Board logo

cheapest place for an engine hoist
Slimy38 - 26/6/13 at 05:36 PM

Looking for an engine hoist, 1 ton minimum. (It's not just to lift an engine, I will need to lift an MX5 off it's wheels). I've found this one;

http://www.sgs-engineering.com/garage-equipment/engine-cranes/ec1000-1-ton-folding-engine-crane

Is that the best option or is there something cheaper?

pewe - 26/6/13 at 05:49 PM

Be a bit careful about buying a 1 ton lift - IIRC even a Mk1 MX5 kerb weight is 1,008kg.
Also will an engine crane have enough reach to lift the complete car?
Cheers, Pewe10

Slimy38 - 26/6/13 at 06:41 PM

Should have clarified, it'll lift the MX5 chassis off the two subframes. And the chassis will have already been stripped down to it's bare essentials.

This is what I used for a basis;

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=450119

The reach is ok as well, the manual for that particular lift has position 1 (the 1 ton lift) as 902mm reach. And an MX5 is 1700mm wide.

blakep82 - 26/6/13 at 06:47 PM

I got one from ebay many years ago,
2 TONNE ENGINE CRANE new ct173 | eBay

Or

1 TONNE FOLDING HYDRAULIC ENGINE CRANE/HOIST/LIFT | eBay
1 TONNE FOLDING HYDRAULIC ENGINE CRANE/HOIST/LIFT

matt_gsxr - 26/6/13 at 06:56 PM

If you have something strong to hang it off then you can get cheap chain hoists (~£30-40), which don't need as much storage space when you have finished doing your lifting. ebay has a bunch

ashg - 26/6/13 at 07:06 PM

Mx5 shells weigh less than 400kg been there done it got the t shirt. If you have got a couple of mates you can lift the shell off pretty easily

Toltec - 26/6/13 at 07:42 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ashg
Mx5 shells weigh less than 400kg been there done it got the t shirt. If you have got a couple of mates you can lift the shell off pretty easily


A couple being the operative phrase, as the one mate in this instance it got kind of interesting when the weight shifted and I ended up holding a chunk of the 400Kgs.

Slimy38 - 26/6/13 at 07:46 PM

quote:
Originally posted by matt_gsxr
If you have something strong to hang it off then you can get cheap chain hoists (~£30-40), which don't need as much storage space when you have finished doing your lifting. ebay has a bunch


That might be an idea, I don't have anything to hang it from but would knocking up an A frame work? Although I'd need to figure out what to build it from.

Slimy38 - 26/6/13 at 07:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Toltec
quote:
Originally posted by ashg
Mx5 shells weigh less than 400kg been there done it got the t shirt. If you have got a couple of mates you can lift the shell off pretty easily


A couple being the operative phrase, as the one mate in this instance it got kind of interesting when the weight shifted and I ended up holding a chunk of the 400Kgs.


Yeah, I think with the best will in the world me and my friends would still need some sort of mechanical advantage even with a stripped down MX5 chassis! And it will also be used to fit the engine which is a bit more difficult with only friend power.

iank - 26/6/13 at 08:02 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
quote:
Originally posted by matt_gsxr
If you have something strong to hang it off then you can get cheap chain hoists (~£30-40), which don't need as much storage space when you have finished doing your lifting. ebay has a bunch


That might be an idea, I don't have anything to hang it from but would knocking up an A frame work? Although I'd need to figure out what to build it from.


I did this using 2x4's plenty strong enough. If you use a chain hoist a bucket used to stop the chain thrashing about is a good investment.

Dave Ashurst - 26/6/13 at 08:48 PM

borrow my chain hoist if you want...

Slimy38 - 26/6/13 at 08:51 PM

quote:
Originally posted by iank

I did this using 2x4's plenty strong enough. If you use a chain hoist a bucket used to stop the chain thrashing about is a good investment.


Aha, that sounds like a plan. Any recommendations on minimum spec timber, I'm guessing the span at least would require something a bit decent?

What sort of weight were you lifting, am I pushing my luck with half a ton?

Slimy38 - 26/6/13 at 08:52 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Dave Ashurst
borrow my chain hoist if you want...


Thanks for the offer, unfortunately with the speed of my build at the moment I'd have to keep it longer than I would feel comfortable with.

iank - 26/6/13 at 08:56 PM

I was lifting an a-series with gearbox and all ancillaries fitted so not quite as much as you but a fair weight. I did brace the top beam with a bit of angle iron, but it didn't even creak. Watch for sideways movement and have a plan for bracing it in that direction.

Irony - 26/6/13 at 09:09 PM

I would just buy a reasonable one from machine mart. I use mine quite bit instead of a jack. Just latch onto the roll cage and lift away.

coozer - 26/6/13 at 09:11 PM

Make one...

http://www.how-to-plans.com/Shop-Crane-Engine-Hoist-Plans.html

ashg - 26/6/13 at 10:31 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Toltec
quote:
Originally posted by ashg
Mx5 shells weigh less than 400kg been there done it got the t shirt. If you have got a couple of mates you can lift the shell off pretty easily


A couple being the operative phrase, as the one mate in this instance it got kind of interesting when the weight shifted and I ended up holding a chunk of the 400Kgs.



you still managed to hold half an mx5 shell all on your own agreed another mate on hand would have been handy

Litemoth - 27/6/13 at 08:39 AM

Be mindful that a hoist's lifting capacity goes down dramatically the more you extend the boom. It looks like you'll need it to be at full reach for this job. I think a 1-tonner is rated at 250 kilos at full stretch (as you're lengthening the lever)

Litemoth - 27/6/13 at 08:46 AM

Hire one.... £15?


Hire my 2 tonne car engine crane hoist daily/weekly | eBay

Slimy38 - 27/6/13 at 09:37 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Litemoth
Be mindful that a hoist's lifting capacity goes down dramatically the more you extend the boom. It looks like you'll need it to be at full reach for this job. I think a 1-tonner is rated at 250 kilos at full stretch (as you're lengthening the lever)


Yep I know, but the manual for that linked one says the reach is sufficient whilst still maintaining the 1 ton lifting capacity.

Litemoth - 27/6/13 at 09:52 AM

All the same, I'd hire a 2 tonner or get the mates round. Engine hoists spend 99% of their life stuck in the garage getting in your way and are rubbish and manoeuvrability.

mcerd1 - 27/6/13 at 02:10 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Litemoth
All the same, I'd hire a 2 tonner or get the mates round. Engine hoists spend 99% of their life stuck in the garage getting in your way and are rubbish and manoeuvrability.

I've ended up with 2 different 2 tonne ones (both old versions of the machine mart ones)
my dad gave me one for my christmas (second hand) and the other is my mates that he doesn't have space to store

there are plenty secondhand ones for sale at more sensible prices if you keep your eyes open (obviously watch out for damaged ones, leeky rams and badly welded up repairs etc....)

they are nice to have, but they don't get used that much and even the fold-up ones take up a bit of space

thefreak - 27/6/13 at 02:33 PM

I've split 2 Mk1s now with my Clarke 1t jobbie. It is fine for the job.
It's also come in useful removing engines and boxes from the MX150R and a Mk2 I sorted a few months ago. If you use it 5 times, it's paid for itself as opposed to hiring one as you can sell it on at some point for at least 50% of what it cost.

Slimy38 - 27/6/13 at 02:54 PM

quote:
Originally posted by thefreak
as you can sell it on at some point for at least 50% of what it cost.


That's another side I hadn't really considered, I reckon even if I only aimed for 50% on a buy it now it would be gone in seconds. Most second hand ones on Ebay are only £20 or so cheaper than full price.

I think I might just buy one, get my use out of it and then sell it on.

mcerd1 - 27/6/13 at 03:45 PM

have you looked on gumtree etc... ?

alot of stuff ebay on ebay makes silly money

Slimy38 - 27/6/13 at 04:22 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mcerd1
have you looked on gumtree etc... ?

alot of stuff ebay on ebay makes silly money


Yeah, I took a look on Gumtree first, nothing local but going a bit further afield there seems to be a fair bit of stuff on for nearly new prices. It's normally ok but seems to be worse than Ebay at the moment!

spiderman - 27/6/13 at 05:48 PM

Here's a 2 tonne one with balance beam.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120642220301?ssPageName=S TRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649