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For those who need help moving an engine


Shant

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I have had huge problems moving engines over the past few months. I have rented engine cranes, borrowed them, even paid for people to come down with their cranes to move an engine a few metres.

Having had another problem yet again, I needed to move my engine from a remote part of the driveway into the pathway to the side of the house (I had dodgy looking people coming round some mornings, pretending they were helping me by removing rubbish from my driveway..... by walking 20 feet up the driveway, and then trying to remove a covered engine). They have removed its cover, tried to lift it, tried to take it with a sack barrow, tried to lift it away (mostly Eastern European guys). So, I needed to move it again. I went to HSS....they didn't have an engine crane in stock but could get one in for me - £31.30 per day plus vat. The local mechanic who has one used to say give me a tenner and I'll come round.....very reasonable, however, the chap who bought the business recently won't allow it anymore.

So, not being able to find one to borrow or rent, I just bought a two tonne crane. I'm very happy with it. So, with the problems I have had over the past few months in borrowing one, I just wanted to say, if anyone needs to borrow an engine crane to pick up an engine, or to move one, you are more than welcome to borrow mine. It's a folding model, so quite useful if needed to collect an engine from someone. I live in Woodford, Essex......and as long as you are trustworthy, I am happy to lend it.

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I will buy one in the near future myself.

Have been looking (in the internet) at these cranes (see attachment)

This is a 2Ton crane like yours. But I was wondering what is its minimum load weight (if you want to lift something, which is far away). There are, I believe, 4 different distance points where you can lift something.

Will I be able to lift an engine at all points of distance?

Cheers,

Finn

post-20584-0-87946800-1294963160_thumb.jpg

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Hi Finn,

This is the spec of the lifting positions:

Lifting Cap in Position 1: 2000kg

Lifting Cap in Position 2: 1500kg

Lifting Cap in Position 3: 1000kg

Lifting Cap in Position 4: 500kg

Maximum Lift Height at Minimum Jib Extension: 1880mm

Maximum Lift Height at Maximum Jib Extension: 2320mm

Length of Jib Position 1: 1020mm

Length of Jib Position 2: 1200mm

Length of Jib Position 3: 1380mm

Length of Jib Position 4: 1560mm

Height of Frame: 190mm

Length of Frame: 1740mm

Does that answer your question, or have I missed the point of it completely? I fear it may be the latter......

Shant

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My engine crane is one of my most used tools.

I use it for everything from lifting front/back of my series (easier than the jack) to holding a gate in the air while I paint it.

I know it's one of those things that people tend to sit on the fence before buying. "Do I really need it?" etc, so likewise to the above - if anyone needs to borrow it, I'm happy to lend. I'm in Langport, Somerset.

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Way back when the lottery started, i started buying £5 per week, after 3 weeks i got 4 numbers and won about 170 quid, so, i bought a 1 tonne crane, 15 yrs on, and its still going strong, and was recently used extensively during the re chassis process of my 90.... engine box and t box in one go, at the furthest lift, ie, 250kg...... it didn;t sag, but was i guess only onthe hoist for maybe 15 mins max...

The best bit of kit i ever bought, and the most borrowed,...!!!

ps, haven't done the lotto sice, i figured i was 'up' and would stay that way...LOL!!

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I cheat and use a forklift for moving stuff around outside the workshop, and a pallet truck for inside.

I use a block and tackle off one of the roof beams for doing engines and gearboxes though, works quite well although I do place an acro-prop either side of the vehicle to help support the old oak beam and take the weight off the semi-crumbly walls :P

Would love an engine crane, but my workshop isn't big enough for it and the floor is on a slope :(

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Yes a useful tool indeed that has been abused a plenty. It even got used to lift a small tree out of my garden and onto a trailer. Fortunately it's taken the abuse in its stride, jib extensions, overloading to the point of needing 2 of us standing on it as a counterbalance!

It's a 1 tonne Sealey btw

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I bought a clarke crane a few years back. Decided it was better value to buy it as it would have cost the same to rent for a week, with the thought I could sell it second hand to recover most of the cost. Needless to say still have the crane just keep buying more usefull tools as I go. When my machine mart catologue turns up the wife comments with "not another porn mag" South Wales area willing to loan subject to deposit.

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I should get an engine crane one of these days but most of my stuff is just in the range that I can lift manually, up to 100kg. For heavier stuff I have scaffolding and chain hoists but it is a pain to set up and takes planning especially if there is vehicle that needs moving about under it.

I am in the process of figuring out how to install a small overhead hoist in the basement workshop, only for that 100-200kg range but I want the hoist to be mobile a short way under load.

I managed to pick up one of those budget 100kg 240v electric hoists from Maplins on sale. It should be easy enough to rig that up on a length of Unistrut for the lighter lifts and then use a chain hoist for the heavier stuff.

I still have an electrohydraulic crane that needs mounting to something, probably the trailer if not the back of the electric tractor.

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A friend has lent me his engine crane on long-term loan (so can't offer to lend it out, unfortunately). I would say that if you're pulling apart a Land Rover some kind of lifting arrangement over and above a jack is pretty much indispensable. Assuming you don't have access to a JCB/Forklift/Frontloader...

As Recklessengineer said, it's one of those things people sit on the fence about buying, but you only have to hire one for a couple of days before you've pretty much paid for one.

However, they do take up quite a bit of space, even when folded up!

What I will say though, is get down to MachineMart or where ever and by some proper lifting straps and shackles!! It's not worth risking your safety for the sake of £10 worth of lifting gear...

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