Engine stand stress..

[Dirtyrat]

This is the first V8 I have put on this stand, rated at 1250lb (4 wheel stand)... I added some grade 8 bolts to bolt to the bell housing. The Hemi certainly seems to torque the main vertical post on this stand... Kinda scary how far the whole stand deflects...

That is one heavy motor...

 

[Sam_Fear]

Where did it come from - Harbor Frieght?! Do you have the bell housing on it, or do you mean you bolted into the bolt holes where the bell attaches?? If you actually have the bell on it, that would explain it - that would be an extra foot of leverage for torque.

 

[Gastrick]

I'll see if I can find a photo since I lost mine in a computer crash but I weld in a brace to my engine stands to stop the flex in the vertical post.

 

[donsrods]

I recently bent the arms that bolt to the bellhousing when I was pushing a 454 BBC across our parking lot and the stand hit a crack in the pavement. The engine tilted down on about a 30 degree angle. That stand was rated for 1000 lbs, but I guess stopping quickly did the bending.

Don

 

[rvreddog]

Engine stands are scary,I have a 351 on mine and when I try to rotate it it wants to tip over.

 

[Dirtyrat]

Yea, I think some bracing is going to have to be welded in,

I just do not get a warm fuzzy feeling with this stand, I still have some of the weight on the chain fall...

Going to look for some scrap tubing tomorrow...

And possibly go look at a 727 trans, after calling Wilcap to make sure of everything required to make it work with the long casting Hemi block.

 

[HOT40ROD]

I'll see if I can find a photo since I lost mine in a computer crash but I weld in a brace to my engine stands to stop the flex in the vertical post.

Good idea. I bought one from the traveling tool shows. I had a fresh built SB ford on it and was pushing in across the garage when I hit a hole in the floor and the bolts holding up the upright snapped and the engine went crashing to the floor with me behind it. I needed up hitting my head on the back of the engine and when I woke up I had the imprint of a SB Ford bell housing pattern in the forehead, The engine ended up getting the worse of it. Bent the pan and a new cast steel ford racing crank.

 

[Gastrick]

Okay, I looked up some old photos that I had posted here and found a couple of photos showing what I do to all of our stands. It really takes the scary flex out of the cheezy stands. The pictures were not meant to be of the stands so you have to look close but you can see what I mean. I weld three vertical braces onto the stand, one on each side and one going forward (usually just cut-offs I grab from the scrap pile). Just FYI, that's my dad with an engine we are putting together for him in the photos.

 

[Rat'l Trap]

I'm always surprised that 4 bolts hold the motor to the stand. You'd think they'd snap off before the structure of the stand crumpled. Those bolts are something you dont wanna scrimp on. Go ahead and crack the piggy bank and get the good stuff.

 

[Dirtyrat]

Yea I decided no risking the investment, I ordered an AC delco 2000lb rated stand, so it better handle it =)