Anybody have any good ideas on a cradle to hold an engine so I can size it up to the rails. I was thinking of building an adjustable cradle to hold the inline and it would not just tilt but raise and lower it. I'm not sure how you guys hold the engine that low while you work on the problem of finding the right spot for the motor but I would like to hear what ya all have to say about that.
Most of what we do is SBC and we have one of those neat plastic engine blocks to locte stuff with. Then we have a bunch of different transmission case to bolt to the block. The engine with the trans weighs in at about 30 lbs. So it does not take much to hold it in place. Use blocks of wood or what ever you got to scotch it in place to fab the mounts.
Lots of different sized pieces of wood, some concrete blocks, and anything else you can put under it to support it at the right height and angle. We ain't real fancy in our shop (insert banjo music from Deliverance here.:welcome::lol
I bolt a piece of angle iron right across the front of the engine, and let it rest on the frame rail. from there it can be shimemd up to the hieght you want. Then under the trans, i just use a small screw jack. the piece of angle setting on the frame keeps it level side to side, and the screw jack under the trans is for titling it to the angle you want.
Like LKE and Don said, I used misc steel and such to mock up placement of the engine, tranny, and suspension. Here's a pic. It don't look pretty here, but the end result was pretty good.
It doesn't have to look pretty in the building stage, whatever works is how you do it. Heck I had 2x4's holding my rearend up when I was trying to get everything lined up.
thatnks for the great advice. I worked on it last night and crap, that inline seems really long for a bucket, but I think I'm gonna pull it off, I think it will look ok.
I built an engine cradle that has 4 up-right tubes for the crank pan. the crank shaft angle is built into the tubes. It's on 4 swivel casters so changing positon is easy. Makes it easy to store the dummy block when I'm not using it to.
I built an engine cradle that has 4 up-right tubes for the crank pan. the crank shaft angle is built into the tubes. It's on 4 swivel casters so changing positon is easy. Makes it easy to store the dummy block when I'm not using it to.
Hey Ron, any pictures of that? This is the kind of hassle I'm dealing with right now too.
Sure wish I knew someone with a plastic block and trans, although some people pay big bucks for a gym membership while I can lift cast iron around for free.
It doesn't have to look pretty in the building stage, whatever works is how you do it. Heck I had 2x4's holding my rearend up when I was trying to get everything lined up.
Hey Mikesplumbing, tie that 6 pack onto a trolley jack with a webbing load binder, you might want a couple bits of wood to make a little cradle. Support the tailshaft housing with another binder slung around the rails and you can slide the whole lot along and back and jack it up and down to your greasy hearts content.
Try to get the weight distribution 55% front 45% rear or thereabouts (IMHO) so it drives and stops nice. Might be a challenge with that long 6 pack but hell, it'll be different and your baby so go to it.
Happy tinkering!!!!!!
Glad you can see the humor in it. When I read it, I could see a cartoon figure with two by fours and getting things lined up. I am glad someone enjoyed.
Hey Mikesplumbing, tie that 6 pack onto a trolley jack with a webbing load binder, you might want a couple bits of wood to make a little cradle. Support the tailshaft housing with another binder slung around the rails and you can slide the whole lot along and back and jack it up and down to your greasy hearts content.
Try to get the weight distribution 55% front 45% rear or thereabouts (IMHO) so it drives and stops nice. Might be a challenge with that long 6 pack but hell, it'll be different and your baby so go to it.
Happy tinkering!!!!!!
What He Said!!!!!! What we do in the shop......we've got one of those big honkin' transmission jacks.......we got a piece of plate....drilled the holes bolted it down.......got some 2" X 1/4 flatbar about 3" long.....drilled some holes in them bolted them onto the engine and trans.........and tacked them to the top plate........that way you can use your tilting adjustments on the jack to get it exactly where you want it.......and it won't fall on ya.....
Just started playing with my frame and 2300 ford, I use a motorcycle jack (kinda like a trans jack) and it works will and has strap points for a bike holds the little 4 nicely.
i used the 2x4 method and a bare block and tranny case, make sure you get the engine square with the chassis.. when i was setting mine up i put the body down where i wanted it, and then placed the engine and tranny with a distributor in the engine. left about 1/2 inch between the firewall and distributor. if i remember correct i left 5 1/2 inches cleareance at the oilpan
I used an engine hoist with one of those leveling devices. Dropped the engine and trans into the frame, got it close, dropped the body on, then used the leveling device and hoist to get it where I wanted it. Followed that up with blocks underneath , then put just enough weight on the blocks to keep it in position.
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