of my car for removal and installation.

Lift-all makes the straps we use at work and I get them from work. A 6’ strap is rated at 1250 lbs in a choker to 3200 lbs in a basket pick. So are a loop style and others have loop ends.

I still have the old reliable chain hanging behind the parts washer but it rarely get used anymore.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

1978, lived with friends who were bikers and had lots of biker buddies. I needed to pull the 383 from my '70 Roadrunner.
So it was 4 huge bikers, a length of chain and two fence posts...one steel and one wooden.
All together now...Raaaaaarrrrrr!!!
I bought the beer.

 

Roy Montgomery, an old hot rodder here in Michigan who passed about 5yrs ago told me that when he was a kid, he leaned a car up against a tree and pulled the engine and trans out the bottom...lol.

 

And you painted it Chevy orange!! That is too funny! I wonder how many people you will fool with that combo. Or how many will say, "I had one just like this when I was a kid!".

 

Hello,

Our lifting brackets that we welded together looked similar to tb33's welding metal piece. They were made to fit on the SBC long block that we purchased from another small hot rod shop. We used a big chain that was on a block and tackle we borrowed from a friend. That block and tackle was hung in our two car garage 2x4 cross beams that we put on multiple 2x4 and 4x6 supports to make a solid ceiling rack to attach the block.

I am amazed that the new builds all have different styles of engine lifts to make things smoother in this installation. Our 2x4 support system was the best we could come up with at the time. Just roll the Willys into the garage minus the front end fenders and grille, lower the motor into place, bolt in and roll the Willys back out. We had to do this several times as we had a major rebuild after the initial build with the 6 Strombergs in 1960.

Jnaki

The problem with a small two car garage is that on our garage, there was a concrete sink and long work cabinet on the side of the hoist area. The other side was for my dad's big Buicks. The sink and cabinet did not allow us to work or install anything from the driver’s side, including the SBC motor. It was an interesting crawl over and under to get things done.

Once the SBC was installed, then the Willys was rolled out to the back yard, separate garage unit for the details and finishing build. Why did we not put the 2x4, 4x6 supports in the backyard garage? The ceiling joists were too low and the rumpus room was not as large as the front 2 car garage. That would have been the best spot for the joist supports, but we only had to do the install twice.

In 1998, when we sold the house, those 2x4 and 4x6 joist supports were still there with some old ropes and nylon belts wrapped around the beams. I am sure the new owners would not figure out what it was used for, 38 years ago. They were probably surprised at the sight of the twin,dual, chrome pipe scavengers in the rafters of that back rumpus room garage, left over from 1960.

Here are some photos of the engine support system that was for all racers at lions from 1959-60. It was in the pit area and used quite often.

post from two years ago:
Hello,
In 1959, Lions had the most up to date dragstrip in So Cal. But, in looking at the myriad of film clips, I came across this Lion's pit structure for engine changes at the strip.

It was an old backyard playground structure stripped of its swings and see saw. We did see that being used and by the looks of it in the photo, it has been used quite a bit. We all had 2x4 supports holding up the cross beams in various garages. But, this one was put up with a few minor detachments and worked well.

Jnaki

 

Unless it was a straight drop, I would never do one again without the leveler. The one in my post, I was able to do the complete engine and transmission and have the radiator support in place. It was almost a vertical drop when it first went in. Used lubriplate lube on the acme screw, next time will set up an air ratchet to speed things up.

 

Just did this one yesterday 21 stud flatty. Taking today off Being 84+ it ain't no piece of cake anymore. Now I need to install the 59 AB in the 34 . Suggestions appreciated.

 

not an engine but related. after removing the engine i needed to support the tranny and keep the torque converter from sliding out. 10 gage strip of steel cut to fit across the frame, drilled and bolted to through the tranny.

 

I use an adjustable load leveler and chains, and I try to keep the chains as "vertical" as possible.

**PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT**​

There is something called "chain angle factor" which is used to calculate the tension on a chain based on the load being lifted and the angle of the chain from vertical. Occasionally on the HAMB I cringe when I see dinky chains and steep angles being used to lift engines. I'm attaching an image that shows the additional tension on a chain based on the angle.

Please account for the angle factor when you're lifting engines. Falling engines make deep chips in concrete, and your foot being in the way does very little to reduce the size of the chip.

 

Ebbspeed: My OTC load leveler came with similar data and a bold warning not to exceed a certain angle on the chain. Good advice.

 

FE i had to add a couple holes to my bracket to get it to level out.

 

Got a heavy duty a.n.s.i. (sp) approved cherry picker that I had to bolt together.... Came with a 4-ton ram......

 

I started using those yellow straps a year ago, and I will never use a chain again..These are so easy to use, won't crush valve covers like a chain, and just so easy to rig up.

They are made as "disposable" for "one use lifting" such as the plumbing supply places get a huge bundle of copper pipe, these are on each bundle of pipe from the pipe company. The plumbing supply places can't send them back, so they go in the dumpster!

you can lift so many things with these, or tow a car around in your yard, you name it..

.

 

I've always wondered about the engine lift plates that bolt to the Carb Bolt holes. What is the shear strength of the threads in an aluminum intake? I think that it would be ok for a SBF or SBC, but I don't think I want to lift my 390 FE with iron heads by just the aluminum threaded holes of 4 little bolts on the intake.

 

Anybody got photos of how to set up a lift with a BBC and 4 speed attached into a mid year Corvette? I soon need to put a BBC into my 65 Vette and it doesn't have a removable transmission crossmember so I need to put it in all together. The front nose is not removable and I am not sure if I can get a high enough angle with my cherry picker to drop it down and "thread the needle".

 

^^^^Your vette is an automatic originally? I was always under the impression that all 4 speed vettes have bolt in cross members. Ive been known to be wrong, according to my wife, my employees, my golf buddies, college professors, my priest...

 

No, its always been a 4 speed. From what I have read, after the 64 Vette, all the trans crossmembers were welded in. Either that or after 67 they were all removable, I don't recall exactly, all I know is mine is not removable. Last time I replaced the engine was about 30 years ago and my old brain doesn't remember how I did it back then. I may have put the trans in and then lowered the engine into the bay and coupled them together. My 70 year old body doesn't want me doing that anymore.

 

This is the beautiful wife helping me put the 406 in the 37. I just had my neck fused so I could not do any heavy lifting. I made 4 brackets to go to the exhaust ports and ran a bar over the top of the motor.

 

I said it back asswards anyways. It is automatics that had bolt in cross members and 4 speeds that are fixed. It doesn't help your issue. I have never removed both pieces at once and I doubt it is worth the effort. I don't think you can pull the motor far enough forward to clear the tail shaft from that cross member. Then it would be a hell of a move to pull it out with a cherry picker.

I have taken a lot of them apart but always in two pieces. Sorry I'm not more help.

 

No time to think, and it was a hot day out there...so, the first thought if it was me...make the balnce point really "touchy", by using two side chains across from each other. Then, very little manpower is needed to lift up on the front of the engine, to guide the trans tail down?

Car front end would be jacked up, rear is not?
.