Do you need an engine lift???????

I bet a lot of members here don't own their own engine lift. I didn't for years, just rented them as needed. But once you own one you will find a million other uses for it, like lifting bodies off, moving frames, etc.

I just bought the latest issue of Car Kulture Delux tonight and Harbor Freight is running an exceptional sale on their fold up engine lift. It normally sells for $ 179.99, but is on sale for $ 89.99, half off! It isn't the heaviest one out there, but would work well for the average hobbyist, and at $ 90.00 you can't beat it.

Here is a picture of the cover of the magazine, there is a coupon inside you have to present to get that price. Also I am enclosing a picture of the coupon. The sale runs through Sept 11, 2010, so you have some time.

Just thought this might help some of our members out who might not own one. I know HF isn't SnapOn quality on most stuff, but a lot of their stuff is very serviceable and works for most of us home builders. BTW, the step drill bits at $ 7.99 are really good. We buy them every time they go on sale and they work as well as the more expensive ones.

Don

Don thanks for posting that is a really good deal. I agree with you HF is not Snapon but gets the job done. I hear the comment that you are putting your life at risk using their lifts. Simple fact is just about every lift from any company is made overseas and in many cases the same factory. I have yet to see anyones life in danger using these if used properly.

Its hard to pass up on some of the deals. I like to buy american when I can. Just hard to say for example buy a front end service kit. If you buy a highend US brand it will set you back 300-500 bucks. You can get the one from HF for 30 bucks on sale. It will slowly bend and you will have to fix or buy another one. Even if you have to buy 3 of them in your lifetime you come out ahead.

When looking at a tool I always ask will I use it often or every day then buy a quality tool. If only going to use a few times a year or less buy HF or others.

BSW

I bought one the last time they went on sale like this. Works perfectly & u can't beat the price! Next I want an a-frame!

BoB

Unless you are working on a floor surface that is as smooth as glass, I would be cautious when swinging these cheaper hoists around with engines hangin off em.

Start moving them round and you will hear all sorts of tweaking noises that will make you a bit nervous.....

The shop where I work (UPS) had a real nice HD cherry picker, but someone had drilled an extra hole in it sometime in the past. OSHA said it had to go - unsafe. Soooo to replace it, what did they get? The exact same lift that sits at HF!

It'll work for home though, just pay attention and don't be stupid. Still better than your kids swing set!

I have the exact lift but I bought it from auto zone for $99. I use it for everything from SBC, cad 500, putting 4L80E's on the bench to even picking up 4X8 sheets of 1/4" plate steel and putting them on my CNC table. You are right though, my cement pad outside the door is rough and I will lower the engine down to almost the ground before I try and roll it. Other wise it likes to flex around a bit. best bang for the buck and it only takes up 3 x 4 FT of shop floor when folded up.

Gonna sell my non-folding one for $100 and buy a folding one for $90. I can stop at Dairy Queen on the way home and have a burger and malt with the profit!

HF tools

I use quailty tools at work, but at home I use the HF stuff, even at work with the good cherry picker I still drop it to the ground before moving it, kinda scary to watch all your hard work go toppling over, I need 1 of those $59 alum. jacks, my big old steel jack at home gets heavy after a long day.

I have the HF one and use it alot for the stuff that Don posted. Even installed motor and trans together with it in my car. Not a bad lift for the money. It also folds up nicely to store.

Yeah, I figured for $ 89 it would help some of our members out who are renting or borrowing one, plus, it stores out of the way when not being used. I have a 2 ton one that is getting old and the ram is finally starting to get iffy. I just used it to put my sbf back in my 27 and there were a couple of spots in it's travel where the handle felt weird, so I am going to replace just the ram. But for $ 89 I thought of buying this HF one.

And yes, you have to be careful when wheeling ANY engine lift. I had mine do a nosedive one time with a 4.3 Chevy on it because I had the boom extended too far out to go over the side of my boat, and the wheels hit a rough spot and stopped. The engine bounced off the pavement, but didn't hurt it, luckily.

Also, as I mentioned, take my advice and try those unibit step drills. We use them to death and they are every bit as good as the ones you pay 4 X for. I know some people knock HF, and I understand why. Not all their stuff is "professional grade" and some is really bad, but if you pick and choose some of it will get the job done for us average mechanics.

Don

donsrods said:

Also, as I mentioned, take my advice and try those unibit step drills.

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I second that - they have held up well for me so far.

FYI. That HF hoist has a real lame throw on the ram. Gets the job done, but it takes a lot of pumps to lift.

Sam_Fear said:

That HF hoist has a real lame throw on the ram. Gets the job done, but it takes a lot of pumps to lift.

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If you look in the catalog (or was it in Northern Tool?) there is an air over hydraulic unit that bolts in place of the pump one. So for $188 total you can have a sweet working fold up air powered hoist.

+# on the uni bits. I am a GM tech by day and the tool trucks get like $18 ea for them. The HF ones last me about a year and I use them probably 4 times a week if not more. Just my $.02

drat it all!

I got one of the HF units for $129 a while back and figured I stole it (the box was beat up).

I also have lifted a SBC with T350 into a car with it, and with the boom extended out to the 1/4 ton position. I needed the extra boom length.

Quality? Seems fine to me. But I have quit ducking under an engine while it is in the air. I live alone in the woods!

a cheap trick for movin loaded hoists around is to lay a couple 2x6s across the bottom so you can set the motor on em, that does away with all the dead weight swingin around on a chain. last time i dropped a motor in a car, i did it on dirt and that was the only way i could move at all without tippin over...

hoist

Wanna start a riot, post this on H.A.M.B. and watch that bunch of old ladies go to it, LOL

I realize HF is not pro level stuff in some respects, but most of us aren't pros. We have budgets and simply want to get the job done as economically as possible. Sure, I like the feel of Mac wrenches in my hand, and if I worked with my tools every day I would buy the best I could afford, but why should I lay out huge money for a tool that I only use once a year?

Right now I am going around and around with Sears on a floor jack. Dan bought me their $ 219.00 aluminum jack last year for my birthday. It has started to drop down under load, so I took it back. They asked for a receipt, and of course, Dan tossed it, so they refused to replace it. I went on their website and out of 109 replies to how good this jack is, about 95 % said it was crap. I am not giving up on this one, it is a SAFETY issue, and I am going to let Sears off that easy. I'm moving up the food chain.

On the other hand, HF has taken stuff back with no questions.

Don

HF makes great tools for weekend wrenchers. Yes, they are not professional quality but you're not paying SO prices either. Since I bought a gantry crane I use it instead of the HF cheery picker but I'll keep it around cause I know I'll need it sometime.

dannronn said:

Wanna start a riot, post this on H.A.M.B. and watch that bunch of old ladies go to it, LOL

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hahahahaha!!

I have to say that I agree that 75% of the tools sold by big names are made by the same old Chinese man overseas. I bought my engine lift from Advance Auto ,and it's most likely the same one HF sells.

I also say the step drills are a great value, i have bout them anytime I catch them on sale, lowes get $40 for some of them