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Darren, the engine stand you gave me has held the 4.2 engine, though I just don't trust those 4 bolts in the rear holding so much weight so I added two 2 by 4 at the front and bolted them to the engine and stand.
the stand seems to hold the engine fine, it's the bolts I'm worried about.
I have been inspecting the stand every week for cracking welds and so far so good.
Good info, thanks for sharing, as I have six of the 6 ton stand in my bus shop, and have used them for several years. I've never had any trouble with them . But Damn they could kill you if one of the buses were to fall. Geezzz. Thanks Again I'll have to check the item numbers.
I always recommend putting the wheels/tires under the car when working on it for this reason and always be mindful of your pinch points. Any jack stand can fail, some designs more than others though. And nothing between you and the fire extinguisher !
I have 4 jacks stands that looks like those but the label wore off years ago! Rhetorical question... How do I know? Will HF take it back with out a label? I'm gonna call and ask... This one aspect of consumerism that is kind of a paradox. The cheapest and lowest quality products are always the ones that are most accessible. Shoppers demand less and they get it!
I always recommend putting the wheels/tires under the car when working on it for this reason
Me too; it's my regular practice. If the jackstands fail at least the car won't pancake right to the floor. Your chances of survival are much better....although hardly guaranteed
years ago I had some concrete blocks made that were solid cement and with rebar. No holes as in regular blocks. A box was built and concrete poured in it. Very nice work by a Mexican construction worker.
You can see one in the picture below.
I like to raise the car and keep it in normal ground height, don't like the suspension hanging down.
I put those blocks thru two heavy Jags and never a failure.
great for exhaust work, bleeding brakes, or relaxing under the car admiring the stainless steel parts.
err, yes, I put wedges in front and rear under two tires. And yes I had jackstands in front too. just in case.
I can appreciate an abundance of caution when raising our cars to work on them. I am the poster child for the saying "you get what you pay for". I will admit that when I need a tool, I look at the price of the various offerings first. I will next look at the tool in person if I can and then buy the best that is offered (still has to be within the budget). Just bought an 8 piece set of stubby combination wrenches for $16, definitely not Snap-On, but for their purpose they work fine. Jack stands, engine stands, engine hoists, floor jacks, etc are an entirely different story.
Jose, I have had a fully dressed 454ci cast iron Chevy on my engine stand without an issue, but I am with you on the "four little bolts". If you think about the geometry and forces at that face-plate, there are only the top TWO bolts that prevent the engine from hitting the floor. The bottom two bolts are in a very light shear while the top two are in very high tension. I don't know how they keep from pulling the threads out of the block. Your 2x4 idea at the front is a good one, especially on a long 6-cylinder.
Every jack stand on this place has come from Harbor Freight at one time or another.
There are probably 8 pair out there, some of them growing roots into the concrete floor they've sat so long.
My point is, NONE still have stickers or labels. If that means they're too old to be under recall, then we're golden.
I'm thinking more research into this matter is definitely needed.
(';')
Dave, the only problem with the 2 by 4 is tilting the engine. You can't tilt it unless the boards are removed.
but otherwise boards that are slightly larger than the height distance needed for support will slightly raise the front of the engine relieving the stress on those two bolts. I know exactly what you are saying. It is exactly what worries me, those two flimsy bolts are what is holding the engine.
the stand itself seems to take the load fine.
right now Harbor has an engine hoist for $140. and I am going to help the economy with my Stimulous check. With a hoist, the issue is resolved.
anyone here who does it old school , toss a rope over a tree limb and use a chain hoist to R&R engines , thats the way i started back 40/1950s!
must have worked ,i,m still here!
altho now when doing my V12 and trans as a unit, in my garage i use a chain over double 2 by 6" beams from side to side , 4by4 stud in middle support!
ron
We seem to be in the same demographic Ron, my first engine overhaul experience took place on our newly acquired homestead, way back in the woods. I went out and cut 3 spruce trees and built a tripod in the yard and pushed the car ('41 Chevy Business mans Coupe) under it. I hoisted the engine out with two chain binders on a dangling chain from the tripod. Didn't have anything else and it worked fine. Did the same procedure with a '53 Mercury v8 flathead that I then cobbled into the '41 Chevy.
Block and tackle? Aka chain hoist. School chum Roy had one from somewhere. Opened a hole in the wall of his garage over the beam of the opening for the door. Hoisted his "A" engine out and then back in the A!
When the engine in my 37 broke a crank at he middle main, he gave me the well worn 59AB from his inherited 39 Ford. it ran great but, ate oil!! We swapped in a rebuilt 85 HP V8. tuened in my busted crank V8 as a core. Oh, we found a junk yard crank to install. Was it any good, we never knew??
I used the chain hoist at my garage to install it. same hoe over the beam at the opening. .
Some years before I swapped in a better T short block to my "hot rod". Just scooted it along the frame rail and on to a big box that was a but the same height Repeated in 58 when in Holtville and I built my t speedster from discarded junk. It looked neat and ran like stink!!
Forgot how he h... I installed the 53 Merc in my very rough 40 ford pickup??? Chain hoist from or at some place??/
Somewhere I there I helped a pal swap in a "better" V8 in to his nice 36 Ford coupe.
DecadWe jacked up the nose of the car under a hefty tree branch. Chained the engine t the branch and lowered the car out from under it. Some way we managed to get the engine down. Just cut it loose??? and hoist another up for the car to be pushed under... soe how it worked and the car ran!!!
In my oddities, I have a wood pulley sheave and a chunk of rope I used it to swap in an engoine for my chipper shredder!!! It and a jack!!! Belt asnd suspender style...
The man who built the Coral Castle in Florida devised ways to lift rocks weighing up to 20 tons using a system of chains and pulleys.
He wrote that he knew the secret of how the pyramids of Egypt were built.
