I know you can use a furniture dolly to remove the engine (I've used that method twice). However, I would prefer to have something a little better for the next time.

Last thread I could find was 2010 so figured was time to ask if anything new was available.

Harbor Freight (as well as Northern Tool and other vendors) has several different jacks that may work. Since I prefer to lift the car up in the air and lower the engine with a jack, one of these may work. Does anyone have experience with these?

Motorcycle lift:

1500 lb motorcycle lift

Lightweight Motorcycle lift:

Lightweight lift

Hydraulic Table:

Hydraulic Table

Transmission Jack:

Transmission Jack

Low Profile Transmission Jack:

Low Profile Transmission Jack

I'm leaning towards the table but wanted to know what others have experienced.

I have used the motorcycle lift. Works pretty good as it gets almost low enough to slide the engine out from underneath the car. I had to jack up the car a little to get the engine out. The table looks a little high and would have the same problem.

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I use a lift table like the one you linked to. It is quite sturdy but you really have to jack the car up to a ridiculous height to clear the halfshafts and carbs, at least on a six. I've done it this way half a dozen times but I'll probably use a motorcycle jack next time around.

I use a lift table like the one you linked to. It is quite sturdy but you really have to jack the car up to a ridiculous height to clear the halfshafts and carbs, at least on a six. I've done it this way half a dozen times but I'll probably use a motorcycle jack next time around.

I plan to get something this weekend so I'm reaching out for a consensus.

If I had a lift I think the table would be a certain winner. Since I don't, the car will go up on jack stands...so height is an issue

+1 on the lift table, it was very stable with the engine and trans, but I don't have any experiences on the motorcycle lifts, they might do the job just fine too.

That 1000lb lift table is very HEAVY, I borrowed that from a friend, but I would buy the 500# one from HF when it goes on sale.

Bill I used a transmission jack from HF. Works great, only need to remove air box to have enough room to slide engine out from under car. I would also suggest adding a piece of wood to the plate of the jack and cut a notch out of it for where the clutch cable wheel is on the trans.

Time to get a lift Bill with all those cars you have...

Lift

Just sayin.

I dropped/installed the motor at least once a year.......it's worth taking the time to make a set up. ......
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I use Tangerine racing's adapter. Works good easy to store

Tangerine Racing

I have one on the shelf. Ships USPS Priority.

Needs to be a BIG Christmas discount!

I fully agree. I'm buying a farm in NC next spring...a LARGE shop (at least 40x60 or bigger) will be in the equation.

With my number of cars at around 10 (and probably growing next year) I need a real shop with a couple of lifts and plenty of room

same low price every day.
If you want discounts buy chinese.

I'm planning on using the threaded-rod method when I drop the SBC for the first time next year, so no jack required (I hope).

Not sure how far up I will have to lift the body though... going to be worse than for the boxer engines I'm sure...

Yours is probably made from Chinese steel...

furniture dolly is totally fine.

the challenge is getting the car up high enough, safely.

Does that actually attach to the floor jack or just rest upon it?

for carbs, remove them from the intakes leaving the linkage/package as is. for fi remove the air filter assem. furniture dolly, wheels off, a floor jack under each control arm as high as they will go, a little dunnage to approximate the angle of the car when it's in the down position, slightly loosen all fasteners, disconnect wiring/hoses, lower onto dolly, remove fasteners, raise back up to full height, roll engine out from behind. you never have to put yourself in harms way or worry about the engine crashing to the ground. you have COMPLETE control of the procedure.

Lift table doubles as a work area for your engine also.

The only chinese here is my lunch.

That low profile transmission jack looks good to me. The adjustable tilt feature is something you'll use; it's a nice feature. Also, the wide stance helps with stability.

I made one specific to my engine/trans combo, but it was a lot of work. Used the heck out of it.

Andys

A large diameter pin on the underside of the lift plate drops into a hole found in most older full size jacks. If yours doesn'thave that feature, its simple to bolt a block of wood with a center hole onto the jack.

I modified the Sears jack shown by removing a long bolt that secured the jack top plate, and replaced it with two short bolts to keep the arms attached to the top plate. The center hole was just the right diameter.

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Does anyone know the outside width of an engine without the engine mounting bar?
I keep seeing a car show called wheeler dealers and he rolls a table under the car and lowers it from the lift.

I have a 4 post drive on lift and I am hoping I might be able to do his, once I remove the engine bar.....just lower the motor to the table and lift the car off.


rich

i walked out and measured. 37 1/2" across the front of the engine tin.

Jim, thanks - that's a fairly terrifying picture given that I'm doing this inside, between another car and our two-wheelers.

How much of that height is actually required? It looks like you still have the carb / distributor on the block - would removing them have helped clearance much?

My car is lowered. I lift it slightly, slide furniture dollys under the bar. Lower the car on the dollys, support the tranny with a jack and unbolt everything. I then lift the car up with my cherry picker and slide the motor out. I hook the cherry picker on my cage inside the trunk. This method won't work on a stock car.

I've done the furniture dolly method, standard floor jacks, M/C jacks and hydraulic tables. I've currently got pretty much the same set up as Chappy and it's by far the best for a one man operation as far as I'm concerned

That is a sweet looking rig

I think removing dist and carb would require 4" or so less lift.

be careful to unbolt trans first when uninstalling and bolt trans last when installing, to keep pressure off the trans ears, as they are know to break.

I think getting the front up a few inches would result in car being at less a precarious slant.

especially on a sloped driveway! carbs and linkage off in one piece my way. no need to pull the distributor.

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With that set up I could drop or install the motor in a couple hours *working alone*. That is starting out with the car setting on the tires. When you're working alone, stability is paramount & a good idea with help. I did have a few years of practice. Chinese ATV lifts are cheep now days.

Save your back, your money, and your time by just going whole-hog now. Get a lift and a table. Use the table to lift your engine up to a workbench mounted vice/yolk. I did the furniture dolly/various floor jack/chunks o'wood thing for years, but just have no tolerance for that nonsense anymore.

I got a Mcmaster table. $1k - needed to look the other way when committing-to-buy, but is 1/3 larger than the comparable HF unit, and was delivered to my house. From reading, the HF unit will instantly snap off the handle, has hair-trigger hydraulic, and is disposable in the event of hydraulic problems due to unavailable parts and low quality.

Getting a lift involves about a US$1M investment (buy a house) and whilst I'm looking, it's not an immediate option. Hence being interested in the alternatives. 8)

Rhody - Jim is talking about the SBC, where the distributor sticks up a very long way...

Two solid floor jacks, high lift, and a dolly.
I can still get it out in under and hour, and there is very little drama...

Though the part that is starting to suck is the up down up down to get all the tools I forgot to grab the first five times, and the concrete floor.

Amen! Pulled my passenger seat in the BMW to fix the power seat cables. I think I spent more time going back and forth for tools than doing the actual work. That will wear you out!

The new garage (and two lifts) is coming in the spring. For now I have to use what I have. I like the idea of the table....the reviews on the HF table are bad. Northern Tools has one that has better ratings.

Chris,
Who sells these type 4 engine cradle depicted in your picture?
Thanks.

He does ... click here

Thanks! It's going to be an after Xmas item to secure.
Enjoy Ymir holidays

I'm biased. I think my lift/jack is the best.

Since getting the car high enough is no issue ....

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It is home-made based on the pictures from the 911 workshop manuals. I made it about 15 years ago.

by hf table do you mean a scissor style lift? they're prone to failure? i had no idea mcmaster 'tables'. scissor yes?

Kevin, the ones I have are yellow, but this is similar to what I have (500 # capacity)

These ones are nicer because it looks like you don't have to unbolt the handle - it folds down

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