Hi all, i'm just starting my build and am stripping my donor. i want to buy rather than rent an engine crane . But i would like one of the tripod or A frame type lifting frames rather than one of the small hydrolic cranes , any one know a supplier that is not in the US i could try. have drawn a blank with all the usual suspects

Its Monday morning, so I have probably read your post wrong...but, is this what you mean?

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/ranges.asp?g=107&r=2050


HTH Fozzie

if it's just for lifting an engine/gearbox then a childs swing frame would do (one of the stronger designs obviously) (check out your local free adds!)

alternatively you could strengthen a beam in your garage and hang off that (got a 10" steel girder spanning my garage and hang all sorts off that)

Also noticed Macro are selling an electric hoist for about £60 which would easily bolt to a swing frame

HTH

[Edited on 10/10/05 by DaveFJ]

am looking for the ones that look like a few scafolding poles , joined at the top with a block and tackle hanging from it. would just use the winch attached to the roof of the garage but the joists are not strong enough

[Edited on 10/10/2005 by simonH]

Oooeer....I'll get me coat......

Fozzie

how about: 'obtain' some scaffolding poles and weld up a frame ???

Machine mart sell the block and tackle.
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/search.asp?q=Chain+Block

or you could go electric
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/ranges.asp?g=110&r=2070

Shouldn't take long to weld up a frame, and that way you can make sure it fits your garage.

Alternatively you might be able to install a rsj or similar beam across the roof of your garage and hang it from that.

Can i ask whats wrong with the normal engine crane? Too much money, or is it not suitable in some way ?

and the fact that i would prefer the frame type. bit more multipurpose.

problem with frame types is they don't move - moving the engine on the crane is such an advantange. Honestly, if you've removed engines this way before ignore me, if you haven't get a crane.

I'd be completely lost without mine - how do you move the engine down the garage? take it off / put it on the engine stand? get it out of the engine and move it away from the car ?

(ok, so you could fit wheels to your stand - how do you move the engine closer to a wall when the wheels / legs have to be wider than your car?)

How about putting casters on the feet of the 'swing' frame ?

That's basically what I used for several years working on helicopters (just a bigger frame) and never had a problem......

Just had a look in the Makro rag thing they send out every other week...

Electric hoist max capacity 250kg

£39.99 (plus vat)

sounds like a bargain to me!

Get a couple of pieces of wood and a hoist

quote:

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Originally posted by RoadkillUK
Get a couple of pieces of wood and a hoist

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thats a really really good solution, Gman

I have and always will champion the shipping container shed. It was the single best thing i have bought, cheap, strong, secure.(and I have proper leckky in there)

I have a universal beam on top which sticks out over the doorway by about 8 feet. I have a geared beam trolley and either a chain block or a yale

will post picks when i can

[Edited on 10/10/05 by liam.mccaffrey]

I think you want a set of shear legs, like so


You could borrow mine, but I'm a long way away.

If you have some sort of beam in the garage, but it's not strong enough, can you not work next to the wall, and wedge a stout vertical prop between the floor and the joist just on the other side of the car to support the roof joist?

Cheers

Fred WB