used engine lifts? (1 Viewer)

[landcruiser3DP]

i’m reading up on RMS and oil pan arch seals and from what i am gathering i should just put parts on a shelf and do the head gasket at the same time and pull the engine.
anyway, if i went to keep an eye on craigslist and facebook marketplace in the meantime is there is rock solid engine lift manufacturer i should keep an eye out for? is there a specific height or ton rating i need to make sure to get?
anything else to physically inspect when buying a used engine lift?
THANKS in advance

 

[gnob]

Look for something that folds and has all four swivel casters.

 

[landcruiser3DP]

Look for something that folds and has all four swivel casters.

thanks a lot. trying to get up to speed here.
so meaning something that literally folds up and you can stash in a corner? and also to inspect the swivel casters to make sure why are still intact and are not damaged? or inspect to make sure it comes with swivel casters and not some other kind of wheel?

 

[gnob]

Yes. Basically the long down legs fold up, the boom hangs down. Has like a 3x3 footprint.

Swivel casters vs non swivel. Some only come with two vs four. In reality each has plusses and minuses but i find four all around better.

 

[zebrabeefj40]

Another feature to look at is the length of the boom. A lot of the newer engine hoists do not have a long enough boom to reach into a Land Cruiser engine compartment and lift the motor/trans/t-case out. Sure, the boom telescopes, but if you have a typical hoist boom fully extended the capacity is too low to lift a 2F safely let alone the complete drivetrain like happens with a FJ40.

FWIW I have both folding and non-folding hoists. For actual engine lifting into and out of engine bays I use the non-folding version. It's got a much longer boom and is a little more solid in use (admittedly it is more of a professional tool vs. the typical folding hoist). When not in use it breaks down and stores in about the same space as a folding version.

You might also consider renting a hoist if you have limited need for such a specialized tool. Early on I just rented one when I needed it. I could rent a much nicer unit than I could buy at the time. I also got to try different designs to see what I liked for myself.

Nick

 

[greenbeast]

I had never owned a lift or a stand before I purchased mine this summer off Craigslist. I agree with a lift that folds up. This makes it so much easier storing it, if not you can hang some serious crap on one in your garage.
Took me a few minutes to figure out how to transfer the engine off the lift to the stand. My doctorate education sure didn't help me realize the stand fits between the lower legs of the lift. Once i figured that out it was all down hill!!
Find one that adjusts for several weights. say 500 to 1500 pounds.
Cheers

 

[landcruiser3DP]

Another feature to look at is the length of the boom. A lot of the newer engine hoists do not have a long enough boom to reach into a Land Cruiser engine compartment and lift the motor/trans/t-case out. Sure, the boom telescopes, but if you have a typical hoist boom fully extended the capacity is too low to lift a 2F safely let alone the complete drivetrain like happens with a FJ40.

FWIW I have both folding and non-folding hoists. For actual engine lifting into and out of engine bays I use the non-folding version. It's got a much longer boom and is a little more solid in use (admittedly it is more of a professional tool vs. the typical folding hoist). When not in use it breaks down and stores in about the same space as a folding version.

You might also consider renting a hoist if you have limited need for such a specialized tool. Early on I just rented one when I needed it. I could rent a much nicer unit than I could buy at the time. I also got to try different designs to see what I liked for myself.

Nick

yeah. so i am a massive noob here. so i could rent the engine lift for a day on the front end and a day on the back end?
then i also need to buy and engine stand? anything i am looking for in an engine stand? i am thinking now i need to buy a stand since it may be on it for awhile.
two pics from Fb marketplace.

 

[zebrabeefj40]

If renting, yes, one day to remove the engine and get it on an engine stand. Then one day to reinstall the engine once you have it rebuilt. Or see if you can borrow one from a fellow Cruiserhead. This is where being a member of the local Cruiser club comes in handy. Plus you can get help from others. Extra hands and eyes come in very handy when pulling motors.

If you are set on buying an engine hoist that yellow engine hoist is a very nice unit and will meet all your needs both now and in the future. The Harbor Freight (Pittsburgh) folding engine hoist above that - not so much IMHO.

For an engine stand I would look for something like this one from Summit: Summit Racing® Engine Stands SUM-918009

Yes, you can get cheap "1000 lb Cap" stands from Harbor Freight - I have 4-5 of them. And I'd never use one to hold up a 2F. I have a Chevy 350 on one right now and it's kinda sketchy. A long, heavy 2F? No way. A good stand is cheaper than an ER visit by a long shot. And you can resell it later if you decide to get out of messing with motors.

Nick

 

[pb4ugo]

The best engine hoist is one you can borrow. They take up space and rarely get I used for the average non professional shop owner. A friend was doing a frame off on a cj7, I mentioned to him how nice it would be if he had a hoist, so he bought one. Now, I get to use it anytime and keep it as long as I need it. He gets bummed put when I return it, because he has to store it, again. B4, I used to rent one, I'd do most of the work to remove the engine, so I could rent it for the shortest time possible.

 

[wapitimud]

The factory service manual and Haynes manual for my HZJ79 explicitly state to use a heavier rated shop crane for engine lifts. I use a 2 Ton folding shop crane, its quite heavily built, and cost me $100USD used. I had rented them twice in the past for $75, and got tired of that.

The engine stand isn't expensive at HF or as used either. Both are really low-budget items worth having around the shop.

My buddy has a large shop and a rolling gantry crane, which is better still. You can build or buy a good gantry crane if you get serious. A large enough gantry will lift a tank turret or rebuild the Titanic if you need to...

 

[FJ60Seth]

I had a fold up one and hated it. The boom is shorter & the capacity is lower than one with fixed legs. The fold up was also harder to roll around because the legs were a little wobbly where the legs folded.

I bought the big one from HF. Looked at all in stock and picked the one with the best welds. Have used it for a few engines and a drill-mill. Has worked fine.