I hate it when I'm the stupid one. I'm not really a rookie. I'm an ASE certifed mechanic and I have an Airframe and Powerplant license. I've changed motors on lots of things and you push the hoist to the front of the vehicle lift the motor and pull it out the front of the vehicle. So this week I pulled my first vette motor and I knew from driving them that there is about 5 acres of fiberglass in the front but until my engine hoist hit it I didn't appreciate how long that nose really is. I was actually shocked when that happened. At this point my leveler was still two feet from the motor. We lifted the motor on a separate jack and slid it forward so we could hook up the hoist and pulled it out.
So tonight I was wondering how to modify my hoist so I could put the motor back. You know, because they have to come in and out from the front. I was thinking about a six foot tube to extend my hoist arm or some other treasure like that. I'm searching the forum and found instructions to pull it from the side. The side can you believe that. I mean everyone knows they go out front. Apparantly some of you guys have jacked one corner of your car up, removed one of the wheels then pulled the engine from the side. There are even pictures showing it. I went out and looked at my new project and came back in laughing then cussing. Such a simple idea.

Bill

 

Sometimes we overlook the obvious. Good luck with the engine install.

 

I kinda did the same with my monster truck. (the really big one) I needed a redwood tree with a 20 foot chain to pull the engine out of a truck with 17" of lift and 44's on it. Even with the tires off and the rotors sitting on the ground, my hoist wouldn't reach. Then my buddy came up to me and tapped me on the shoulder. "what are ya' doin'?"
"My hoist won't go high enough to pull the engine."
"Try this, ........"

I felt stupid, but I've been doing lifted trucks like this ever since.......

 

I actually just pulled the motor with the hoist on the side of the fender with the legs straddling the tire. I did this numerous times with no issues. If needed, I guess the tire can be removed and a jackstand used to give more room underneath for the legs of the hoist.

Good luck,
Greg.

 

That's why we do body lifts on Corvettes. The front clip doesn't come off that easy.

 

And that's how I pulled the 454 from the '71 :

 

C3 101.

 

Just a reminder: If you do increase the length of the arm on your lift, it will decrease the lifting capacity. I don't know the numbers, but just looking at the adjustments on mine (2T, 1T, etc..). It looks like the it will drop below the weight of the engine (& tranny if included) real fast. Good luck, I had to pull mine from the side, but I'm hoping to re-install prior to the body drop.

 

When I moved here in '97, I got really lucky and found a rental place that had just been bought out by a larger outfit, and they were selling some really NICE hooks with a 5' boom on the thing, it collapses into a bunch of pipes in a storage cart, vertically.....taking about 2' of floor room in the corner....that damn hook can take a SBC up and over the transom of a 22' Chapparal , as well as in/out the nose of my '72 vette, I paid 150 bux for it, talk about a STEAL.....

 

Don't take this wrong but with all of the qualifications, why don't you have a overhead hoist or the such. These so called "cherry picker" hoist are pretty cheap and dangerous. The use of a 16' overhead I beam hoist is very benificial. I could not even imagine to pull a new deisel with a cherry picker hoist. Be carefull, do not over extend or it will topple over and fall. Al

 

Learn something new everyday, I was under the assumption (apparently incorrectly) that redwood trees only grew on the northern coast of California.

 

I'm pretty sure they do. I was just going for an exaggeration to illustrate my predicament. The truck pictured is relatively small. It only has 9" of lift with 35's on it.

I have two hoists. I have a collapsible lighter one for small blocks and newer cars, then I have Big Bertha, for big blocks and diesels. I've had Bertha for the better part of 20 years. Never even had a wimper outta her. ....and that's with pulling MANY cast iron clad big blocks.

I've used the I-beam and hoist set up. I don't see how it's any better than a QUALITY engine hoist. I've used just about anything you could think of to pull an engine. Even some questionable things when I was younger. Like a rope block and tackle, a chain hoist from the rafters, a back hoe, an in-ground car lift with a chain wrapped around one of the legs, I even pulled the heads off a small block Chevy a muscled it out of the car by hand. (once, never again) The hydraulic hoist suits me best. Plenty safe when used properly. Equipment maintenance and proper use is the key for safety no matter what you do.

 

I've heard this is a true story. When NASA and the Soviet space program began sharing info, NASA engineers, having spent ~$1M to invent a solution, asked the Ruskies how they solved the problem of creating a pen which would write continuously in zero/low gravity. They replied, "We use pencil."

 

Heres the way I did it, No problem...

 

Hi jae,
You have to really have faith in the guy with his finger in the air; if that bucket... well you can imagine!
Regards,
Alan

 

Now THAT is a funny story. I about spit my beer all over the keyboard.

 

And you still came in from the side. Hmmmm....
When you think about it, if one is going to end up dropping the load on the car, does it really make any difference if it lands on the nose, or lands on the fender?

 

Jae1971 got my vote but i really think ya need a LeBehr120 hydraulic to do that risky task!!!!! LOL

 

Here is my adventure.

 

I had to hire that certified red neck to flag the operator or it would have never worked. LOL..