Lifting an engine
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
Lifting an engine
I'm having a first gen. SBC engine shipped to me, and I'll be bringing it home from the shipping hub in the back of a pickup. It will be shipped on an engine stand on a palate.
Will a regular crane-type engine hoist be able to get an engine out of the bed of a truck? If not, it sounds like a regular chain hoist from the rafters is my best bet?
Once I get it out of the back of the truck, I'll have to pull my engine and install the new one in my C4. I'm not quite sure how to hook the engine up to the hoist to do so. One common method I've been able to find is: attach a chain from the rear of one head to the rear of the other using grade 8 bolts and washers, and do the same with the front, then hook up both chains to a load leveler on the hoist. Does that sound right?
I'm trying to figure out what equipment I'll need, and here's what I have so far:
One last thing - what does a SBC long block with aluminum heads and an aluminum intake base weigh? I heard 500 lbs. or so?
Thanks in advance guys.
Will a regular crane-type engine hoist be able to get an engine out of the bed of a truck? If not, it sounds like a regular chain hoist from the rafters is my best bet?
Once I get it out of the back of the truck, I'll have to pull my engine and install the new one in my C4. I'm not quite sure how to hook the engine up to the hoist to do so. One common method I've been able to find is: attach a chain from the rear of one head to the rear of the other using grade 8 bolts and washers, and do the same with the front, then hook up both chains to a load leveler on the hoist. Does that sound right?
I'm trying to figure out what equipment I'll need, and here's what I have so far:
- Engine hoist
- Load leveler
- 4 grade 8 bolts (not sure how long) and washers
- 2 short sections of chain
- Engine stand for when I pull my old engine
One last thing - what does a SBC long block with aluminum heads and an aluminum intake base weigh? I heard 500 lbs. or so?
Thanks in advance guys.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,314
Likes: 508
From: South-central Missouri
Well, the weight is no problem. What gives me pause is the height lift point of the hoist with the combination of the engine stand, chains, leveler, and truck bed height.
As long as you have the height/reach, you should be fine. This is my LT5, sans injector housings and plenum ≈ 25#, suspended from a Harbor Freight engine hoist.
I lifted an engine like that from the bed of my 4x4 F150 Ford PU, but w/o the leveler or the engine stand. So, depending on the combined height, lifting from your PU is the only unknown. You might have to loose the leveler and shorten the chains, etc, or revert to the chain hoist. (Provided the rafters will support the weight!!!
)
Your estimate of 500# might be a tad high, but assume it is, and allow for it, and you should be fine. For example, I've often pulled long-block SBCs WITH an AUTO TRANS attached. With your 4-point attachment, you're good there too.
Good luck.
As long as you have the height/reach, you should be fine. This is my LT5, sans injector housings and plenum ≈ 25#, suspended from a Harbor Freight engine hoist.
I lifted an engine like that from the bed of my 4x4 F150 Ford PU, but w/o the leveler or the engine stand. So, depending on the combined height, lifting from your PU is the only unknown. You might have to loose the leveler and shorten the chains, etc, or revert to the chain hoist. (Provided the rafters will support the weight!!!
) Your estimate of 500# might be a tad high, but assume it is, and allow for it, and you should be fine. For example, I've often pulled long-block SBCs WITH an AUTO TRANS attached. With your 4-point attachment, you're good there too.
Good luck.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,427
Likes: 604
From: Minneapolis Mn
Lifting a SBC
Pardon me if this is obvious but I've seen it happen. Assuming you're using a engine hoist to lift it, every spot to extend the arm reduces the lifting capacity of the engine hoist. A 2 ton cherry picker has something like a 1000 lb capacity when it's fully extended. A 1 ton is worse when extended.
The leveler in the picture is a good addon if you can get one. If you have to tip the engine a little along the way, it's a simple turn of a crank vs lowering the engine and rechaining it. It will save headaches and scraped knuckles IMO.
Also look at the legs and rollers on the engine hoist and how they're layed out. I've seen a couple of designs that looked great and worked as well on trucks due to the wide width of the tires but contacted things when used on cars.
Just a couple of thoughts.
The leveler in the picture is a good addon if you can get one. If you have to tip the engine a little along the way, it's a simple turn of a crank vs lowering the engine and rechaining it. It will save headaches and scraped knuckles IMO.
Also look at the legs and rollers on the engine hoist and how they're layed out. I've seen a couple of designs that looked great and worked as well on trucks due to the wide width of the tires but contacted things when used on cars.
Just a couple of thoughts.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,348
Likes: 233
From: SCMR Rat Pack'r Charter Member..Great Bend KS
Question #2: It will weigh less than 500 pounds.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 171
From: Dublin CA
I would double check to see if the engine is actually on the stand. I would not want to ship an engine on the stand with the stand strapped to a skid. If the engine is on the skid and the stand nestled around it you would be fine.
Most stands are 36" tall. So if you figure 36" plus the skid height of 5" and most pickup beds are 32-36 inches.....your engine is 6 feet off the ground when you bring it home. Then you still have to hook up a chain or something adding another 6" (or much more)...just not use if a hoist will lift that tall. Are the rafters in the garage strong enough to hold the 500 pounds of engine????
If the engine is on the stand, the freight company where you pick it up should have a fork lift. See if they can pick up the engine (bring some chain and place it on the skid. Bring some extra wood to prop it up on the skid.
Do you have plenty of straps to strap thins into the pickup if it is actually on the stand? I would not want to go aroung a corner with 500 pounds on a stand 3 feet off the bed.
Most stands are 36" tall. So if you figure 36" plus the skid height of 5" and most pickup beds are 32-36 inches.....your engine is 6 feet off the ground when you bring it home. Then you still have to hook up a chain or something adding another 6" (or much more)...just not use if a hoist will lift that tall. Are the rafters in the garage strong enough to hold the 500 pounds of engine????
If the engine is on the stand, the freight company where you pick it up should have a fork lift. See if they can pick up the engine (bring some chain and place it on the skid. Bring some extra wood to prop it up on the skid.
Do you have plenty of straps to strap thins into the pickup if it is actually on the stand? I would not want to go aroung a corner with 500 pounds on a stand 3 feet off the bed.
Last edited by John A. Marker; Nov 19, 2014 at 11:37 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
Thanks for all the help guys.
I'm having a hard time visualizing that... Do the legs on the lift have to go around the wheel and under the car?
I'm actually not entirely sure if it's actually being shipped on the stand. He seems like a pretty capable guy so I assume he'll attach it to the palate in a secure way, but I'm going to have him send me a picture of the palate and engine before he ships it.
That's a good point--I would not feel safe having the engine 3 feet off the bed of the truck.
If I end up lifting it from the rafters I'll put a peeler core or something across several rafters, which will distribute the load enough to safely lift the engine.
So have them lift the engine, then remove the stand and set the engine back on the palate?
I would double check to see if the engine is actually on the stand. I would not want to ship an engine on the stand with the stand strapped to a skid. If the engine is on the skid and the stand nestled around it you would be fine.
Most stands are 36" tall. So if you figure 36" plus the skid height of 5" and most pickup beds are 32-36 inches.....your engine is 6 feet off the ground when you bring it home. Then you still have to hook up a chain or something adding another 6" (or much more)...just not use if a hoist will lift that tall. Are the rafters in the garage strong enough to hold the 500 pounds of engine????
If the engine is on the stand, the freight company where you pick it up should have a fork lift. See if they can pick up the engine (bring some chain and place it on the skid. Bring some extra wood to prop it up on the skid.
Do you have plenty of straps to strap thins into the pickup if it is actually on the stand? I would not want to go aroung a corner with 500 pounds on a stand 3 feet off the bed.
Most stands are 36" tall. So if you figure 36" plus the skid height of 5" and most pickup beds are 32-36 inches.....your engine is 6 feet off the ground when you bring it home. Then you still have to hook up a chain or something adding another 6" (or much more)...just not use if a hoist will lift that tall. Are the rafters in the garage strong enough to hold the 500 pounds of engine????
If the engine is on the stand, the freight company where you pick it up should have a fork lift. See if they can pick up the engine (bring some chain and place it on the skid. Bring some extra wood to prop it up on the skid.
Do you have plenty of straps to strap thins into the pickup if it is actually on the stand? I would not want to go aroung a corner with 500 pounds on a stand 3 feet off the bed.
That's a good point--I would not feel safe having the engine 3 feet off the bed of the truck.
If I end up lifting it from the rafters I'll put a peeler core or something across several rafters, which will distribute the load enough to safely lift the engine.
So have them lift the engine, then remove the stand and set the engine back on the palate?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 171
From: Dublin CA
I would hope that you can have the engine shipped with it secured on the skid, not on the stand. IF it is on the stand, then secure the engine with a chain and bolts into the intake. Lift it off the stand and place it on the skid. 4x4's and 2x4's as blocking so you don't dent the pan.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
I would hope that you can have the engine shipped with it secured on the skid, not on the stand. IF it is on the stand, then secure the engine with a chain and bolts into the intake. Lift it off the stand and place it on the skid. 4x4's and 2x4's as blocking so you don't dent the pan.
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
If they dont have a pallet jack on the truck which they probably do just back your truck up to theirs and slide, thats what I did. They put it on the gate lowered it down to where my tailgate was took all of 2 min.
Pic of that LT5 brings back memories. Myself and 2 other guys figured we didnt need a cherry picker to get one on the back of my truck. Let me tell ya that thing was HEAVY! The kind of heavy where once you had it picked up it was impossible to put down youd have to drop it.
Got it up to the tailgate and the pan hung up I dont know how it didnt drop;my hands were slipping off it started tilting over and backwards- someone coulda got seriously hurt.
One big heavy hunk of aluminum
Pic of that LT5 brings back memories. Myself and 2 other guys figured we didnt need a cherry picker to get one on the back of my truck. Let me tell ya that thing was HEAVY! The kind of heavy where once you had it picked up it was impossible to put down youd have to drop it.
Got it up to the tailgate and the pan hung up I dont know how it didnt drop;my hands were slipping off it started tilting over and backwards- someone coulda got seriously hurt.
One big heavy hunk of aluminum
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
If they dont have a pallet jack on the truck which they probably do just back your truck up to theirs and slide, thats what I did. They put it on the gate lowered it down to where my tailgate was took all of 2 min.
Pic of that LT5 brings back memories. Myself and 2 other guys figured we didnt need a cherry picker to get one on the back of my truck. Let me tell ya that thing was HEAVY! Got it up to the tailgate and the pan hung up I dont know how it didnt drop;my hands were slipping off it started tilting over and backwards- someone coulda got seriously hurt.
One big heavy hunk of aluminum
Pic of that LT5 brings back memories. Myself and 2 other guys figured we didnt need a cherry picker to get one on the back of my truck. Let me tell ya that thing was HEAVY! Got it up to the tailgate and the pan hung up I dont know how it didnt drop;my hands were slipping off it started tilting over and backwards- someone coulda got seriously hurt.
One big heavy hunk of aluminum
Yeah, I decided against the route of "man up and lift it by hand"
Although I had a similar experience the other day with a huge hunk of concrete.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 171
From: Dublin CA
Your concrete weighs about 0.08681 pounds per cubic inch. 4050 pounds per cubic yard. It is deceiving. Your still young...so use your head...levers, pulleys, hydraulics and anything other than your back.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,185
Likes: 33
From: Charlotte Michigan
I bolted the Happy Hooker to the engine to pick it up with my heavy duty cherry picker I bought from harbor freight. I bought a level bar but did not need it as it was pretty well balanced.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,427
Likes: 604
From: Minneapolis Mn
That all depends. If you try coming in from the side, it definitely will have to fit around the wheel. If from the front it has to fit between the wheels. You have to figure out what's best for you and your situation.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
Got it, thanks. Wouldn't you have to remove the hood to go from the front?
Racer
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 328
Likes: 2
From: Mesa AZ
I have one of those "wonderful" Harbor Fright engine hoists and it does the job. Only thing is the wheel configuration on the hoist makes it difficult to set the engine back into the engine bay. The legs are not wide enough to be able to clear the front wheels. If you are worried about weight, don't, I pulled a 288 cu. in. Packard straight 8 out of the car by myself and it weighs way more than a SBC. In fact over twice the weight.
You might need help centering the engine when installing and doing some pushing and shifting, but it can be done.
Tommy
You might need help centering the engine when installing and doing some pushing and shifting, but it can be done.
Tommy