Thread: Am I nuts???.

Tweet

Another one of those "I used to do that" guys here. The short block will weigh about 400 or so, so were I you, I'd definitely get a friend, best in the form of an engine hoist - unless, of course, you are one of those "Worlds Strongest Man" competitors. If you do decide to do it by hand, turn the thing top side down and grab it in the cylinder bores; also, fastening the stand head to the block first is a must. As a qualifier, I was a power lifter in my younger days, up into my forties, and I only hung a SBC short block on a stand by hand by myself one time; said "never again", just too much awkward bulk and maneuvering for a safe lift. Be real careful.

Yeah, you're nuts. For the cost of a cherry picker, even renting one if you are really strapped, it's just not worth the possibility of having back problems for the rest of your life. As Rrumbler and others have said, it's not just the weight, it's the awkward position you have to lift from that can and probably will do damage to your back.

I wouldn't say you're nuts, Gary, but to attempt to handle it that way wouldn't work unless you want to get a back like the one I have, then it still wouldn't work.

Beg, buy, borrow or steal a proper lift. Over my lovely wife's objections I bought one at Sam's a few years back. It wasn't expensive. I have since found a lot of uses for it besides hoisting engines.

An inspection of my magnificent body will reveal a sort of ugly scar on my left forearm I got when I decided to change an automatic transmission by myself without a transmission jack. Also, I'm short a piece of a finger I got while replacing some rear springs.

I still try some dumb things occasionally but I haven't repeated those two adventures.

Use the correct equipment!


Jim

A friend of ours once sold a complete flathead Ford to a big goomer. It was in the basement, and we were scratching our heads trying to figure the best way to get it up the stairs and out the door. The big guy grabbed it by the exhaust manifolds, heaved it up and walked to the stairs. "Open the door", he sez, without drawing a deep breath! He walked the sucker right out to his truck and dumped it in the back like a sack of groceries.
By the way, even if you use a picker, it still don't mean you're not nuts! Haha.

Can't you borrow a cherry picker from some one in the area? A broken body and back never are the same after lifting something to heavy, I know from experience.

I make mine (cherry picker) available to anyone in the area.