Stable Engine Stand

[Donk]

Currently rebuilding a little kraut diesel and my el cheapo wheeled engine stand is making life difficult. No problems holding or spinning the engine but fuck me were the head bolts a pain to get undone with the damned thing tryna move all over the place. I'm concerned I'm going to struggle with getting them done up accurately as they're angle tighten jobbies.
Is there a more solid stand type out there? I don't really want to cut the wheels off and bolt it to the floor but I'm thinking that may have to happen unless you lot have any better ideas?
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[M92PV4U]

Can you take a picture of the engine and stand?

 

[I Lean]

Weld a chunk of receiver tubing to it, so it's stabilized by your truck. (still on the wheels, just plugged into the hitch)

 

[Donk]

Engine I'm currently working:

Same stand different engine:

 

[87manche]

put the stand on 4x4 blocks so it doesn't roll?

 

[SomeGuy]

put the stand on 4x4 blocks so it doesn't roll?

Drill holes through the steel tubes next to the wheels, weld a big 3/4-1 inch nut on top, and install bolts....run the bolts down to touch the floor when you want stability, zip em' back up when you want to wheel.

Same idea, but no need to manually lift the thing up onto blocks and you can also use them to level things out.

 

[Johann]

I like the idea of leveling bolts to get the wheels out of play.

Also widening the front wheel bar would make it more stable. Less maneuverable in tight spots but more stable.

 

[87manche]

I like the idea of leveling bolts to get the wheels out of play.

Also widening the front wheel bar would make it more stable. Less maneuverable in tight spots but more stable.

as long as it still fits in between the legs of your hoist.
that's why it's narrow at the front.

 

[Johann]

as long as it still fits in between the legs of your hoist.
that's why it's narrow at the front.

Duh, didn't even think about that. And I have used both!

Guess having a chain fall mounted to my shop ceiling has spoiled me more than I thought!

 

[Donk]

put the stand on 4x4 blocks so it doesn't roll?

Wouldn't even be close to solid enough. I was using about 3 and a half feet of breaker bar with a foot braced against the front end of the stand to get the buggers loose. They didn't just crack either, took about 180deg to get em loose. Tightening process is something like 50ft/lb +120deg +120deg or as ze Germans would say "gutten tite"

 

[Pukemaggots]

Who doesn't use an impact to remove headbolts?

 

[87manche]

Who doesn't use an impact to remove headbolts?

poors.




but you can just stick the legs on wood blocks and then add ballast to the top of the legs. Like a transmission, or sacks of sand or concrete.

it's not rocket science here. You lower the center of gravity and increase the friction it has with the ground in order to make it more stable.

 

[Donk]

Who doesn't use an impact to remove headbolts?

I gave them a couple of ugga duggas but I've only got a cordless impact, it wouldn't budge them and they're those stupid e-torx things and I haven't got a proper impact sockets for those.

 

[SomeGuy]

I like the idea of leveling bolts to get the wheels out of play.

Also widening the front wheel bar would make it more stable. Less maneuverable in tight spots but more stable.

While you're at it then, make bolt on extensions for the front wheel bar :)

 

[bigun]

I have been eyballing this one

https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/80041/10002/-1

 

[SomeGuy]

Currently rebuilding a little kraut diesel and my el cheapo wheeled engine stand is making life difficult. No problems holding or spinning the engine but fuck me were the head bolts a pain to get undone with the damned thing tryna move all over the place. I'm concerned I'm going to struggle with getting them done up accurately as they're angle tighten jobbies.
Is there a more solid stand type out there? I don't really want to cut the wheels off and bolt it to the floor but I'm thinking that may have to happen unless you lot have any better ideas?
​​​​

I've always thought about adding a few concrete anchors in the floor and steel plates that would bolt to the anchors with like receiver hitches or other things welded to them in the garage for solidifying things.

 

[Mr Stubs]

Drill holes through the steel tubes next to the wheels, weld a big 3/4-1 inch nut on top, and install bolts....run the bolts down to touch the floor when you want stability, zip em' back up when you want to wheel.

Same idea, but no need to manually lift the thing up onto blocks and you can also use them to level things out.

I did the same basic design for my tubing bender stand. Roll it out into the driveway, level it with the all thread attached to the wheels, bolt it down to the concrete.

 

[M92PV4U]

I've always thought about adding a few concrete anchors in the floor and steel plates that would bolt to the anchors with like receiver hitches or other things welded to them in the garage for solidifying things.

I wish I had something like that. Like the old school frame straightening shops with the anchor points in the floor.

 

[87manche]

I wish I had something like that. Like the old school frame straightening shops with the anchor points in the floor.

chain slots in the floor will be a thing when I build my forever shop.

 

[Aisin]

chain slots in the floor will be a thing when I build my forever shop.

Pad eyes

 

[87manche]

Pad eyes

you need a hook for those though right?

I like the t slot style ones.

 

[Lilyota]

Just push the damn thing over onto the floor and get it over with.




On a serious note though I watched a video the other day and the engine stand was bolted to the side if the block.

 

[Donk]

Just push the damn thing over onto the floor and get it over with.




On a serious note though I watched a video the other day and the engine stand was bolted to the side if the block.

In my particular case it's because the timing chain is on the back of the engine and you need access to both the front and back at the same time, fawkin Germans and their superior engineering :rolleyes:

 

[ev13wt]

Drill holes through the steel tubes next to the wheels, weld a big 3/4-1 inch nut on top, and install bolts....run the bolts down to touch the floor when you want stability, zip em' back up when you want to wheel.

Same idea, but no need to manually lift the thing up onto blocks and you can also use them to level things out.

This is awesome.

 

[ev13wt]

Who doesn't use an impact to remove headbolts?

I geek out and undo them carefully and in order.

 

[M92PV4U]

I geek out and undo them carefully and in order.

You are more likely to break a bolt removing it with a breaker bar than a impact wrench.

 

[Boss]

https://www.amazon.com/Caravanture-Caster-Wheel-Caravans-Trailers/dp/B07PFJ276P/ref=asc_df_B07PFJ276P/?tag=91812054244-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=320140006492&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13694723494819494876&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032966&hvtargid=pla-670484317435&psc=1

 

[TrikeKid]

Who doesn't use an impact to remove headbolts?

Depends on the head bolt, lots of this newer shit has a big long head bolt with enough spring in it that it pretty much cancels out the impact.

 

[Donk]

Depends on the head bolt, lots of this newer shit has a big long head bolt with enough spring in it that it pretty much cancels out the impact.

Dunno if these count as long, they're M12x205mm so about 8" long, they're longer than any other head bolts I've pulled before. No washers but the flange on the bolthead is around an inch in diameter and they're installed dry.

 

[dntsdad]

From experience, I can say that if you put a zip tie on the floor, or even a speck of sand that thing will stop like a rock when tying to move it!


Could you drill a hole in the concrete floor and epoxy a nut in there, and then temporarily bolt it the ground when needed? I had a friend do that for another reason, but it worked well.

I did this with a threaded stud to use as a come a long anchor when I had a sloped driveway to where I couldn't push a vehicle in on my own. That worked well also.