Using motorcycle Jack for engine drop
 

I'm wanting to get something more stable for the job than a Floor Jack and a stack of blocks.
Thinking of getting one of these, anyone had success with this sort of Jack?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1499722078.jpg

Thanks, Richard

yes, that and a couple of 4x4 3' long does the job for me.

a 911 engine drop?

Credit for this design belongs to Mr. Fred Cook

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1499722558.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1499722642.jpg

Not that exact one, but that's what I use, assuming this is for a 911. As I've mentioned in other threads on the subject, I jack the car only high enough to work under and get everything disconnected (supported by jack stands). I lower the engine to the floor using the ATV jack, then I use a floor jack on each side of the car to jack the chassis high enough to roll the engine out. With the engine out, I lower the car back down. I don't like to leave the car that high any longer than I need to.

I bought one of those harbor freight jack tables. I love it for 911 drops. It easily holds all the weight of the motor and trans, and is really stable. Once out, I can roll it around the shop, and raise it up to meet my engine stand, or workbench.
I would highly recommend it, I have found tons of other uses for it.
I got lucky, when I went to purchase mine, they only had one left, and it did not work. Store manager offered it to me for $100.00 Got it home, bled it and walla! I've been using it for years now with no issue .
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1499723080.jpg
I use it as a work bench, and it also makes unloading heavy items from my truck a breeze.
The only problem I have is that the handle hits the rear bumper of a 911 about 3 inches before the load is centered perfectly on the table. I just remove the handle when pulling 911 motors. It comes out in 10 seconds with 2 pins .

^ Sand man, exactly. I use the jack post "lift pad" sold here to raise the car side to side as high as 6-ton jackstands can raise the car while supported on the torsion bar covers. The car is level on stands, and the ATV jack is great. Then with the engine lowered, I lower the front of the car, which raises the rear valance so it'll clear the top of the motor without having to remove it. Then I lower the entire car to a more stable height.

That thing would be just the ticket to load my heavy-ass generator or pressure washer back onto the truck while out in the boonies. At home I can just use straps and the forklift.

Yes for a 911 sc. 3.0.
I can see how the ply sheet with the blocks mak a nice match to the engine.

It's the Jack that I'm wondering about. It's 22" from the fixed in place pump mechanisms to the end of the support brackets of the Jack, thats the spacing that concerns me.

What is the Jack under the ply your pics rusnak?

Oh I like that jacking table Fastfred, what do they go for retail? And how low do they go?
Very versatile ��

Cheers Richard

I used the Sears Craftsman ATV jack. I heard that the HF version of it has good and bad reviews, but the one I have has been really great.

If you need more height, then you can just bolt or screw some more blocks on to the plywood.

They were about 350 retail , but I have had mine for quite some time now. Roughly l10 inches at its lowest point. It is super useful around the shop and garage .

oof. I guess I'd better start opening my HF coupon emails.

Wow that is cheap. Im getting old, maybe my memory is not that sharp anymore, but I thought they were a lot more money than that. Is there a heavier model?
I think mine is 1000 lbs capacity . Pretty sure a dressed air cooled motor is sneaking up on 500 pounds, and I pull them out with the trans , so I would be weary of a 500 lb unit

I didn't like the ATV jack, as I recall the reach was too short.

That's really cool! I'll keep that in mind for dropping the 964 engine.

I installed the 356 engine just using a floor jack and some towels. I suspect it is significantly lighter.

Thanks, that is my concern about it.

That Jack table would make getting it out from under the car more of a challenge.
But otherwise looks realy good.

Plus I'm moving across the country in a couple of months, so adding that big of a piece will be a strain to pack.

I just put the engine back in not long ago, but have a fuel leak at the front of the engine to sort out. So another drop is called for now. May see if a partial drop will give enough access for the fuel line replacement.

Also are there any good alternatives for fuel lines other than the very expensive oem ones?

I may just do it with the floor Jack this time. And get something better once I'm settled and have a shop space to store it in.

Sure seems a hatch in the fire wall could save a lot of engine drops for little fixes at the front of the engine.

Thanks for the input!

Cheers Richard

I've used that jack a few times, works great. Similar to the wood fixture above a small pallet between the jack and engine allows plenty of room.

The 1000lb capacity model is on the right hand side of the page - $259.99

https://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-Capacity-Hydraulic-Table-Cart-60438.html

HF sends out flyers if you're on their mailing list...often 20% off anything.
Sometimes it's 30%.

If you don't have a lift at home, and are using floor jacks, then to me the critical issue is how low you can drop the motor. The car height can be raised less high to do the engine drop, just use the jack stands set at a lower height.

I've used one, searched around and found one on Craigslist for $50


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I used one exactly like that to do several 911 engine drops/installs. I just used some 2x6's to stabilize the heat exchangers.

Yep, me too. Several times. Works fine..

After all the thumbs up here I went back and picked up the Jack.
So now it's all decked out and ready to go.

This is going to so much more stable than the normal floor Jack with a pile of wood blocks on it. I've been getting the feeling for a bit that it was time to stop pushing things and get something better for the job.

I may now be able to do an engine drop or reinstall by myself. 👌👍
I'm planning to use a few old towels to distribute the load on the deck to see how that goes at first.

Appreciate the input!

Cheers Richard

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1499912056.jpg

Not sure if that plywood is up to snuff.
I used 2 x 6's.

We'll have to see how it holds up. This set up gains 1.5" over the floor Jack, and I don't want to go any higher on the jack stands than nesissary

The main points of contact are close to the brackets of the Jack.

I would have used a thicker ply if it was at hand.

Cheers Richard

Lots of times.
http://www.fototime.com/FE71A3CAA053D7C/standard.jpg

I use a tranny jack. you can tilt the top to the angle of the car.
I also made 2 brackets to bolt the engine to the stand.
the 930 is a much bigger beast than the 911 and with it bolted to the jack that is a REAL big relief when doing the drop by myself.

it still moves around a little and you still need to be close to the balance point but it makes it so much easier.

I know its not much but it really makes me feel good when I can MAKE something like this instead of just buying it.

I also use the tranny jack to get the car even higher. I also take off the front wheels and drop the nose down and remove the rear bumper to get the motor out.
i think all i remove is the intercooler.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1500034423.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1500034452.jpg

I got to test out my table to day . It easily holds the weight of a 997 gt3 drivetrain. I use the big jack in front just help support the trans end. I do air cooled motors the same way. I use a jack under the trans mount to help angle the unit and get the shift shaft up into the body.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1500605763.jpg

I used to have a big transmission jack like above, I sold it when I bought lifts and replaced it with an under lift trans jack, but that also looks like it would work really well. Never had a chance to try it on a p car .
I bought my lift table after my first 930 drop, they are heavier, have a ton more plumbing, and they always seem to want to tip to one side when on just a jack, so I upgraded to the table. It has worked really well for me
That motorcycle jack may just be better suited for doing the drop on jackstands however. When using a lift, all you need to do is get the shift shaft out of the body, then I just lift the car up, no worries about height clearances , and having to slide the power unit out

Used a lawn mower without the motor and a engine hoist to lower the motor down onto the lawn mower, then raise the vehicle and pulled the mower out.

Now that is some ingenuity

The best addition to a motorcycle jack is a 4 wheel dolly...
bolt 2x2 wood or something like 3/8x3/8 steel tube to the jack, lengthening the arms (they're too short out of the box). Then, place dolly across the arms, then lift it up to the engine, and drop the engine onto the dolly. Lower the jack, and the dolly (if you planned correctly) rolls right off with the engine on it, and moves to where ever you need. Then slip jack back under the dolly to lift engine back up.

If the jack is too tall, then rebolt the dolly wheels on some spacers to make it slightly taller.