Damien00677

Have any of you found plans or created your own engine stand? I'm looking for measurements mostly, and especially how to build the mounting point for the motor mounts. Any help would be appreciated.

TheGreatJ

Here's the plan I used:

Wait for a sale.
Go to O'Reilly's
Give the parts guy a 50 and wait while he makes change.

On a serious note, they're just too cheap to mess with trying to do it yourself. You can buy an AC Delco 1,000lb stand for 40 bucks, and if one of the welds ever cracks, they'll replace the whole rig for free.

spartyon

i got a 1000lb one at a local farm supply for 35 bucks.

THEGENERAL

find one of those tool sales out of a truck and buy a 1000lb one and weld all the joints yourself after you bolt it together we did this for my brothers stand when he bought his and its never been stronger...LOL

cost 20 bucks maybe

Damien00677

Thanks guys, my uncle just got a welder, and wanted to build something with it. But I guess it isn't worth it when you buy all the materials and stuff

ede

unless you want or need something differant they're way to cheap to bother making. i do know someone that makes them, price is 150 dollars.

gilley's86

My old man made his a while back out of 3/8" square tubing, cheeply made, probably about 20-25 bucks. My cousin has an olds 455 on a cheap jegs or summit stand, and the motor sags on the stand. Afraid to walk around it. Guess ours was just cheep b/c we have the connections to get cheap steel.

Gilley

IHI

iTrader: (1)

We've got 5 stands in the shop of various makes-all had engines on them when I needed one for a project truck my gramps bought.

Went to Oreilly and got the $40 AC stand and it works okay, does'nt let the motor spin as easily as some of the more expensinve units I've bought. One noticable difference I found when I was building my 388, the backbone of it that holds the motor does not tilt back like the better units we have, which may affect why it turns over so hard. When the motor is mounted it is almost level (with all aluminum top end btw). When we had the 350 replacement for the truck from GM (standard long block replacement-all iron parts) the motor was tilting down below level.

Usless info, but figured I'd throw it out there. I also agree unless you have alot of free time and a stash of steel/casters it's quicker, cheaper, and easier to just buy one. Also welding the bolt together joints would be a way for you to play with the welder and help strengthen the thing up.

83 Crossfire TA

iTrader: (2)

More of the same… I got the last 2 as freebies with other purchases (one came with a fold up engine crane). If I did have to buy one, I’d just get one from harbor freight… they’re cheaper then the steel + casters will run you. If you want something really nice, take one of the cheap ones and weld up all the joints so it can’t sag. Did that to one of the free ones and even a fully dressed 500ci Cadillac didn’t make it sag.

ljnowell

As THEGENERAL said, I bought one of the cheapo stands from the traveling tool sales people. We took it home and welded all the seams. Now, with a small block with iron heads and aluminum intake on it, it still sits tilted back a little. We havent managed to put enough weight on it to level it completely yet.

rjmcgee

mn

rjmcgee

I am just finishing mine up now. Had all of the steel and wheels laying around so it was just my time. Made the whole head unit myself with the lathe and it should be easy to turn. Next I want to get a little gearbox and make a hand crank to roll the engine and hold it anywhere I want. Biggest reason for making my own it I wanted it strong as hell, bigger heavier wheels ( my shop floor is rough), and wanted it a little taller than most to save my back. I'll go grab a couple of pictures after dinner.

THEGENERAL

sounds cool

rjmcgee

Just have to finish the 4 arms and bolt them on. Plus make a set colar for the back of the shaft to make sure it can't squirt out when turning an engine over. The face plate is one inch thick stainless steel that I dug out of the scrap pile and I bored it out to 1.750". The eight .750" holes were already in it which the arms will bolt into any of them. Since I wasn't sure if I could weld that directly to the shaft I turned a 6" diameter by .500" plate and bored it out the same. I turned down the end of the 2" shaft to 1.750 and welded my plate to it. Then slide on the 1" thick plate and 6 bolts hold it together. Definately not worth it to buy all of this and build it, but with free materials it makes for a fun project.

rjmcgee

THEGENERAL

my gosh you could hang a train engine off of that thing...LOL

looks like you have some very good skills and use of some nice machinery to be able to build that ..good job

looks good

and strong
very strong...LOL

rjmcgee

Thank you. It's first test is a big block Ford engine so at least if it breaks in half and drops the engine I'm not out much.

THEGENERAL

IHI

iTrader: (1)

Very nice machine work indeed I'm just not sure if I like the narrow track width of the rear "axle" though. Seems it might get kinda tipsy if the stars dont line up just right when in use rolling around??

rjmcgee

Thanks, I went back and forth with myself on the diminsions for this. I am still doing alot of learning. The wheels are 24" apart. 32 or 36 would have been better but I am really limited on space. It won't tip over if you just bump into it, but I wouldn't go pushing it around corners on a dead run.

IHI

iTrader: (1)

It looks like you may be able to make "accessory" stabilizers that could slide into the square tubing by the "rear axle". When you go to start torqueing bolts you'll find the narrow track may be a problem.


Edit:
Another idea if you have'nt done so already is make the motor mount brackets far enough away that you can keep the flexplate mounted. Out of the 5 we have only 2 allow this which is a PITA. The other 3 are nice since we can mount up the starter and bump the motor over for setting the valves. Saves alot of time

4 wheels are ALOT better than 3, but photo did'nt show the front end. But I cant stress enough about getting some way to widen the stance for torqueing bolts. Those head bolts could easily make the stand wanna tip once you get to setting them. Just off the top of my head you could make outriggers that store like engine hoists, have them slide into the back square tubing with a nut welded to your frame and a bolt to tighten the outrigger into place. Then some fancy little holders for storeing them when your not using it.

I agree with these things being a pita to store outta the way now try 5

not to change subject, but anybody looing to buy a cherry picker take a serious look at the AC Delco. I've had 3 other $199 brands and the first one had pump go out after 3 motor pulls, 2nd one the boom arm was too short to yank the motor out of my bird. I got this AC as a deal with my account at Orielly's and it folds up tighter than the others I've owned, pump is very positive and no leaks to date, and boom arm is very long. Fully extended to the 500lb rating hole I can get the arm to touch a standard 8'6" ceiling heigth I had plenty of room to spare when I put the new motor in the bird this time.

RebelRacer

A quick easy way to make an engine stand is out of a shopping cart, basically you cut the top off and weld in some plates, send me a PM if you want more details or dimensions.

Kyle

83 Crossfire TA

iTrader: (2)

Ok, no one else is saying anything, I will... How?

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

Car Craft has a fabrication designs for a SBC engine stand in the newest issue. I'll scan in the pic if anyone cares to see it. It's just the designs for a bellhousing and engine mount bolt up so it's stationary.