Engine Lift – The Types and Benefits
An engine lift is a machine which is used to lift up engines. They are also known most popularly as engine hoist, though the terms like shop cranes, engine cranes and floor cranes are also used. They can have different capacities according to your requirement and many different specifications.
An engine lift is a compulsory piece of equipment in any auto repair shop or garage. It is not cheap so you should know as much as you can about an engine lift before you set out to buy one.
Why would you need an engine lift?
Here are the reasons why you may need an engine lift:
- If you are running an auto repair shop or a garage, engine lift is a piece of equipment which you must possess. The primary purpose of an engine lift, as the name suggests, is to lift car engines up to a desired height. So, if you need to dismantle a car engine to work on it or to put it back, you have to use an engine lift.
- If you are good at all things mechanical, you can consider running a side business repairing cars. If this venture takes off, an engine lift should be a primary piece of equipment in which you have to invest.
- Like many people, you may be an automobile aficionado. Do you love to work on your classic cars and restore them? An engine lift will help you in the delicate handling of the engines of these classics.
- You can get folding engine lifts which are quite handy to be used at home for a hobby and they are easy to store.
How to operate an engine lift?
While you may be proficient at handling engines, this does not mean that you know all about engine lift. Here are some tips that you should follow when you set out to use an engine lift:
- Safety is the first concern. When you get ready to handle an engine lift, be sure to put on all the protective clothing including eye and hand protection and respiratory masks (if the engine hasn’t been cleaned in a while).
- Be sure that you have chosen the correct engine lift for your purpose. Check the specifications to make sure of this. The weight rating of the engine lift must be greater than the weight of the engine which you are going to lift. Similarly, the engine stand that you use should be able to bear the weight.
- In order to make the engine hoist stable, extend the legs in relation to the arms and check all the nuts and bolts beforehand.
- Check all the lifting attachments before you actually start the procedure.
- Read over the instructions carefully and use the hoist sling and the hoist hooks to secure the engine safely. Lift it a few inches to test all the fittings. Once everything is secure, you can move the engine to its new place or the engine bay. Always take care that the engine is tilted at the correct angle and does not tip over.
- Take good care of the engine lift when not in use. Keep the parts oiled and cleaned.
Some models of engine lifts
Many companies manufacture and market quality engine lifts. They come in different capacities. So, you have to keep your requirements in mind before you buy one.
- NORCO manufactures a 2500 lbs capacity engine lift, model number 78106A. This is a heavy engine lift designed to hoist engines, transmissions and other heavy machinery. It is a folding crane. It comes with four position telescopic boom and a swivel mounted hook. It has a 3 ton capacity hydraulic power unit. It is foldable and the wheels make it easy to transport.
- Air technical industries design a series of engine hoists according to different specifications.
- Husky master mobile hydraulic floor crane comes with a 6000 lbs capacity.
- Super master mobile hydraulic floor crane has 6000 lbs and 12 feet lift capacity and a mast rotation of 150°.
- A smaller model is the V master mobile floor crane with a 1000 lbs capacity.
- Engine lifts by Hein Werner are heavy duty. For example, their model HW83906 has a capacity of 3 tons
These are only a few examples. A market survey will reveal a vast number and variety of engine lifts from which you may choose according to your needs.
