Overhead engine lift trolley

[dschwandt]

Installed my Christmas present that my Son got for me today.

This is going to make pulling engines and lifting stuff a whole lot easier. Just a 10' piece of barn door trolley lag screwed to the ceiling joist.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Nice! Hmmm, an old fence stretcher as a lift?

 

[dschwandt]

Till something better comes along, it works!!
Not like I'm yankin' a 392 Hemi out of a 300 Ya know!!

 

[kide]

David - be careful, please.. Keep in mind that a barn door spreads that weight over more than one trolley, you'll be concentrating it all on one part of the rail, which'll open up if you get too much weight on it. Still, a good start... I would recommend an I-beam style, once you can go for something a little bigger..

 

[snicklas]

Dad has something similar in his garage. He built it when he was swapping engines in his 782. He decided he had enough of grabbing an engine and "giving it a hug and pulling it out of the frame". His is made from a few 4x6's and a few barn door tracks and dollys, and a 1000lb chain hoist. He has used this to remove the KT17 and swap in the M18. Also to pull 3 or 4 K321 and K341's. We have not tried anything heavier, and we do watch it carefully when we use it. But I will say, both of our backs really appreciate the "shop crane" doing the heavy lifting.

 

[dschwandt]

Got Ya covered, Gerry. It's screwed into the joist that are on 2' centers. Also there are 2 trolleys in the track that I will use with a piece of 3/8 x 2 flat about a foot long with a round welded lengthwise on the edge to connect both trolleys instead of the short pin on just one of 'em. That way I can use 'em both at the same time and spread the load over a greater length of the rail. Just haven't got that far yet as we are sidetracked on the cab project at present.