Engine stand safety

[jeffmorris]

People usually use engine stands when rebuilding engines. Engines are supported at flywheel end. Nothing supports the front end. When someone loosens or tightens bolts and nuts at the front end, the engine will "bounce". What if someone tries to loosen a very stubborn bolt and the engine falls over?

[RidingOnRailz]

Originally Posted by jeffmorris

People usually use engine stands when rebuilding engines. Engines are supported at flywheel end. Nothing supports the front end. When someone loosens or tightens bolts and nuts at the front end, the engine will "bounce". What if someone tries to loosen a very stubborn bolt and the engine falls over?

Then you have the plot for a Blake Edwards film...

[Stealthee]

I don't think you have any idea how stable an engine stand is.

[jeffmorris]

I have seen the video at "I do Cars" website where Eric tried to loosen a bolt that refused to come off the crankshaft. I think that the engine was in a wooden box. He used a forklift to hold the engine down while he used a very long breaker bar to get the bolt loose. He disassembled another engine that was mounted on a stand. When he couldn't get the bolt loose, he planned to put the engine in a wooden box and do the same thing but he finally got the bolt loose.

[ducked]

Originally Posted by jeffmorris

People usually use engine stands when rebuilding engines. Engines are supported at flywheel end. Nothing supports the front end. When someone loosens or tightens bolts and nuts at the front end, the engine will "bounce". What if someone tries to loosen a very stubborn bolt and the engine falls over?

Be a good idea to get out of the way before it lands on your foot, then.



I dunno how likely this is, not having had an engine stand, but I've recently had reason to be impressed by how tight crankshat bolts can be. Movement is going to reduce the amount of force you can apply.



Engine in car, I took the head off and packed all 3 cylinders with rope, and put the head back on, to lock the crankshaft.


Manual has you holding it on brakes and transmission.



NEVER HAPPEN.


Most videos of people using extensions and levers on the pulley bolt show them using an axle stand as a fulcrum. I found using the front wheels, some hardwood planks and steel pipe as fulcrum allowed me to stand on it and put my back and leg (and torn up shoulder) muscles into it.


CRAK!


Not (well, not only) my shoulder.