Finding an engine stand for an IDI, not easy

[Ferdy Mint]

I've been reading reviews of supposed 2000 lb engine stands on Amazon and fleabay. Most nobody likes them. They won't spin. They bend down. The arms bend. And that's with a Chevy big block on there, barely 700 lbs. An IDI weighs more like 950 iirc. We have an IDI on a stand right now and had to brace up to the front damper with a 2x6 before we could disconnect the chain hoist.

Has anyone found a decent 2000lb engine stand sold now that works for an IDI? Harbor Freight is out of stock for months.

 

[tradergem]

Do you have the tools, material and skill to build your own stand? If you do, then get er done. If not, do you know someone that could build one for you?

 

[Ferdy Mint]

Never thought of that. Makes sense. Have welders for sure but stock is hard to come by recently.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Never thought of that. Makes sense. Have welders for sure but stock is hard to come by recently.

Yes it certainly is hard to get stock. Here's something to keep in mind if you do have someone build you a stand (or if you make it your self). EVERY home made stand that I've seen has had the head (the part that holds the rotating part that bolts to your engine) sitting level with nothing on it. That means that when you get any weight at all on the stand, the engine will be drooping down. I know that it may just be my pet peeve, but I HATE that. Factory built engine stands are built so that the head slope upward at the front when there's no weight on the stand so that the engine will be close to level when it's all assembled. I also won't use an engine stand that hes a "U" shape to the bottom part of it. It gets in the way and I stumble into it. I also like to rest my foot on the center beam while torquing head and main bolts. That keeps it from rolling toward you as you're working. My stand is a four caster model, but it has an "H" pattern to the bottom. I actually bought mine form Sam's Club back in the late 1990"s. It's rated at 1200 lbs and works great for an IDI engine. Here's a couple of pictures of the type of home made stand that I hate. This one was free and it went on to the next guy for free too. You can't see the entire bottom part of my stand, but you can get the idea. Am I picky about my engine stands? You betcha, but I also want to be comfortable when I'm using it.

 

[Ferdy Mint]

I looked at all the stands on fleabay and most seemed to be the exact same chinesium, sold under different labels. Similar story on Amazon but less (fake) choices. Only a couple of them on fleabay had the unloaded-angle-up feature that you mentioned. It sure makes sense. Right now I have an IDI on a hand-me-down stand and we could see right away that it was going to bend if we didn't brace it. I used to have access to take-off OEM rear wheel bearing and hub assemblies from fwd 3/4 ton delivery vans like the Ram ProMaster van. I had to leave that all behind when we escaped from yurrup a few years ago. That would have been a perfect part to build an engine stand on ... spin with big wheel bearings. I welded up kids' toys for the yard with those bearings, hubs, spindles.

 

[chillman88]

That's not a bad idea at all! It's not free, but for what it is the price isn't too bad.

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I always thought about building one with replaceable taper bearings myself.

Another member on here has one his dad built with pillow block bearings and some heavy ag chain. There's a little gearbox on the bottom to rotate the whole assembly. It's pretty slick.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Another member on here has one his dad built with pillow block bearings and some heavy ag chain. There's a little gearbox on the bottom to rotate the whole assembly. It's pretty slick.

Yes those are nice to use. We had one at the diesel shop I worked at. For no more engines than I tear apart, I can't justify spending the money on one of them.

 

[chris142]

My old HF one held up a fully dressed 392 international with no trouble

 

[u2slow]

This is my sturdiest stand. I picked it up for cummins use, but so far only a 400 Mopar lives on it.

https://www.princessauto.com/en/2000-lb-folding-engine-stand/product/PA0008668030

Probably available from Harbor Freight too...

 

[Old Goat]

That looks like the one I have, bought it off CL for something like $85 and almost brand new.
Only engine I had on it is a Mercedes OM617 5cyl.
As beefy as it is, should hold an IDI with not problem.

The problem with this as all engine stands, the castors seem to be too small to roll if you have rough concrete or hit a crack.
I thought I was smart, one day at HF I saw these solid rubber wheels maybe 4 or 5", OH that will roll better.... Only problem doing that is the rubber with the weight of an engine won`t turn or rotate w/o a bunch of cussing. The rubber digs in.
So now Iam searching for a set of steel castors 5 or 6" to replace them.

Goat

 

[FrozenMerc]

I built this guy a number years ago after deforming a Harbor Fright engine stand with a Ford Flathead V8. Couple of hours with the chop saw and welder, and it works wonderfully. It has held up a bunch of engine projects, including a 300 inline 6, 327 Packard Straight 8 (long, heavy motor with a CG way, way out there), a 430 MEL (850+ lbs), a 315 Dodge Hemi, multiple Ford FE's, and currently my 6.9 IDI. One of the casters is giving out, but that is an easy replacement.

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[IDIBRONCO]

t has held up a bunch of engine projects, including a 300 inline 6, 327 Packard Straight 8 (long, heavy motor with a CG way, way out there), a 430 MEL (850+ lbs), a 315 Dodge Hemi, multiple Ford FE's, and currently my 6.9 IDI.

Man, you sure do have some oddball projects.

 

[1mouse3]

What I have to hold a engine is this cart that came with the 6.9 and now has a 7.3 in the middle of a rebuild. It works but is slightly floppy, the wheels dont do well and might be from sitting in the weeds.

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[IDIBRONCO]

the wheels dont do well and might be from sitting in the weeds.

My stand just stays in my garage, but sometimes, I'll lube the wheels before putting weight on it.

 

[FrozenMerc]

Man, you sure do have some oddball projects.

Yep, Small Block Chebbies and Cummins are boring. I like to play with the weird stuff no one else likes to touch.