How should I hang this engine hoist?

[Bennylava]

I'm looking to get rid of my old floor engine hoist. Its just your standard "cherry picker". Rolls around on 4 casters, and is operated by a hand jack. I'm sure you're well aware of the type. Its too big and takes up too much room in my garage.

I need that space for other things, as my garage is short on room. So I was looking into getting one of those ceiling mount engine hoists. I'm often working on some car or another. And I need to be able to remove an engine, or sometimes just raise one up a bit in order to more easily complete a repair. So I guess I have 3 questions.


1. Which ceiling mount engine hoist would you recommend?

2. What is the best way to mount the hoist, judging by the pics? My main concern is that I get different vehicles, and they're different lengths. I need room to close my garage door, but I also need room up front to be able to work. Is there some way I can mount the hoist so that it can move forwards or backwards?

3. What do you think of the hoists I have linked below?



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K1QPY4E/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DI74SE6/?tag=atomicindus08-20
















Hopefully you can get an idea of the metal thickness I'm dealing with, from this pic:

 

[matt_i]

In no way would i judge that structure as appropriate for pulling an engine.

What you are missing is the gantry to support the hoist. Build or buy it with casters and a trolley or looped strap can accomodate the hoist.

Personally I'd prefer the chainfall hoist. While you do have to be careful not to scratch something with the endless chain, you have complete control and can raise or lower the load around 1/8" at a time. Ideal when trying to position the trans dowels so the engine will align with the trans. With the electric hoist you can try to bump the starter but usually not with the fine precision you can achieve with the manual version. Expensive bridge cranes come with VFDs and oversized motors to be able to run the load at different speeds and achieve the same.

 

[stikman56]

In no way would i judge that structure as appropriate for pulling an engine.

What you are missing is the gantry to support the hoist. Build or buy it with casters and a trolley or looped strap can accomodate the hoist.

Personally I'd prefer the chainfall hoist. While you do have to be careful not to scratch something with the endless chain, you have complete control and can raise or lower the load around 1/8" at a time. Ideal when trying to position the trans dowels so the engine will align with the trans. With the electric hoist you can try to bump the starter but usually not with the fine precision you can achieve with the manual version. Expensive bridge cranes come with VFDs and oversized motors to be able to run the load at different speeds and achieve the same.

This is how I used to do it,only pain is that chain. Extra bit of time keeping it off the nice paint/chrome,whatever,but otherwise works very well.

 

[Bennylava]

In no way would i judge that structure as appropriate for pulling an engine.

What you are missing is the gantry to support the hoist. Build or buy it with casters and a trolley or looped strap can accomodate the hoist.

Hmm, guess I have never heard of one of those. Looks like I'd rather build one, so that it fits my building better. And it would also look better. Is there any reason I couldn't go right up against the wall with it?

 

[Strouty]

While a gantry style crane will be a much better unit, it will take up more room than your current engine hoist.

 

[Z2V]

I like the chain hoist also but I wouldn't use the structure to do it. Not having a trolley would make it a PIA. Is your cherry picker welded solid that you can't break it down and put it in the corner out of the way when you don't need it? Like Matt mentioned, a gantry would be great with a chain hoist but would take up more room than cherry picker and the are quite expensive to buy.

 

[bczygan]

That structure looks like it is designed to hold itself up, and nothing more.

That is what I would go on, until the mfg. said otherwise.

 

[Showkey]

Similar money gets a folding engine hoist, with more versatility and no structure risks.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...dZbkKn7nrHSE-ANh8bJcHtRc_buEqGSj3MxoCZt7w_wcB

 

[racerex]

A gantry crane does eat up space. In my case, my engine hoist was shot, so I decided to get a gantry. I'm doing a body-off resto of a Corvette and I know that countless guys have used an engine hoist to lift the body off C2's and C3's, but that was not for me, as I work alone most of the time. I happen to find a guy that was selling a never assembled HF 1T gantry for $450 and I purchased it. I then picked up a 1T HF trolley and my father gave me a 1T chain hoist that he no longer had a use for.

Prior to finding the HF gantry, I was planning on fab'ing up a gantry from some steel that I scored from the scrap pile at a large factory that my buddy was demo'ing (four nice 10' long 4"x4" posts, some 6" c-channel and a 10' long 6" I-beam).

 

[LXCam]

Those red iron perlins will never handle that kind of load. So as suggested I'd rethink the whole thing and stick with an engine hoist since you lack enough height to do a gantry crane type set up.

 

[Excelerater]

I been using a foldable cherry picker for 20 years,no way id ever use an overhead
even if I had the room and beam strength . Also Cherry pickers I can usually yank a motor with the hood in place and sometomes even a ****** too...Your beams are not HD enough,so your gonna need to make more

 

[Ironcrow]

I'd throw a W8x10 beam from that welded steel truss in the middle to the back wall. Tuck it up tight to the ridge and on top of the truss. Put trolley on it and hang an electric hoist. Maybe a column (steel pipe) up against the back rake wall.

And I know everybody is going to say you'll die, the building will fall down, and engineer this and engineer that. But, you know what, you'll learn something real fast if you measure from the bottom of that truss to the floor. Hang 750 lbs off a rope briefly on the middle of that truss and measure to the ground again. Be precise. If the truss deflects 1/16 inch you won't break the building with a hoist.

 

[md21722]

Similar money gets a folding engine hoist, with more versatility and no structure risks.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...dZbkKn7nrHSE-ANh8bJcHtRc_buEqGSj3MxoCZt7w_wcB

I been using a foldable cherry picker for 20 years,no way id ever use an overhead
even if I had the room and beam strength . Also Cherry pickers I can usually yank a motor with the hood in place and sometomes even a ****** too...Your beams are not HD enough,so your gonna need to make more

Just get one of these from Harbor Freight, Northern Tool, your favorite auto parts store, or Craigslist. The gantry cranes are nice if you have the space. You can get them at HF/Northern Tool as well. But you'll also find that engine hoists/cherry pickers are great to have as well, even if you have one of the other lifting methods.

 

[NUTTSGT]

You already have a cherry picker, instead of spending the money again, can you revamp the one you have to make it fold up to take up less floor space ?

 

[LS6 Tommy]

In no way would i judge that structure as appropriate for pulling an engine.

What you are missing is the gantry to support the hoist. Build or buy it with casters and a trolley or looped strap can accomodate the hoist.

Personally I'd prefer the chainfall hoist. While you do have to be careful not to scratch something with the endless chain, you have complete control and can raise or lower the load around 1/8" at a time. Ideal when trying to position the trans dowels so the engine will align with the trans. With the electric hoist you can try to bump the starter but usually not with the fine precision you can achieve with the manual version. Expensive bridge cranes come with VFDs and oversized motors to be able to run the load at different speeds and achieve the same.

X2 to all of the above.

Tommy

 

[Mr.wolf]

I've been looking to do a very similar project. I don't want floor space taken up. Found I can get a w8 10 beam for $350 or so but then I have to mount it properly. I called carter lumber and found I can do a glu lam or 2 lvl's glued and screwed together and just mount it one a new 6x6 on either side right along the wall. I can support it with a couple 2x6 running at an angle to the next post for side movement of the support posts. Then my plan is chain hoist or winch on the beam. Still working on the final plan but I think that's what I've settled on. The engineer at carter said 1000lbs live load in middle is fine on the products he gave me.

Z

 

[brownbagg]

find a tree

 

[Ironcrow]

As has been pointed out, the disadvantage of a straight up hoist over a cherry picker is you have to take the hood off to pull the engine with a chain hoist. I always thought a good scheme (beyond the scope of the the OPs plans) would be to essentially rig up the cherry picker upside down hanging from the ceiling. Best of both worlds; no floor clutter AND you can leave the hood on...

 

[Bennylava]

You already have a cherry picker, instead of spending the money again, can you revamp the one you have to make it fold up to take up less floor space ?

Yeah mine can be broken down, so I'll probably just start doing that. Seems like a much better option, since my building doesn't have the strength. I was just trying to avoid having to do that every time I need to use it. Oh well.

As has been pointed out, the disadvantage of a straight up hoist over a cherry picker is you have to take the hood off to pull the engine with a chain hoist. I always thought a good scheme (beyond the scope of the the OPs plans) would be to essentially rig up the cherry picker upside down hanging from the ceiling. Best of both worlds; no floor clutter AND you can leave the hood on...

lol I thought about doing the same thing...turned out it would be way better to just use a standard chain hoist.

 

[penright]

I had a friend who I helped on his race car. He was a mechanical engineer. When he built his house, he had two truss layout, with poles in the wall that carried the load all the way to piers. He had a piece of steel tieing it all together, with a loop on the end. It was enough to pull the engine of the race car. This was all designed and built from scratch with the loads, how they were carried, and where. Your trusses look just like mine. All the loads they were designed to carry is already there minus the snow. Mine are 24' span and the pitch scares me.
As far as a portable grantery. He also had one designed and when I had my race car, he let me borrow it till I sold the car.
There was 5 pieces. 2 base, 2 legs, and one cross bar. All this was made from thick gas pipe. The base was about 4 feet with a stub welded up. The legs were about 7 feet with a pipe welded like a T with gussets angled between them. When assembled the legs slide over the stub, the then the cross bar slide through the pipe at the top. All this locked together and was very strong. When disambled, it would store flat with about a foot of the T's sticking up. Took up very little space compared to what it did assembled.

Not good at drawing but here my best attempt.

 

[lakeroadster]

I'd throw a W8x10 beam from that welded steel truss in the middle to the back wall. Tuck it up tight to the ridge and on top of the truss. Put trolley on it and hang an electric hoist. Maybe a column (steel pipe) up against the back rake wall.

OP... Don't do this, please.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Similar money gets a folding engine hoist, with more versatility and no structure risks.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...dZbkKn7nrHSE-ANh8bJcHtRc_buEqGSj3MxoCZt7w_wcB

I have the mate to that one, and it is the most used amongst My eight or nine hoisting options. It can be rolled anywhere in or out of the shop, and folds very easily.

 

[Ironcrow]

OP... Don't do this, please.

So, your theory is if you add more googly eye things I get more stupid? We have a shed here that is likely designed to hold 20 psf snow load, 400 sq ft, so this structure could hold 8000 lbs on the roof. Granted this load is distributed, but that's why we carry the beam load to a truss and the rake wall. We're contemplating increasing the load 10%. By the way a single 4x4 column down the back wall could support 8000 lbs all by itself. You think if three friends come over and do a chin-up on that steel truss it will pull the building down? Ooo-kay.

My comment was a general idea, not an engineering drawing. If the OP doesn't like the flexibility of the truss, he is free to sister it or weld shear plates. And/or add columns at the truss ends. Etc. It's his project. My point is adding a trolly chain hoist to this space is not a googly eye project.

 

[sberry]

I agree, a modestly tallented 8th grader could build something to lift an engine

 

[brownbagg]

just get the cherry picker back and when you are not using it, throw it outside

 

[sberry]

Millions of engines been pulled from garage trusses with a 4x4 tossed over 3 or 4 of them. Hundreds of thousands is an underestimate, Millions of them over several decades.

 

[lakeroadster]

So, your theory is if you add more googly eye things I get more stupid?

I in no way think you are stupid. I think your advice, in this case is, dangerous.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Nobody else has mentioned this but you don't have enough roof height to have a hoist hanging from a beam or gantry crane. Most of the hoists you would get are 12" or so in height making it impossible to lift high enough to clean the front of the car. You add a 10" beam, trolley at 8" hoist at 12" then you are hitting your head on the hoist all the time not having something you can use. Go with a folding cherry picker is yours take up too much room, sell the old one.

 

[sberry]

I have done it in 10 ft. Did one for a bud.

 

[Bennylava]

Thanks much for the help all.

But I guess the best thing for me is to just stick with the cherry picker for now. I'll just break it down and lean it against the wall. I've got plenty of wall space for that.

I'd consider leaving it under a tarp outside, but I don't have a concrete area to store it on. It would have to be in the grass. And those little metal casters that come on most cherry pickers, don't really like grass and dirt much. They get to where they don't wanna roll, really quick. Hmm... might have to look into some kind of big bad wheel upgrade for it... that might work....

Anyone have any big bad wheel upgrade ideas, for a cherry picker?

 

[jetnow1]

How often do you use the hoist? Might make more sense to rent one when you need it or
give yours to a friend with the understanding that you can use it when you need it.

 

[John in OH]

I have done it in 10 ft. Did one for a bud.

Sberry - does the I-beam rotate around the vertical wall pipe via the sleeve shown at the top in pic #2?

 

[sberry]

Yes, it swings 180 degrees. It is super strong. Got steel wheels that go in an arc.

 

[Falcon67]

Similar money gets a folding engine hoist, with more versatility and no structure risks.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...dZbkKn7nrHSE-ANh8bJcHtRc_buEqGSj3MxoCZt7w_wcB

I have a Torbin like that, takes up all of about 36" square of floor space when folded up. Not a problem and extremely versatile.

 

[Bennylava]

How often do you use the hoist? Might make more sense to rent one when you need it or
give yours to a friend with the understanding that you can use it when you need it.

Well I have more than enough room for it, outside. Just didn't want to store it there because of the wheels. But I may get some wheels (with brakes) that usually go on something like a hand truck/dolly. Some bigger better wheels. They should go on there very easily. Something where the bearings or little axles are 3 or 4 inches off the ground, instead of 1 inch off the ground. That would probably fix the problem. Or, if it was all sealed.

 

[lakeroadster]

....But I guess the best thing for me is to just stick with the cherry picker for now. I'll just break it down and lean it against the wall.

Anyone have any big bad wheel upgrade ideas, for a cherry picker?

Got a 2 wheeled cart, a.k.a. a service dolly? You slide it under the back of the folded up engine hoist, wheel the hoist where you want it, then take the 2 wheeled cart away.

Eazy Peezy

 

[D45]

Golf balls under the stool legs and plywood under the casters, cracks me up

 

[rburke65]

sberry, that's a great lift idea...love the fact that it swings out of the way.