Engine Crane/Hoist

[gtipping]

Now I have my donor it wont be long before I need to pull the engine and gearbox. Been looking at the cost of renting a Crane/hoist and it seems that it wont take much use to justify the cost of buying one.

I have seen plans for a couple of self made ones but it seems that the cost would still be in the region of £110.

On ebay there are cranes for £119

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-TON-FOLDING-HYDRAULIC-ENGINE-CRANE-HOIST-LIFT-NEW-/120551234986?pt=UK_Lifting_Moving_Equipment&hash=item1c1169ddaa

So looking for some advice here

Do people rent ?
Is it worth building your own ?
Is the above good value or is it poor quality ?

Any other advice you have on the subject ?

Cheers
GT

[DaddyA]

Hi GT,

save your money - cut the grill area out and drop engine and gearbox on a trolley.

I managed on my own with a skateboard and some broom handles cut up into rollers.

See link here;
http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu133/tashlotty/DSCN2888.jpg

[dan_g8]

if i was you i would buy/build a crane. i bought my from machine mart at one of their vat free days and i have used it so much since then. in my opinion it really isnt worth renting one as you dont know when you will need it.

[tex]

you could prop the engine up on a board straight and near true as you can get it - get it to the right height you need - then couple of mates lift the chassis over the engine - fit mounts using trolley jack to get the chassis level enough to lift both together - leave engine in a bare state to fit it thro the gap

[davidimurray]

I bought a similar crane, although rated at 2t to the one on your ebay link for £120. I find it is so useful. I've used it numerous times for all sorts of jobs - not just heavy lifting. Even for small items like getting the diff in or lining up your engine and gearbox. I also bought a cheap load leveller (£20) and have found it really useful particulalry for getting the engine/ gearbox in. I've done 95% of the work on my car by myself so the crane has been really useful. If you have a look at my gallery 2 in my signature you will see how the engine/gerabox was mated together then lifted into the car.

[aerosam]

I have a chain block suspended from a beam in the garage.

The beam is a scrap length of 25mmx75mm 3mm thick rectangular section steel. The chain block was £35 from ebay and it can lift 2 tons.

I was using it to lift the engine from the donor, hadn't noticed the gearbox had got stuck, and carried on lifting till the whole car was off the ground, and a 5-series ain't light either!

[leroybrown911]

Same as aerosam, i use a chain and block suspended from an rsj in the garage, definately a good option if you have a beam in yours. Only issue is you can only lift under the beam. I once dropped a Mitsubishi Evo 4 box and engine onto the floor using the crane then used it to lift the front of the car up so the engine could be slipped out from under the car. Took the weight no issue!

[gtipping]

Cheers guys for the advice.

Unfortunately I don't have a garage (building in a shed) so the cheaper block and chain suspended from a beam is not really an option. My old man had that arrangement in his garage and it worked really well but with the obvious limitations.

DaddyAlove the way you improvise

[David_17]

I bought one off ebay from here

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Liftmaster-1-Ton-Folding-Hydraulic-Engine-Crane-Hoist-/260658518058?pt=UK_Lifting_Moving_Equipment&hash=item3cb075582a

As already been mentioned, renting doesnt really work, as you don't know when you're going to need it. Also, as already mentioned, you'll use it more than you'd expect :)

[monsterob]

why not use a block and tackle?

i built a set of "goal posts " and hang my block n tackle off that basically welded 2 scaff poles together and made a football goal with a hook in the middle

lifted many an engine for £40

:D

[phil clegg]

there will be a haynes or locoster somewhere near you with crane,probably would lend for ocouple of pints,tell us your location and the shed men usually appear,i m in accrington lancs,crane available to other stuck builders thanks. phil.

[CaptainCrash1971]

I live in County Durham and have a crane which I'm more than happy to lend out. Whereabouts do you live?

[twinturbo]

I bought one years ago, one of the best tools you can have.

TT

[gtipping]

Thanks for all the advice on this - being a novice at this I kinda figured getting the right tools for the job might be a good idea.

Well after much deliberation, I checked the bank balance and went for it on Ebay. I've ended up with a Clarke 1 tonne crane, load leveller and engine stand for all for £156. So its £6 over what I wanted to pay but its only ten minutes down the road so petrol cost saving should make up for that.

Just need to move the wifes stuff to the "clean" side of the workshop. Sort my side out and it will be all systems go to get everything I need out of the Sierra.

Then gotta see whats left and what I can sell, got to try and make some money back - need to get something or I won't be able to buy any things else for a while.

Still it will take some time to refurb all the Sierra stuff so I guess that might be a blessing in disguise.

[twinturbo]

Cool.

The only thing you will regret is the loss of a bit of space.

TT

[snapper]

Hired a crane a couple of times at almost the cost of one.
Ended up buying one, which I should have done in the first. I have used it a dozen times since and have lent it to club members, that way I can trade favours