I am looking to buy an engine hoist.All input appreciated. I have looked at ac/delco and harbor freight,folding and non-----thoughts?

I am looking to buy an engine hoist.All input appreciated. I have looked at ac/delco and harbor freight,folding and non-----thoughts?


If I had to buy an engine hoist I would get a folding one so I could stick it in a corner.:) :)
My neighbor gave me a non folding one and it's a pain to put together when I need it.

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I have a big shop, so I use my non-folding unit as a heavy duty cart.
I cut some 2x12's and it's great for heavy heavy stuff.
I just had 4 big generators on there and it was nice moving them around.

Another tip/reason why all my engine stands are the U style.
I can put trans, blocks, batteries ect under there.
Also drip tray when I assemble/disassemble something.

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I have a folding unit from rural king and it has worked great for me!

I got the one from pep boys last year,on sale,with a rebate.Its the red torin everyone sells.Its 2 ton,and folds up.I wound up paying 104.00.I did good on that one.

AC/Delco Folding unit.
Easy to assemble, easy to store and transport.

Worth buying. Just becareful about loaning it, get a deposit, even from Brother-n-laws, LOL

got a Goodyear folding 4000 lb shop crane from sams club for $149. +1 on the loaning thing.

Brother and neighbor have a cummins brand, its folding and has a 2 stage pump. They are all pretty much the same unit, just different colors.

Thanks for the input everybody,Iwas hoping to find one made in USA that had a long enough boom and extension height to allow me to use it on just about anything....yet still tuck it into my closet------I mean garage

ive got a harbor freight 2 ton folding hoist, didnt like the wheels so i put on a set of 8" swivel wheels it rolls pretty good now. turns better to.

got a princess auto 2 ton one, be the same as a harbor freight i guess, not a problem with it, folds up pretty small, cheap, way to go imo

I am looking to buy an engine hoist.All input appreciated. I have looked at ac/delco and harbor freight,folding and non-----thoughts?
One thing to consider is the height of your vehicle with the engine installed. Most cranes have the caster wheels under the tubing frame. At that height it will not fit under the cross member of most cars. The folding type have 2 extra wheels that are a pain in the ass at times. Tried to use the folding type once. It wouldn't fit under the EL Camino. Sold it and bought the one I have now.
This one doesn't fold, but it does collapse into a small foot print. The legs are 3 sections of tubing that slide into each other. The biggest reason this one is better is the wheel placement. The front wheels are not under the tubing frame but in front of it so it only needs 4" of space not 6"- 7" to clear the under side of the vehicle.
Another advantage of the design is the ability to be used while not fully extended. I can move heavy items around the shop while it is all slid together and maneuver easily in tight areas.

Mine is stored outside a lot due to the disorganization in the garage right now. The weather isn't going to hurt it. Just keep the arm down so the cylinder rod doesn't rust.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/64elcamino/tools/P1010014.jpg

One thing to consider is the height of your vehicle with the engine installed. Most cranes have the caster wheels under the tubing frame. At that height it will not fit under the cross member of most cars. The folding type have 2 extra wheels that are a pain in the ass at times. Tried to use the folding type once. It wouldn't fit under the EL Camino. Sold it and bought the one I have now.
This one doesn't fold, but it does collapse into a small foot print. The legs are 3 sections of tubing that slide into each other. The biggest reason this one is better is the wheel placement. The front wheels are not under the tubing frame but in front of it so it only needs 4" of space not 6"- 7" to clear the under side of the vehicle.
Another advantage of the design is the ability to be used while not fully extended. I can move heavy items around the shop while it is all slid together and maneuver easily in tight areas.

Mine is stored outside a lot due to the disorganization in the garage right now. The weather isn't going to hurt it. Just keep the arm down so the cylinder rod doesn't rust.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/64elcamino/tools/P1010014.jpg
Great point,why didnt I think of that!

I made mine from steel that I had laying around. The only piece that I bought brand new was the main lift beam which is a 2" X 4" X 1/4" thick 8' retangular tube. I use a 20 ton bottle (that I got in trade for working on someone's car years ago) jack to lift it up. The front wheels came off a HD Sears tool cart and are sandwiched between two 1/4" plates like the one pictured above. The back wheels are locking caster wheels off of a Sears tool box.

I also made it so that I use my 40+ year old come-a-long which attaches to the vertical boom, then the cable goes over a pully on the end of the lift beam. That way not only does the lift beam lift a load, but I can also lift it with the come-a-long.

I made it so that it all bolts together so I can disassemble it to store it out of the way.

Unfortunatley, I don't have any pictures of it and it's burried in the back of the garage.

Great point,why didnt I think of that!
I didn't either, learned the hard way :)

Cardinal sounds like a good design.

The old man and I use a carolina shophand, he has had since before I was born. Its a non folding unit. It could probably lift a trailer house it it was tall enough lol. My brother In law has one he inheritated from his dad, says its the nicest hoist he has used. Any one heard of one of these?

http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=189844