Author Topic: need your experience (Read 737 times)

dunl · « **on:** November 18, 2007, 12:45:26 PM »

Okay, here's a difficult situation possibly, need some experiences of others. Pulling an engine for my first time. I r&r'd a tranny successfully, so I'm moving up from there.

I have a Mercedes parts car parked on grass across the alley from my garage, on axle stands - no wheels. The alley is unpaved, and slopes towards the parts car and away from the garage - upwards slope towards garage. There is a ditch behind the 300sd parts car, so it can't go back any further - just barely fits in there, as it's longer than a Grand Cherokee (barely fits in the garage).

I'd like to pull the engine, but I remember seeing that you are not supposed to move the shop crane once you have the engine up. You are supposed to roll the car back first, I'm guessing so you don't tip the crane with the engine on it. Again, no wheels, no room.

So how do I pull the engine from this car with the shop crane sitting on unpaved ground, on a slight downslope towards the car?

I KNOW someone on here must have pulled an engine from a jeep sitting somewhere that it couldn't be moved. There's no tranny attached, so it's not going to top 500lb for sure.

Trouble Maker · « **Reply #1 on:** November 18, 2007, 02:17:30 PM »

I have a shop crane with removable lower legs. I welded a stinger on the bottom of it that will fit in my receiver hitch on my truck for situations like that. Redneck but it works.

hps4evr · « **Reply #2 on:** November 18, 2007, 05:16:11 PM »

dude, just move the engine hoist with the engine on it. have a buddy or two with you to keep it steady. not that big a deal, but go for it i say. oh, and keep it low to the ground if possible once its away from the car.

dunl · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2007, 05:34:24 PM »

Thanks for the help.

cLAY · « **Reply #4 on:** November 18, 2007, 08:51:25 PM »

Quote from: "Trouble Maker"

I have a shop crane with removable lower legs. I welded a stinger on the bottom of it that will fit in my receiver hitch on my truck for situations like that. Redneck but it works.

Hey! Thats a slick idea! I think I'll be doing that with mine!

Having a piece of plywood under the crane can help as well when wiggling it around when removing/installing if the ground is soft. If the ground in the alley is too soft the crane will sink in and not move. Might want to have a cart or wheel barrow to take some of the weight for moving to the garage.

dunl · « **Reply #5 on:** November 18, 2007, 08:59:13 PM »

All good ideas.

I'm hoping the crane will lift the engine high enough to put it in the back of the Dodge Cummins, where I can cart it wherever I please.