engine leveler OT

[John Reddie]

I'm sure that people here have used an engine leveler to remove/replace engines. Quick question, does it allow the engine to be tilted back or fourth slightly? I'm looking at one of the Harbor Freight items (the 2 ton model). Thank you for any info here.

John R

[james curl]

Yes, it allows you to tilt the engine almost straight up.  If you look at the picture you will see a crank handle attached to a long threaded rod just below the pull loop, it moves the pivot point forward or backwards to nose up or nose down position.  It will have to go extreme front up to get it out of the hole then level to move the car out from under the engine.  With the front clip or dog house off all you need to do is raise the engine up before moving the car or puller.  Be aware that with the front sheetmetal left on the car the engine must be raised high enough to clear the top of the radiator support even with the radiator removed.  This places a very heavy engine high in the air, if using a cherry picker type of puller be very careful when you pull it forward that he engine does not roll the whole thing over as most have swiveling wheels that must reverse direction when pulled out unless you push the picker in too far and pull back to get the wheels going the right way.  As they swivel back around they end offset from the legs and unbalance the engine causing it to want to roll over.  When it rolls over it happens very fast and bends the up leg as well as raises the car up, what a mess, believe me I know from experience.

Edited July 4, 2014 by james curl

[John Reddie]

Hi James,

  Thanks for the detailed info here. I am using a 10 foot gantry that I built which has worked very well. Not quite as easy as  the smaller crane that you describe and I can see what a disaster that what you mentioned would be . Take care.

John R

[Dodgeb4ya]

As mentioned you should be careful when using engine hoists. The import chinese ones can be scary depending on boom and leg extension settings. They can get tippy!

Keep the engine down low till it needs to go into the engine bay and use it only on flat concrete or on hard flat surfaces.

There are different types of tilting bars and they are nice to use. They will tilt the engine either way.

If it's a screw type bar keep it lubed so it will slide easily.

I have used this tilt bar and hoist for well over 30 years. Done many many jobs with it. Good tools make the jobs easy.

Bob

[Don Coatney]

  On 7/4/2014 at 3:53 PM, Dodgeb4ya said:

As mentioned you should be careful when using engine hoists. The import chinese ones can be scary depending on boom and leg extension settings. They can get tippy!

Keep the engine down low till it needs to go into the engine bay and use it only on flat concrete or on hard flat surfaces.

There are different types of tilting bars and they are nice to use. They will tilt the engine either way.

If it's a screw type bar keep it lubed so it will slide easily.

I have used this tilt bar and hoist for well over 30 years. Done many many jobs with it. Good tools make the jobs easy.

Bob

Eight banger with the hood on. Impressive!

[desoto1939]

I have seen engine hoist with three and four leg setup.  Get the one with a four leg setup the unit is more stable because of being on the ground at four point and not three.

 

Rich Hartung.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Yea Don,

I try to leave the hoods on if I can- keep the hoist and chains/bar tight to the engine...speeds up the job!

  On 7/4/2014 at 3:59 PM, Don Coatney said:

Eight banger with the hood on. Impressive!

[greg g]

OK, I have heard that HF engine levelers can let go under weight. Their welds are not the best and are under a lot of strain especially at extreme angles.  If you buy one you might want to take it somewhere and have the critical joints redone.  I can attest to problems with cherry pickers.  I borrowed one that had an extendable boom.  The extension was retained by pinch bolts not pins through the inner and outer pieces.  What I thought was tight enough was not and the extension slid back leaving me in a situation where at full height, I could not clear the radiator support.  I bit of critical thinking came up with a solution.  air down the tires to create enough room to get the engine over the support.  the next thing would have been to remove the oil pan and wiggle and jiggle, but with flat tires it was't necessary.

Edited July 4, 2014 by greg g

[Don Coatney]

I did not get many pictures of the actual install of this engine but the front legs of the cherry picker were extended about 4 feet to prevent tipping and the engine was vertical for the drop down via manipulation of the leveler and a couple of winches.  Plymouthy can add to this story.

 

[pflaming]

I don't trust cherry pickers, i always hang / pull engines with a winch attached to the rafters, then I just move the car for fine adjustments.

[james curl]

When you realize how high that piece of cast iron has to be for the oil pan to clear the radiator support it does become scarey.  I was using a six caster sprayed angle legged cherry picker on an 85 Chevy. pick up.  When I started to pull the engine forward over the radiator support the casters started to reverse them selves and when they were 90 degrees to the legs the whole thing slowly rolled over raising the front end the pick up off of the floor and wedged the picker on its side under the truck.   I learned a valuable lesson that day, once it starts over you cannot stop it.

Edited July 4, 2014 by james curl

[Don Coatney]

  On 7/4/2014 at 8:02 PM, james curl said:

, once it starts over you cannot stop it.

You are so correct. Lucky none of your 21 were digits were not caught in the pinch. Word to the wise for all. If it starts to move run away and let it.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Those orange and yellow engine hoists are scary to use sometimes! I don't like them.