Dropping engine out bottom in garage?
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Dropping engine out bottom in garage?
First and foremost, I did search a lot.
Long story short, I'm doing and engine (and maybe tranny - at least clutch replacement) in about 2 weeks.
Here's the kicker, I need to drop the engine, and then trailer the corvette (with no engine in it) and then haul home the vette and the engine on my truck. I have a winch so no problems hauling it on trailer...
I'm doing this in my garage. Standard 8 ft. ceiling 2 car garage. I haven't done much work to the 'Vette, but I'm an experienced shade tree mechanic and have done a lot of engine work in the past.
I want to drop the engine and trans out the bottom. I've read its easier to drop out the bottom as opposed to the top /if/ if you have a lift. There are lots of great write-ups on pulling the engine out the top, but I haven't found any on dropping it out the bottom, especially without a 2 post lift.
Can anyone give me a guesstimate of how high the car needs to be to pull the engine out? 2 ft? 30 inches? I will remove all the accessories and intake etc.
I have several jack stands, hydraulic jacks, and a motorcycle jack to be used as a tranny/engine jack.
Here's my idea, I build a sturdy platform out of 2X12's and 4x4's to lift the car 18" or so off the ground Then I can put ramps or use jacks to get additional height, and help with dropping the engine.
Then I can put the cradles back on and roll the car off and onto a trailer.
Here's a picture of my idea. I'm putting on new exhaust and rear turbo so I like the idea of lifting the entire car up anyway to make that part of the install easier.
What do you guys think? Ambitious or crazy?
Long story short, I'm doing and engine (and maybe tranny - at least clutch replacement) in about 2 weeks.
Here's the kicker, I need to drop the engine, and then trailer the corvette (with no engine in it) and then haul home the vette and the engine on my truck. I have a winch so no problems hauling it on trailer...
I'm doing this in my garage. Standard 8 ft. ceiling 2 car garage. I haven't done much work to the 'Vette, but I'm an experienced shade tree mechanic and have done a lot of engine work in the past.
I want to drop the engine and trans out the bottom. I've read its easier to drop out the bottom as opposed to the top /if/ if you have a lift. There are lots of great write-ups on pulling the engine out the top, but I haven't found any on dropping it out the bottom, especially without a 2 post lift.
Can anyone give me a guesstimate of how high the car needs to be to pull the engine out? 2 ft? 30 inches? I will remove all the accessories and intake etc.
I have several jack stands, hydraulic jacks, and a motorcycle jack to be used as a tranny/engine jack.
Here's my idea, I build a sturdy platform out of 2X12's and 4x4's to lift the car 18" or so off the ground Then I can put ramps or use jacks to get additional height, and help with dropping the engine.
Then I can put the cradles back on and roll the car off and onto a trailer.
Here's a picture of my idea. I'm putting on new exhaust and rear turbo so I like the idea of lifting the entire car up anyway to make that part of the install easier.
What do you guys think? Ambitious or crazy?
#4
Drifting
Thread Starter
Also probably place blocks or jack stands under the bottle jacks for safety also...
#7
Burning Brakes
#10
I'm sure it is possible to build something out of wood that would be strong enough to hold the car while it is on jackstands without the suspension, but it looks like just as much work to build to whole wooden assembly.
If it was me without a lift. I would pull engine first out the top (you still have to drop the front suspension about 4 inches to clear the oil pan). Than I would pull the drive line.
If it was me without a lift. I would pull engine first out the top (you still have to drop the front suspension about 4 inches to clear the oil pan). Than I would pull the drive line.
#11
Drifting
Thread Starter
I think I'm going a different route, but I'm keeping this idea in the back of my mind.
#12
Drifting
Regardless I wouldn't make a wood ramp. Just get some heavy-duty jack stands and support it at the frame tie-down points with the jacking pucks.
#13
I did it and no issues about to finish my build waiting on my the FAST and the converter and shes going back together here in a week or so. Just do it. The satisfaction on getting cht done when people say you cant is imaginable.
#15
Drifting
Member Since: Sep 2009
Location: cinnaminson n.j.
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St. Jude Donor '14
I have a alternate plan. Use jack stands like these.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...FewF7AodsF4Ayw
You won't spend a lot of time and money building what sounds to me like a dangerous set of bulky ramps that won't allow side access. When your done, keep the stands for future use or sell them.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...FewF7AodsF4Ayw
You won't spend a lot of time and money building what sounds to me like a dangerous set of bulky ramps that won't allow side access. When your done, keep the stands for future use or sell them.
Last edited by martysauto; 12-08-2014 at 10:52 PM. Reason: Typo
#16
Le Mans Master
Even though you're not supposed to, I used cinder blocks as jack stands before I got my lift.
Get some 12" cinder blocks & slowly jack the car up one end at a time adding blocks under the jack points as you go. When the jack don't reach anymore, add blocks under the jack. I had my car 40+" (5 blocks) off the floor already.
Just make sure no metal touches the cinder blocks, use pieces of 2x12 on top of the blocks to distribute the weight across the whole block, very important.
Get some 12" cinder blocks & slowly jack the car up one end at a time adding blocks under the jack points as you go. When the jack don't reach anymore, add blocks under the jack. I had my car 40+" (5 blocks) off the floor already.
Just make sure no metal touches the cinder blocks, use pieces of 2x12 on top of the blocks to distribute the weight across the whole block, very important.