Engine Stand Horror

[AChev]

About 1 week ago I removed my engine and put it on an engine stand. The engine stand I was using was a run-of-the-mill 3 leg engine stand with mounting bracket. So the engine was mounted on it at all was well. I began to notice the front wheel on the stand was a little shoddy but it was ok. So today I rolling the whole unti to move it, and I must have hit a pebble or something, all the sudden the front wheel pivots to turn around. The sudden shift in the movement of the wheel caused the whole engine to begin to tip. I wanted to save it, but last week I had a plate and screws put in my left hand so it was in a cast, and there was no way I could save it with just my right. As soon as I know it the whole engine and stand is falling to it's death at the concrete floor. The valve cover was off so oil spilled EVERYWHERE. Not only was it engine oil, there was a bucket of old tranny oil next to it which was knocked over also. I have been cleaning up for hours know. What a disaster. Here is where I am looking for some advice. I thought mounting the engine to the bell housing was sufficient, but from now on I need a sturdier setup, what do you guys recomend, and what brand. I am having a horrible day.

Andy

P.S. So far I am extremely fortunate to find that nothing on the engine has been seriously harmed. Luckily the oil filter caught the fall and was smashed, but I'll take that over a cracked block. It could have turned out to be much worse than it was

[Bambikiller240]

A better Engine stand!

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=32916

This is the type that I own.

Those damn 3 leggers should be outlawed. I'd need both hands to count the number of times I've seen them tip over and smash engines. One of my friends got pinned under a Toyota 22R 4 cylinder motor when he tried to "save" it.

[hls30.com]

I have two of those, and to tip one over, you have to try!

Will

[Bambikiller240]

I have two of those, and to tip one over, you have to try!

Will

What about the other one?

[AChev]

Thanks Carl. I am off to harbor freight. I would easily spend $50 to prevent this from happening again. What a nightmere. When it toppled it was inches away from smashing the front fender of the car also. I definately would have cried in that case.

[hls30.com]

I meant either one, they have an L28ET and the L24 out of my '72 on them-two more L28ETs waiting their turns...

Will

[Bambikiller240]

Are you building engines for sale? How many (real) Z's do you own?

[hls30.com]

I have three cars that will be getting L28ETs, and I will keep the L24 for a future restoration of the '72. I have a bunch of parts cars, but...

Will

[panchovisa]

Schevets, that sucks!

My brother and I still joke about "the day we dropped a big block Chevy" into his Chevelle.

Nobody put the pin into the cherry picker that keeps the boom attached to the base. We had the boom fully extended and the back of stand started to get "light". I stood on stand base while my brother jiggled engine onto mounts.

One jiggle to many and base fell off boom. CCRRAASSHHHHHH! Engine and trany went between cross member and firewall to the floor, and hoist went through windsheild, smashed core support/ grill/ bumper.

[AChev]

Man pancho, that sounds significantly worse than my experience. The worst part that happened to me was the oil clean up. We have un painted garage floors how ever many gallons of engine oil plus thre tranny oil was a horrible clean up, like a hundred rags were thrown away, all day scrubbing with paint thinner and degreaser , and then a hefty rinse. Actually it cleaned up better than I thought. Anyways I got my new 1000 lbs engine stand with 4 legs, non of that 3 leg garbage.

[240Zdragon72]

I, too, have the same stand. I got mine from the local Auto Zone. Around $40. I also went to ACE Hardware to get the bolts, $0.40 a piece. Good luck with the build Schevets!

[AChev]

Hey to those who have the engine stand we are talking about, is it safe to move the stand when the engine is one it. The manual that came with the stand does not condone it, although is'nt that what the casters are for? Please re-assure, if it really is unsafe I will not move it once the engine is one, for I am ungodly freightened of a repeat. Thanks to all for the help