I need to pull to engine out of my M37 and deliver it for rebuilding. I'm new to this hobby and I've never pulled an engine from anything before. Forgive me if these are stupid questions, but I figure that asking stupid questions now is better then getting into serious trouble later.
A friend offered to lend me his engine hoist. It's one of these:
Does anyone know if this will do the job? It's rated as 1 ton, but that drops down to only 1/4 ton if I need to put the arm at its longest extension. It has a reach of around 29' at the 2 ton setting and 40" at the 1/4 ton setting. I assume that I can get in closer by removing the front bumper.
The manual says to lift the engine with the radiator and transmission attached. I'm sure it's possible to remove the radiator first, but is it also possible to lighten the load by disconnecting the trans before removing the engine? Will removing the engine without the transmission throw things off balance during the lift?
What other questions should I be asking before attempting to do this?
Not sure about the hoist but it looks like one I have used in the past although the one I used had a slightly longer reach when extended. You can take off the radiator and tranny to lighten the load but when using the orig. lifting eye with those removed will result in an unbalanced load and require relocating the lift eye to be moved forward so that the engine will be balanced when lifting from the frame.
As you most likely know the power plant was designed to be removed as a complete unit, transmission and radiator both left in place, the cooling system filled with coolant.
I have also used a homemade tripod and a come-a-long instead of a store bought lift, I lifted this one, transmission in place but rad. removed:
Carter
Life Member:
Delta, Peach Bottom Fish & Game Assn.
The M37 engine w/o tranny and radiator/coolant weighs about 600lbs. The lift you mention can lift it, but you need to go take some measurements. It has to lift the motor high enough to clear the front frame crossmember and then you can just roll the truck back. The lift in question has little tiny caster wheels and won't roll too well on anything other than a smooth surface. With 600 lbs hanging up near the maximum lift of the lift things can get ugly quickly if the engine starts to swing. From the reach and lift height given you'll need to remove the radiator and grille first, so you have a straight shot getting the engine out. The lift you're talking about is typical of the newer Chinese lifts..........much smaller than it looks. Look at the second pic where it has an actual engine attached......that lift is small. And the straight 6 in the M37 is longer than the engine pictured.
So measure the distance you'll need to clear the oil pan and add that to the height of the engine to the lifting point. Then add in the length of chain plus an inch or two of flex from the lift boom and that will tell you if you can get it over the crossmember with that lift. I believe you can rent a more industrial lift from a local rental company that will give you more reach, height and lift capacity for not too much a day. Or find a sturdy oak tree with nice size horizontal branch and use a chain hoist. Ok, that sounds a bit too redneckie........but it works. Or so I've been told.
One other thing to calculate is the spread (width) of the engine hoist's supporting legs. If the exterior width exceeds the inner distance between the two front tires, you won't be able to get the hoist in far enough to lift the engine. My lift just barely clears, it is the two ton Torin Big Red, and works just fine extended out to the 1/2 ton setting. I have used this multiple times removing and installing engines in my M37. I think it is a great investment as I have found other uses for it around the M37.
One thing I have learned.....in the long run it's far better to spend the time taking off the front fenders before removing/replacing the engine. SO MUCH easier to unhook everything and when it comes time to install, much easier to jockey the engine into place. Same goes for the front bumper....easier to move the lift into place with the engine hanging off of it when the bumper isn't there.
I recently pulled the powerplant from my M37, and looked at both of those Torin lifts - the 1-ton and the 2-ton. My conclusion after doing some measurements was that the 1-ton would not be able to pull the unit, at least not safely. I can't remember if it had the necessary clearance to lift above the frame crossmember, but if it did, it was so close, and the hoist at the edge of its capacity, that it wasn't worth the risk. The 2-ton could do the job, but for the price, I decided that I could build a fixed overhead chain fall hoist in my garage for less cost, and have much more capacity (lifting weight and hoisting height) for other purposes, such as removing the cab tub.
Pulling the entire assembly - radiator, engine, and trans - as one unit is definitely the way to go. Just remember to remove the electrical ground strap between the frame and the clutch bellhousing before you start lifting.
“When a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, IT IS THEIR RIGHT, IT IS THEIR DUTY, TO THROW OFF SUCH GOVERNMENT...” -Declaration of Independence, 1776
Hahaha! Took me about 2 days to finally figure out I forgot the ground strap. Doh!
Pulled mine with a cherry picker hen replaced it with a chain fall on a gantry. The cherry picker was scary at best. The chain fall was a piece of cake. Building the gantry was well worth it!
Great pics.........but I have to ask.........what did you do with the engine after it was lifted out of the truck. Looks like you couldn't roll the truck forward or backward. Just wondering???
Great pics.........but I have to ask.........what did you do with the engine after it was lifted out of the truck. Looks like you couldn't roll the truck forward or backward. Just wondering???
thanks,
bob
Good question, took me a while to remember the engine was rested on a piece of thick plywood sitting on the winch and frame, the tripod was repositioned forward for the next lift and the engine was placed on a timber cradle to be disassembled, had to do all of this because the ambulance would not fit into the garage.
Carter
Life Member:
Delta, Peach Bottom Fish & Game Assn.
Well Bob, for just 30+thousand a shop like mine would grace that beautiful property you reside on and Tony, an ambo with winch is unusual for sure and I wish it were mine but it was a contract job for a customer that wanted the engine rebuilt. Back then would have loved to have the shop I now have but then I would have no shade tree mechanic jury rigged tripod engine lift pix. Now I use this monster for lifts:
Carter
Life Member:
Delta, Peach Bottom Fish & Game Assn.
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and Tony, an ambo with winch is unusual for sure and I wish it were mine but it was a contract job for a customer that wanted the engine rebuilt. Back then would have loved to have the shop I now have but then I would have no shade tree mechanic jury rigged tripod engine lift pix. 
Now I use this monster for lifts:
