Help me buy an ENGINE HOIST

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im looking for a good engine hoist with the leveler on it. I have found one on Northern Tool but just wanted to see what other people have and what you might suggest. Here is the one I found, seems heavy duty. 2ton cap.  good price at $169 also....http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...5213_200305213Also check this one out.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...ksid=p3907.m32It says its the same unit but the pictures show a different machine, WHAT GIVES...Anyways, any other options or opinions would be great, main thing is getting the leveler and a heavy duty unit like these...
Reply:Shipping on #2 seems high. How does that compare to what northern wants for shipping to you. It's an old Ebay game. Set the price low and jack up the shipping figuring the buyer won't notice. ( not saying its the case just something to watch out for) Might be a private seller that used it and now has no need for it and will let it go cheap.As for the units it all depends what you are doing. Those will not pull the motor from my truck without removing almost all the front of the truck. They won't lift high enough. I could barely get the motor out of my '71 Plymouth with a similar unit and leveler. Need something to move heavy items around the shop and sit it on the bench it may be fine.
Reply:Well #1 has a lift hight of 92" i think. Thats about all i will need i think.Did you have another option.by the way I can drive up to northern tool and pick it up... thats a big save.
Reply:The lift height at 92" will most likely be with the boom completely extended. At that length the load limit will be much less than 2ton. Maybe 500 lb. Think about how high it will get at the load you need to lift. Also the longer the boom, the more unstable most of these become. It will no longer be pick the engine and wheel it away. More pick the engine and roll the car out from under it and set the engine on a cart or stand. Again a motor for an MG is not the same as a 7.3 diesel. Different weight and size, and the MG is much shorter than a standard or lifted 4X4.Your load leveler will greatly decrease the height that is useful, possibly by almost 24" or more by the time the leveler is attached to the boom and the engine is attached to the leveler. Don't forget you need room for the leveler to work between the leveler and the engine. If the carb/turbo is still attached you have to be sure that there is enough chain to clear those things and not crush them when you lift.How tall is the motor? At least 24" tall, probably taller. All this has to go up before it will clear any obstructions like the radiator. Don't forget that the suspension will raise the vehicle as you lift the weight off it. This is especially true in heavy 4x4 trucks with stiff suspension.other options: An A frame lift. not as simple to store and a bit harder to maneuver, but it will lift higher in most cases. Loader, backhoe, fork truck all work well for these sort of things.All of this may be a non issue. you haven't said what you are trying to do. Sort of like recommending a welder when you have no idea what it will be used for.Last edited by DSW; 06-04-2008 at 03:10 PM.
Reply:i got a used harbor freight one, same thing as the one from northern.  Works fine for pulling motors out muscle cars...but like dsw said, depends what your using it for, i wouldnt even consider trying to pull my 5.9 cummins out of my lifted 2500
Reply:The two shown appear to be from the same manufacturer, just offered through different distributors.  One is shown with an engine hanging from it, the other is not.  That's just a choice of marketing.Yeah... there are some differences...  one has extendable legs and the joints on the boom are different.  I still think they are from the same manufacturer.  Same thing only different.All the other comments I might have made have already been covered by others.-MondoLast edited by Mondo; 06-04-2008 at 03:41 PM.Reason: Second review... new informationMember, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:Originally Posted by Mondo...Yeah... there are some differences...  one has extendable legs and the joints on the boom are different.  I still think they are from the same manufacturer.  Same thing only different.... -Mondo
Reply:yeah, im not pulling engines, im just moving heavy stuff around the shop. Also I might need to pick up a 300lb piece and weld in on somthing off the ground. I work by myself and for those of you who do also, I bet you understand what im talking about.Right now I have a 500lb BBQ pit that I made an alteration to, and ITS IN THE WAY!!  Besides my Tractor this unit could help me a bunch just rearranging things.As for the unit, yeah i'll make the call I just didn't know if there were any other brands etc that i might look at that might be better, stronger, etc.....
Reply:get an air/hyd jack for whatever you get.  I get sick of pumping that stupid thing up and down all the time.  Not anymore, now i let the air compressor do the work.
Reply:One thing to think about when using one to move items around is you have to have lower clearance. You have to be able to slide the lower arms under the work bench and so on. My welding table works best with my unit when it sits in the middle of the shop rather than near the wall. That way I can have the legs extend way under the bench and still sit the heavy object where I need it.Also the wheels that come on most units do not take well to obstructions of any size. weld spatter, small screws and concrete joints will quickly bring it to a sudden halt. I replaced the wheels on mine with larger dia ones rated for the weight. Now it rolls over small obstructions better than it did before. They are all also swivel casters. It's a bit harder to push the lift in a straight line but I can side shift it as needed.
Reply:I have one of the 2 ton units from Harbor freight and it works great.  I have used it to pull and install the engine in my boat (mercruiser 502) with the exhaust system on the trailer with no real problems.  That was with the boom fully extended and the boat on the trailer.  I had to pull the chain off of the boom and attached the load leveler directly to the boom, but it worked.  I have done it more than once to boot.  The biggest problem that I have had with it is that the casters don't spin as well as I would like so I go around with a hammer and line them up as required when I need to steer it around.  Mine has also done a bunch of car engines, but the boat's engine was the most extreme job that I have done with it.  I would buy another without hesitation.  The folding ones look nice too but don't have the reach of the others.Rene
Reply:Originally Posted by chadwickz71yeah, im not pulling engines, im just moving heavy stuff around the shop. Also I might need to pick up a 300lb piece and weld in on somthing off the ground. I work by myself and for those of you who do also, I bet you understand what im talking about.etc
Reply:With the shipping being that much surely you could find somethink like it locally. Even if it was $50-$100 bucks higher you would come out ahead. You would also be able to check it out in person. Auto parts stores, traveling tool truck sales, farm stores or maybe you have a harbor freight store near by.
Reply:Case closed, I bought one at Tractor Supply at all places. It looks like the one in the ebay photo but its a little stronger built, AND its Air driven also.  It was originally for sale at a little under 300 but that had it marked down to 200 because the manager said something was missing.  However, I got to looking and everythings there!  Whats funny is after I loaded it in my truck the manager laughed and said that they might have made a mistake but he wasn't going to charge me the full price after I already bought it at 200!!
Reply:good dealharbor freight has some air/hydraulic lift carts i was looking at the other day.  might give those a thought too.
Reply:How big is your garage? You could by a lift and just use that to bull tho motor out. Thats what we do at home, and it also helps if you have to drop the motor out the bottom.
Reply:good tip on the TSC one.  It looks alot better then the HF/NT equivilent, especially with the pneumatic jack.  I would never have thought of looking there.
Reply:Yep, thats it, its definitly a good deal. I wasn't even shopping for it while I was there, because I didn't know they carried hoists at all.
Reply:go to craigslist see used ones all the time