Transporting an engine and transmission?

[Inf]

I may have found an L28 and 5 speed for a reasonable price ~200 miles from Dallas, but I have no real idea of how I can secure and transport it.

I have a pickup truck that can more than handle the ~600 lbs I have seen the weights rated as, just no idea how to secure it properly for the trip home.

No idea if the engine is out of the car yet or not, or if the seller even has a hoist available. I am waiting for a response back on those points.

Anyone have experience picking up an engine/transmission in a pickup (4x4, relatively high off the ground compared with a normal truck)?

Andrew

[owenk]

many years ago I found a 225cu" slant six and loaded it by myself into the trunk of my 66 Dodge by picking up one end, placing a tire under the end, then dooing the same to the other end. I repeated the process untill it was high enough and then rolled it into the trunk. In you truck I would bring some strong rope to tie it to the bed all the way against the cab. The trany is very light just tye it down so it will not move under braking.

[texasz]

I picked up an L28 in Houston and brought it home to Austin on a small trailer (much easier to load and unload) and used a pair of 3" wide ratchet tie downs (like the ones Home Depot and Lowe's sells) to secure it. I kid you not, this thing did not move one ince in transit (ratchet them down tight).

Sorry, I can't help you with loading it or unloading it.

[Daniel]

Most all your rental store have a lift for rent.It hooks to a trailer hitch for transport.There not expensive.Also you may look for some wooden pallets to set it on.You can nail support to them as well as the straps.

[Z Kid]

A couple of old tyres make a great bed to sit it on, and reduce the risk of damaging the sump etc when it gets bumped around a bit on the way home. As for lifting it in, you, him, a couple of his mates, a couple of your mates, some beer and a heap of rope?

[Dreco]

I picked up my motor at Rebello Racing with an old Geo Tracker. I took out the back seat, put in a small pallet folded up some old rebond carpet padding, then layed the motor on its side and forklifted the pallet into the back of the Tracker. Fit like a gloveROFL

[Inf]

Haha, sounds like you guys have a lot of good makeshift solutions.

The seller said he doesnt have a hoist available, so I guess ill be looking for a place to rent one to at least load/unload it, preferably one i can transport around. I looked on the uhaul website and didnt see any mention about renting equipment like that, I will call around and see if any of the nearby locations rent out something like that. If you guys have any idea of a good place to look beyond that (in case I can't find one) please chime in.

I may just rent a trailer like you recommended TexasZ, that seems a lot easier to get things in and out of than a truck bed that is ~3ft off the ground, although if I find a rental hoist that fits on the trailer hitch like Daniel recommended, I may have some trouble! Maybe I can find one that folds up and can be tied down in the trailer or truck bed.

As for securing the engine, I will probably lay it down on the drivers side (USA, LHD) and properly secure it with rope, maybe on top of a couple of folded army blankets for padding.

The seller hasnt been responding to my emails for the last two days or so, but even if I don't go pick it up, I will need to do it eventually when I buy an engine in the future.

Andrew

[texasz]

Try the local rental places like A-Z Rental or something like that, one of them should have one. I can't tell you if it would be a tow behind or not, but if it's not then just roll it up onto the trailer with the engine hanging on it then lower the engine onto the trailer and fasten everything down tight. Will cost a few bucks but will make life much easier.

Me and one other guy unloaded my L28 onto an engine stand with something called a GenieLift. WRONG TOOL FOR THE JOB!! I will never try that again, I will just go and rent a stupid engine hoist and save myself a lot of time, agravation, and effort.