Home Made 2500 lb Engine Stand - Design to Fabrication (1 Viewer)

[shm21284]

PurpleFJ62 has a problem: the Cummins 6BTA Engine is out of the 99 Ram but has no way of mounting to the piddly little piece of s*** engine stand you buy at autozone crapo. This little thing is rated at 1250 lbs, and the Cummins weighs approx that (1170).

So, I design this using CAD software NX3 and FEA'd it to ensure is rigiidity and durability. According to the software. the base structure (not the head tube or the caster wheels) can support approx. 10000lbs before the structure yields.

Pictures:

CAD Model

Fabricating the Inner Tube:

Used a Rotary Table and a HUGE drill press (Radial Super Service Machine) at Detroit Diesel to make the radial holes for the locking pin:

 

[shm21284]

Just so you guys know, we have NO machining skills whatsoever, just intuition...


Me welding:

Nate Welding:

Old POS engine stand vs new one:

Moutning the Engine

The rotating tool, I think it's a bit overkill, but then again, so is the whole stand:

Engine Moutned:

We like mud:

MUD SALUTE!!!!!!!

 

[Joe_E]

Holy smokes, nice job.
The engine stand itself should hold a 12V71, but hopefully those four bolts holding on to the Cummins aren't made in China.

 

[BGarcia88FJ62]

Gentleman,
That there is some very nice fabrication .

 

[e9999]

nice job and nice pics (well except for the last ugly one... )



even with good bolts, I am always amazed that engines will hang on fully cantilevered on just a few bolts like that.

 

[shm21284]

Finite Element Analysis showed the 2.5" solid tube being the weakest part of the structure, specifically, where it meets the outer tube on the engine side.

We did a "shake" test - shaking the engine while mounted to the stand. There is NO noticable deflection, it just moves the whole stand on the caster wheels.

 

[sandcruiser]

droool

I've got no room, and only the most miniscule "need" for such a beast.... but I still want one!
better still, I wish my neighbor had one I could use!

 

[Joe_E]

I'm getting ready to do an engine swap with this JDM model, think I could borrow your stand when you're done?

 

[shm21284]

I'm getting ready to do an engine swap with this JDM model, think I could borrow your stand when you're done?

I am absoluetly amazed every time i see that engine.

 

[PurpleFJ62]

I have to offically say thanks to seth for all his help on this project. Without him and his knowledge of FEA and NX3 this stand would still be a wet dream. I am greatful to have a friend that dosent mind giving up 4 days of his time to help me with this.

But lets just say that payback is going to be a bitch, be on the lookout for our 1FZ install into an 80.

 

[Waorani]

Where did you get your casters? Most from the easy sources (Northern, etc) are such poor quality you can hardly roll any weight.

 

[shm21284]

I have to offically say thanks to seth for all his help on this project. Without him and his knowledge of FEA and NX3 this stand would still be a wet dream. I am greatful to have a friend that dosent mind giving up 4 days of his time to help me with this.

But lets just say that payback is going to be a *****, be on the lookout for our 1FZ install into an 80.

Nate, its all good!!! It was cool to build this thing, see a design come to life, especially in such a short time!!!

 

[shm21284]

Where did you get your casters? Most from the easy sources (Northern, etc) are such poor quality you can hardly roll any weight.

McMaster, and you don't want to know what they cost. They are pneumatic so it can be rolled outside on dirt and gravel for cleaning, etc. They list swivel and wheel bearing type, load capacity, etc, so it made it fairly easy for choosing the correct ones. But, they are a bit on the expensive side.

 

[PurpleFJ62]

yea, a bit on the expensive side is an understatment. But i did roll the engine outside right over a piece of plywood, and dident even bother moving it.

 

[Dynosoar]

You could bolt a Rolls Royce Merlin up to that thing.


Dynosoar

 

[shm21284]

You could bolt a Rolls Royce Merlin up to that thing.

Dynosoar

Damn, thats a nice engine.

 

[wes.yount]

Good GOD! That's 1 hell of an engine stand.

 

[iron_giant]

You could bolt a Rolls Royce Merlin up to that thing.


Dynosoar

Damn, thats a nice engine.

...especially with 120 lbs. of manifold pressure running through it!

 

[shm21284]

We need an update with pictures of the new powder coating (hint hint)!

 

[rockcrawler]

Nice work although I'm not sure that I would trust those four bolts.