Engine/Transmission drop table designs?

[49willard]

I would like to get setup to drop my engine. I am looking for a homemade design for a roll around table that will allow decent working room to do the final engine drop. I have a Rotary 2 post lift and want to be setup to lift the 911 away from the engine. My son and I came up with a not so convenient method to do the drop on his 914 but I want a better setup to do my 911. I want it on a table that I can readily roll out of my shop to pressure wash the engine and trans.

[gumba]

I’ve been using a Harbor Freight 1,000 lb capacity lifting table for years. I shortend the height of the rear pull bar. I remove the muffler to get the motor further back on the table. I also modified the front wheel on the engine stand so I can roll it under the table to transfer the motor to the stand

[LUFTKUL]

gumba: I would like to see your engine stand front wheel mod if you have time to upload a pic.

The HF hydraulic table is excellent, but the handle is too high. Great idea on shortening it.

[chrismorse]

Hi Bill and Harold,
I too have a Rotary lift and a HF 1K height adjustable rolling table. I placed a piece of plywood 1 foot longer than table on the table to help support the trans, dropped the muffler and rolled the lump out.
Table was right at $400 and the used 9K asymmetric lift was 1K from a shop going out of business.
Very stable and felt safe.
chris

One alternative to the table is a block of ice:
Raise the car far enough to get a block of ice under the engine/trans
Disconnect everything except the top engine-trans bolt,
Slide block of ice under, tight.
Remove last bolt,
Slide engine back onto ice,
Use wife's hair dryer to melt ice, slide engine out.

Installation is just a reverse of above procedure.

I was told about this from a guy with a VW, don't know if it would work on a 911

[49willard]

I hoped that someone made a roll around table. I thought about modifying my roll around engine stand. I do not want an additional thing to take up floor space in my shop.

[mike sampsel]

Well, I used my ATV jack from HF (or was it MC jack?). Placed a piece of ply wood on the jack set on heat ex. Worked great to get CIS off and tranny off. Although had a dolly to catch tranny. Then used lift to get eng to stand. So not much floor space taken up. Did. Use a table for crank, piston cyl etc assembly

[Catorce]

Originally Posted by gumba

I’ve been using a Harbor Freight 1,000 lb capacity lifting table for years. I shortend the height of the rear pull bar. I remove the muffler to get the motor further back on the table. I also modified the front wheel on the engine stand so I can roll it under the table to transfer the motor to the stand

THIS. The harbor freight table is all you need.

[49willard]

Picture of my stand with my 190SL engine on it (now in car)




I am thinking of building a platform (most likely wood) on top of the existing stand above. As I indicated earlier I am out of usable floor space (6 cars, a Metal lathe and Bridgeport mill, the lift area, a painting area and 2 large roll around tool boxes, 2 sandblast cabinets, multiple welders, a wood shop etc, etc, etc plus misc)

I do not plan on tearing into the engine. The cab has just 64,000 miles. I want to roll the engine and trans outside to clean/pressure wash and install new factory sound deadening panels in the empty engine bay. The drop is mostly for cosmetic reasons. I have access to an outside 4 post lift that I can use to pressure wash from below first and then do the drop.

[yelcab1]

I have done countless engine drops on 911 air-cool engines with the car on jackstands, lowering the engine and gearbox onto a couple of rolling furniture dollies.

Once it is out, I just leave it on the dollies to roll around the garage. Roll it outside to clean, roll it back in. I have no more room for a table I only use once a year.

[MichaelSJackson]

I too find my furniture dolly very handy and doesn't take much space when not in use.

I use a jack to drop the engine onto two pieces of 4x8 on edge beneath the heater boxes. Then roll the jack out and replace with the furniture dolly. Easy to lift one side at a time and remove the 4x8s. Now just roll the dolly where you want it.

If that's not adequate, lift it up to an engine stand. I use one that is collapsible. Again not taking much space when not in use.

I've used my single dolly for dropping the engine and tranny together or the engine alone.

[mepstein]

Originally Posted by gumba

I’ve been using a Harbor Freight 1,000 lb capacity lifting table for years. I shortend the height of the rear pull bar. I remove the muffler to get the motor further back on the table. I also modified the front wheel on the engine stand so I can roll it under the table to transfer the motor to the stand

The shop where I used to work has about 6 of those tables with hundreds of engine drops. The guys have no problem with the handle. I bought one to do my 914 and the handle does get in the way so I unscrew the handle (4 bolts) and then reinstall when the engine is on the table. The drop cable works fine without the handle on the table.