Where to get an engine stand and lift

[Denny]

I checked out a Sears catalog and an engine lift(cherry picker type thing) was big bucks! eek!
Is it possible to rent those things from a place, and where? I want to pull my Yamaha but I haven't even really looked into how to physically lift it out frown

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Most tool rental type places will have them, but if you're going to have the motor out more than a few days, it would probably be cheaper to buy the stand and just rent the hoist for pulling and installing.

Both the hoists and the stands are on eBay all the time, and you might be able to find a reasonably-local seller to avoid having to pay shipping. Most auto parts stores have them too.

Another place to try for mail order is: http://www.harborfreight.com

 

[Yamaha V6]

Oh yeah, Harbor Freight's the place to go. I've been waiting for over a month now for my 2nd stand. I got a notice in the mail last Friday saying it's still backordered, so I went down to Autozone & bought it off the shelf for $50. Then, Monday (next business day), I went to cancel the freaking order & they now say it's shipped. Right.

Rental of a stand is $15+ a day for me, and $40+ a day for the picker. Autozone had the picker for $200, and the load leveler for $40.

You can also find them on eBay - nice units, quality looking pieces, for fair money, but look at where it's coming from & what the shipping is. In one case, they wanted $160 shipping for the stand, hoist, & leveler. Riiiiiight.

 

[Denny]

So besides the picker there is a leveler too? I would need that too? But woo $200 is much cheaper than the ones I saw the catalog, hmm that's one month's car payment, but hey, a hoist! thumbs_u I guess I'll look into buying one if AZ has them for a good price

 

[Yamaha V6]

The load leveler that AZ sells is a piece of crap. However, it DOES serve as a nice, solid, metal cross-beam to actually span the engine, and has down-chains & brackets so you can bolt the engine to it. Or, use a chain.

I've done both ways - the chain & the leveler. it was quicker & easier with the leveler as a spanner than it was with the chain. However, don't expect their leveler to help you out "leveling" once you pop the tranny off. You can have one or the other - level after removing the tranny or level before removing the tranny, but not both. At least not with the AZ leveler.

strictly financial: Assuming it takes 2 business days to pull, do the work, and reinstall, a picker is going to be $80, and the stand is going to be $30. There's $110 toward the cause. Go longer than that, and it's $15 per day for the stand. Assume for a minute you slip & do this 4 days, bringing the picker back & re-renting it for the reinstall. That's $140. At 4 days, buy a stand for $50 & you have it whenever you need it. It might be far more cost effective to buy the stand, and rent the picker. It'll cost you $300 for everything listed - stand, leveler, and picker, on a straight purchase, but you'll always have it when you want it. Question is, will you ever need the picker again, and can you live with when the rental place is open?

Good luck.