Cheap Horizontal Crank Stand

euro911sc · euro911sc's Garage

I was reading the book and it said horizontal is better. So I was thinking of getting a plate and drilling holes or welding up some fancy fixture... So I started looking around for some kind of scrap to use. I moved my engine stand... looked at it trying to see if I could drill holes in it to match the crank... and was promptly struck squarely on the forehead as the engineer's red mist was cleared from my vision.

The flywheel sits on the posts of the engine stand with no modifications. It can rotate about 270+ deg which is enough to do anything you need on the crank.

Mike (TerribleHondo) came up and lent me a valuable set of hands! Thanks Mike! Two sets of hands were nice. And the finished product... well almost. Someone sent me 2 9mm rod nuts instead of 10mm like the rest of the nuts they sent me... go figure.

The Plastigage gave us some trouble... It liked to move from where it was placed and after torqueing it down trying our best not to move the rod much and then taking it appart just to find the little POS plastigage had slid off the rod was SOOOOOOO frustrating. But, cool minds prevailed

Best regards,

Michael

BK911 · BK911's Garage

Nice. Do you think you'll be done in time for Sebring next month?

Chop-chop!!

euro911sc · euro911sc's Garage

yur mean!

I don't think so. I'm still working the case clean and a few other dirty items. Its been a long haul and a few more weeks for a good finish wont kill me. Not to mention I need a 2/2 muffler/pipes and a rear tail to get the car rolling. I think it will be August before it runs and Sept. before I track it. Damn.

Maybe I'll take the bug. I took it to Moroso w/ PCA last month and chased GT3's all day... er... the view was nice as they passed by

I could keep up w/ a 944 Turbo for about 1/2 a straight and catch him in the corners, but I think I'd get eaten alive on the long Sebring straights.

I'm salivating though...

Can't wait to get it back on track! Maybe I'll skip the 5:30 am gym call and work later into the evening

Best regards,

Michael

MBAtarga · 06-07-2007, 07:56 PM

I would use regular C clamps and blocks of wood to protect the surface of the flywheel. I wouldn't trust those quick grip clamps with that weight - if they slip/fail - it would get expensive!

euro911sc · euro911sc's Garage

Could have used the C-Clamps, but they would have to be big to fit right. It will hold with 1 quick clamp, so I put 2 on there. Should be no problem and if one fails then the other will hold long enough to cover me picking up the crank. Still, it is a really heavy piece w/ flywheel + rods

I have since moved it to the bench.

Its quite rigid once everything was tightened. The bulk of the weight was handled by the arms of the engine stand. The clamps just have to cover the cantilever torque. We could not actually spin it upside down as the clamps would hit the vertical of the engine stand so the flywheel was always resting on a part of the engine stand.

The actual surface of the flywheel was not in contact with anything possibly harmful. The outer edge reseted on a flat plate and was not in any danger of getting marred.

I think its pretty good to go, but if you used metal c-clamps you would get that added comfort feeling for sure!

-michael

911pcars · 06-08-2007, 03:17 PM

Seems like laying the crank on a flat surface might provide more support for it and the connecting rod when using plastigage to check oil clearance. The assembly shouldn't move as much as a free-hanging con rod.

However, by this time, you would have completed all your con. rod checks.

Sherwood

euro911sc · euro911sc's Garage

that was a PITA. One pair of hands held the rod steady while the other pair torqued. rod still moved. I'm not sure how you could do it such that the rod didn't move at all. Mike and I discussed this for several minutes after we tried the first rod and it moved all over the place...

If the crank was flat on a table I'm not sure you could reach both rod nuts with a torque wrench. If it were standing on the flywheel you would have almost the same issues we had with it coming off the engine stand.

In the end, we did our best to keep it immobile. If you torque it smoothly and as close to a 90 off the longitudinal axis of the crank it moves the least...

In Mike's experience, the piston was already on the rod and in the cylinder so nothing moved... can't do that in this case

Anyone have better suggestions lets hear em! A little late for me, but there are always those that follow

Best regards,

Michael

911pcars · 06-08-2007, 07:59 PM

Check oil clearance with the crank and case assembled. It can be part of a preliminary fit-check. Install one piston/cylinder assy at a time for a trial fit. The installed cylinder will stabilize the small end while R&Ring the big end cap. Remove, then install another piston/cylinder assy. You have enough room through the empty cylinder spigots to access the rod bolts and cap.

Sherwood