Engine stand recommendation

Sure looks sturdier than a lot of $100 ones at Harbor freight. Price seems reasonable compared to the quality.
john
 
What timing. Thanks for the post.

The one at Summit looks nice. Kind of pricey but that crank to rotate the engine is a real bonus. Way better than the armstrong method;)

I was considering this one from HF, but they didn't have one in stock.

http://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lb-foldable-engine-stand-69521-8970.html

Any others out there?


Do not, repeat, do not use a three-point engine stand. I actually had my 59A Ford flathead flip over on me just yesterday. Took a nice chunk out of my concrete floor, too.

I've been using this stand off-and-on for nearly 20 years and every time I do I tell myself I really need to get a better stand. It finally got me.

I wasn't even touching the engine or stand when it took off. My garage floor has a decent slope for the floor drains. That's what I get for not paying attention.

Hopefully I didn't crack the block. I broke three cylinder head studs but it looks like the top corner of the block took the biggest hit.

I guess when you consider you have several thousand dollars worth of engine on the thing, spending a few extra bucks for a good one makes a lot of sense.
 
Macdozer, BUY IT. Looks like a very good quality. You couldn't build one like that for the price. Buy an engine leveler also. Makes life easier. I agree, NEVER use a 3 point stand, just like you never use a 3 legged jack stand.
 
You should also mount the 59AB by the exhaust ports and not the bell housing. There was a fellow selling this style mount that fits into your engine stand, but being where I am I just made my own.
 
I'm on a budget, so I modified my 3 point engine stand with a piece of scrap unistrut to work like a 4 point stand. I also was able to configure this stand to bolt up to the exhaust manifold bolt holes. I am disassembling a 1940/41 Lincoln Zephyr V12 on it as I type this.
 

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3738 I am wondering if those 4 bolts can handle the "bending moments" induced upon them without failing over time, especially with a fully assembled engine. A V-12 must weight a ton....well, almost. I am not an engineer, but that engine stand looks a little "wimpy" for the job. But, then again, I have only been wrong one other time in my life - that being when I insinuated a V-12 weighs 2000 pounds.
 
3738 said:
I'm on a budget, so I modified my 3 point engine stand with a piece of scrap unistrut to work like a 4 point stand. I also was able to configure this stand to bolt up to the exhaust manifold bolt holes. I am disassembling a 1940/41 Lincoln Zephyr V12 on it as I type this.
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3738.....I've never been more sincere in replying to a thread than this reply. Please, HOOK YOUR CHERRY PICKER TO THAT BLOCK AND GET IT SAFELY ON THE GROUND. Uni-strut is NOT "structural" stuff...it'll buckle on ya if forced. That entire mass being mounted off to the left of center in the first picture is alarming, along with the height (CG). There's NOTHING that I can see about that entire affair that looks comforting. I'm trying to save your engine AND your health. DD
 
Ken, it would be neat to see the complete engine stand and its "mass" and "attachment protocol". Mr. Wilson was smart fellow. Do you know what the weight of a complete V-12 engine is?
 
Well....appreciate the concern but....

I started out with a complete V12 block, less heads. I set the engine stands (4) bolts into the exhaust bolt holes, off center, closer to the flywheel/clutch/pressure plate side, as there was more mass there than the front of the engine. I started with the V12 right side up to soak everything with Acetone/auto trans fluid. While right side up I removed the flywheel/clutch/pressure plate/cam gear and the oil pan.

After soaking awhile I used a long pry bar wedged into the face of the engine stand mounting points to turn the block upside down. (Note - even while turning the mass of the V12 upside down, the engine stand held its ground, solid as could be.) Once crank side up, I removed all the pistons/rods mains and the crank.

All that is left now are the valve train and the oil sender.

PS - I'm working on the new 49er's stadium in Santa Clara. We use unistrut all over this stadium to hold up a lot of infrastructure that weighs many, many times more that my V12.

Again, thanks for the concern, but it's all down hill from here, (pun intended).

PS - I'm the same guy that has multiple V8 60's on engine stands bolted to the bell housings that have been hanging with no problems for more the 18 years...
 
This is the first engine stand I will be buying and want one that will hold the ford engines but also want it to be able to hold other engines. Will the stand I mentioned in my first post be capable of using the engine stand adapter from stumpys?

Or would I have to modify any 4 point engine stand to bolt up to the exhaust ports.
 
Ralph Moore said:
You should also mount the 59AB by the exhaust ports and not the bell housing. There was a fellow selling this style mount that fits into your engine stand, but being where I am I just made my own.
Click to expand...

Read several posts. Some say it's OK to hang it by the bellhousing, others say the casting is not strong enough.

Anyone say for sure?

Capn John said:
This is made specifically for FLATHEADS!!!
http://stumpysfabworks.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/Ford Flathead engine stand adapters
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To what does this attach? Looks like the bellhousing but can't tell by the photo.

I need to buy a welder...
 
Ross6860 said:
Read several posts. Some say it's OK to hang it by the bellhousing, others say the casting is not strong enough.

Anyone say for sure?



To what does this attach? Looks like the bellhousing but can't tell by the photo.

I need to buy a welder...
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These do not attach to the bellhousing. They attach to their respective exhaust outlets on the side of a flathead block. DD
 
Ross6860 said:
I was considering this one from HF, but they didn't have one in stock.

http://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lb-foldable-engine-stand-69521-8970.html

Ross, I have that stand from HF, it works well and is plenty strong enough (I have a Y-Block on it, a little heavier than a flatty). But (theres always a "but" isn't there) the front legs a quite wide and would not fit between the legs of my hoist. Of coarse I find this out after I pull the engine and it's hanging by a chain. I finally had to set the engine on the ground and rethink.:eek: Finally extended the hoist to the max to reach. Used my fattest friend for ballest... :rolleyes:

I have a couple of Stumpy's engine cradles, good stuff...
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Ross6860 said:
Read several posts. Some say it's OK to hang it by the bellhousing, others say the casting is not strong enough.

Anyone say for sure?
Click to expand...

Several members here have mentioned issues, some mention they never had issues...but I have to think "someone" at some point in time, had an issue...I prefer to play it safe:)
 
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