OGDB
Part of things
Posts: 544
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Apr 16, 2020 11:53:06 GMT
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Hello everyone.
I am after some help and advice from those of you with experience.
I am in need of an engine stand. I've never had one before and haven't used one for many years. Fabricating a mount to the engine isn't of much concern and is already in the pipe line.
I have been looking online and there seems to be a few cheap (Sub £50) new engine stands on eBay and I am wondering if they are worth a poke or if any one has used one themselves? The engine that will be hung on the stand is an A-series motor and gearbox. The initial engine will be hung there for a refresh and a tidy up, the second engine will be placed on it to be built and is once again an A series engine, just a larger bore. Nothing any bigger than an A-series engine will be put on it as far as I can see. It will also not be pushed around a huge amount, the main purpose is to get it to a friendly working height and save me sitting on the floor or working on it whilst it hangs off of a hoist.
My engine crane again was a cheap item (Clarke) and it has done the job pretty well in my ownership. Used very infrequently but does the job fine.
Does anyone have one, if so are they a suitable tool to have in the shed?
Thanks
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,784
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Cheap Engine Stands. Dez
@dez
Club Retro Rides Member 34
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Apr 16, 2020 12:51:34 GMT
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I’ve got 3 or 4 in the workshop at the mo, currently holding a 2.5tdci ranger motor, a small block Chevy and a 6cyl Nissan L26 motor off the floor. None of them were more than £35 delivered and all are up to the job.
I only break out the really big heavy duty stand I fabricated for flathead fords or Y-blocks. A cheaply will be fine for what you need.
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moglite
Part of things
Posts: 815
Club RR Member Number: 144
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Cheap Engine Stands. moglite
@moglite
Club Retro Rides Member 144
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Apr 16, 2020 13:52:05 GMT
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I've got a cheapie with a B-series hanging off of it at the moment..
I didn't want to take the flywheel off, so had to source some studding and bolts, the supplied ones were too short.
There is a fair bit of flex and bounce in mine. I'm not sure a more expensive one would be better though.
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1967 Morris Oxford Traveller 1979 Toyota LandCruiser BJ40 1993 Daimler Double Six 2007 Volvo XC70 2.4D
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merryck
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 477
Club RR Member Number: 9
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Cheap Engine Stands. merryck
@merryck
Club Retro Rides Member 9
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Apr 16, 2020 14:47:25 GMT
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Where in Kent are you? I have a spare you could pick up? I'm based in Canterbury.
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Apr 16, 2020 15:14:40 GMT
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there's 2 types listed everywhere, 3 wheeled and 4 wheeled, if its a heaftier lump I'd get the higher weight capacity unit.
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Apr 16, 2020 20:04:11 GMT
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I've got a second hand Clarke one I picked up off eBay for £20. Holds up a Pinto easily enough.
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,926
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Cheap Engine Stands. stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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Apr 16, 2020 20:35:02 GMT
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I'd avoid the 3 wheel ones personally. The H frame shaped 4 wheel ones are fine. U frame shape is best but I'd imagine a bit more expensive. Should get all styles for less than 100 quid.
For mounting engines Gudgeon pins and old head bolts are best, most engines use the same thread for the head and bell housing bolts. I'm lucky as I can get them from work, might be worth nipping to a local engine place if open and see if they'll let you nab some (gudgeon pins especially) out of the scrap bin. Long normal bolts will be fine too.
**I've just re-read your thread and you've said you're doing a A series - they need to be either built on a bench or side mounted to the stand. May possibly need a custom mount (thick flat plate with some tube welded to it and holes drilled to mount it to the block.
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Apr 16, 2020 21:08:00 GMT
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Mine cost nothing, one scrap suspension strut upside down and what was the top and is now the bottom welded to a couple of pieces of angle in a u shape, make up bracket to bolt engine to wheel studs and a bolt through one of the caliper mounting bolts to lock it.
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Where abouts are you? I have one you can borrow?
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1966 Ford Cortina GT 2018 Ford Fiesta ST
Full time engineer, part time waffler on Youtube - see Jim_Builds
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OGDB
Part of things
Posts: 544
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Apr 18, 2020 13:10:06 GMT
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Thanks everyone for the helpful replies. Didn't expect such a wealth of knowledge to be presented. So thanks very much. merryck Dropped you a PM, I am in Rochester. That would be incredibly helpful. stealthstylz Thanks for the input. I have found a few people online who have made a bracket for their stands and they use the oil filter housing holes and the Alternator mounting bracket. Once I have a stand I will order a bit of tube that fit in the stand and fab up a mounting bracket. jim I am in Kent, not too far out from London. Thanks very much for the offer.
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slater
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,390
Club RR Member Number: 78
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Cheap Engine Stands. slater
@slater
Club Retro Rides Member 78
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Built loads of a-series engines, all mounted to the stand through the two 5/16 alternator mounts. You would think is not enough but its been fine.
don't really use engine stands very often. All our benches have a stand built in. Biggest annoyance with the stand is them scooting about all over the floor when trying to torque thing etc. in my experience. You might want to clamp it to something!
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OGDB
Part of things
Posts: 544
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Apr 19, 2020 13:14:47 GMT
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Thanks for that slater, sure looks like you know the A series well! You've found the two alternator brackets to suffice? I was tempted to make a plate that also used the two oil filter housing holes. however if the alternator holes do the job, then wonderful.
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slater
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,390
Club RR Member Number: 78
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Cheap Engine Stands. slater
@slater
Club Retro Rides Member 78
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Apr 19, 2020 17:23:05 GMT
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Always done the job for us. I think i just copied a picture in the yellow bible or one of those Vizard books when i was about 13 and still use the same adapter now. If you really wanted belt and braces make one that goes across between the alt and oil filter mountings. It would help to have the pivot point a bit closer to the center of gravity at times.
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