FZJ80 engine/trans/xfer weight (frame swap)

[alabamatoy]

So Im well into swapping the (bent) frame from under my '97 TLC, and I'm contemplating the way to attack the engine/trans/xfer assembly move. Does anyone have a fairly high confidence weight for the whole thing? I need to determine if my hoist and/or my tractor is capable of safely hoisting this beast, or if I have to pull the engine separately. I would prefer to just pull the whole thing in one assembly if I can. I want some margin for error, since I make lots of them.

Current status: I have the bent frame separated out from under the body which is on a lift. The old frame and new frame are side-by-side, and I am simply swapping everything over from the bent frame to the unbent ('96) frame. The rear axle is done, front axle is next, then I plan to pull the powerplant, then swap all the brake lines and steering box and various odds and ends that are so much easier to get at with the big lump outa the way before dropping the engine/trans/xfer in place.

 

[Comet]

It is heavy. I have used the harbor freight 2 ton picker on the 1/2 ton setting as quickly as possible and it was sketchy. Ace True Value has a 4 ton hoist that handled it with ease. I rented it for four hours once I had everything staged.

Edit: I did not move the hf 2 ton once the engine was in the air. Rolled frame away.

 

[CharlieS]

I have a car lift that I'd use - lift the body up, roll the old chassis one out, roll the new chassis in, put it down, bolt it up. It can handle 6K lbs, so no problem on an 80 body.

Assuming that isn't an option, what about using a chainfall attached to something sturdy? I have a gigantic I beam in my garage that I hook into for heavy stuff. You can get chainfalls that can easily handle the weight of a vehicle body.

I wouldn't trust a tractor (unless it was huge) and a engine hoist seems like it would be pushing it. I've moved an engine with my tractor FEL (before I sold it) and it put the weight way forward and the higher you lift the bucket the sketchier the leverage gets.

 

[alabamatoy]

I have a car lift that I'd use - lift the body up, roll the old chassis one out, roll the new chassis in, put it down, bolt it up. It can handle 6K lbs, so no problem on an 80 body.

Its not the body Im trying to lift. The body currently sits on a 2-post lift, the frame is fully separated. Im trying to lift the entire engine/trans/xfer case assembly out of the bent frame and move it into the straight frame. I just need a good estimate of the weight of the combined engine/trans/xfer to see if my chains and hoist are up to the task.

Im kinda thinking the same thing about the tractor. Having seen a hydraulic hose burst, Im disinclined to risk the whole assembly being splattered on the concrete floor!

 

[Fj80oregon]

I use a harbor freight 2 ton hoist and have no issues have pulled 4 engine/tranny/t case assemblies no problem. Get it on the ground on a dolly and move it in place then lift and Stab it in. You need a load leveler and a helper would be nice! You can also pull that t care to make it easier just some bolts and easily done with your situation.

 

[CharlieS]

I like @Fj80oregon's thinking. That's probably what I'd do.

 

[audi2nr]

2 ton on the 1 ton settingworked well on mine. Do yourself a favor and get a load leveler as well..

 

[Tinkertoy]

Its not the body Im trying to lift. The body currently sits on a 2-post lift, the frame is fully separated. Im trying to lift the entire engine/trans/xfer case assembly out of the bent frame and move it into the straight frame. I just need a good estimate of the weight of the combined engine/trans/xfer to see if my chains and hoist are up to the task.

Im kinda thinking the same thing about the tractor. Having seen a hydraulic hose burst, Im disinclined to risk the whole assembly being splattered on the concrete floor!

View attachment 3434824

This is making me wish I pulled my frame when I did my swap and bead blasted it and powder coated it.

 

[alabamatoy]

This is making me wish I pulled my frame when I did my swap and bead blasted it and powder coated it.

That would be time consuming and expensive, but not really difficult. There's 10 bolts securing body to frame. I removed the furniture and carpet to get at the bolts but it could be done with it all in there. I used a well reviewed rust converter on the frame and then Rustoleum flat black which matched the original frame color fairly well.

Powder coating the frame would be endlessly tedious because you'd have to chase every threaded hole in it afterwards....and there's lots. I had to chase quite a few. There's several different taps required. M8X1.25 (12mm head) and M10X1.25 (14mm) and a few M12X1.0 (17mm) Some of the M8s were beyond recovery so I used rivnuts where it was not a significant tensile load, like brake line mounts.

The trailer hitch attachment bolts and nuts (welded inside the frame, but kinda reachable) were so rusted that most broke under loosening torque. I beat the bolt/nut remains out and fabbed some little plates with welded on nuts that fit inside the frame. 12X1.0 (fine) thread.

Swapping everything from one frame to the other was far easier / simpler than I expected.

Apologies if this is useless info....,

 

[tmxmotorsports]

Another harbor freight engine hoist. Felt like I was in my 20s again doing this engine swap 5 hours away from my shop and everything that would have made this easier on my old ass.

 

[Malleus]

So Im well into swapping the (bent) frame from under my '97 TLC, and I'm contemplating the way to attack the engine/trans/xfer assembly move. Does anyone have a fairly high confidence weight for the whole thing? I need to determine if my hoist and/or my tractor is capable of safely hoisting this beast, or if I have to pull the engine separately. I would prefer to just pull the whole thing in one assembly if I can. I want some margin for error, since I make lots of them.

Current status: I have the bent frame separated out from under the body which is on a lift. The old frame and new frame are side-by-side, and I am simply swapping everything over from the bent frame to the unbent ('96) frame. The rear axle is done, front axle is next, then I plan to pull the powerplant, then swap all the brake lines and steering box and various odds and ends that are so much easier to get at with the big lump outa the way before dropping the engine/trans/xfer in place.

Any tractor that is worthy of the name will lift that load.