Does anybody have a compact yet sturdy engine hoist that can lift a motorcycle engine (in this case a CB550K) at least 45 inches vertically? I don't mean a regular engine hoist with the V-shaped legs that stick way out, I mean something vertical that takes up very little space, Ideally could roll so you can move it all over the garage if you need to, and yet can be stored out of the way in very packed garages, which I'm sure most of ours are...let me explain -
I finally have my CB550 engine buttoned up on the bench and want to get it back into the frame; well, that sucker's HEAVY. I took the top end off in the frame to make it a bit lighter when I took it out and transferred it to the bench to rebuild it; it was still very heavy, but doable. Got it all together on the bench and of course it was even HEAVIER after I rebuilt it, so there is almost No Way I'm lifting that thing off the bench to put on the floor and get the frame over it. So I had an idea that finer minds than mine on here might be able to help solve - a game hoist.
https://www.amazon.com/Highwild-HOTS-TH201/dp/B085DBS393It's (relatively) cheap, and can allegedly hold "up to 5oo lbs" and has a handy swivel on it that would allow you to swing the engine over the bench and place it where you wanted it, and then of course swing it back down after you finished working on it, using a heavy chain through the engine mounts to lift it - but what would be a good way to "base" it/put a sturdy base on it so it won't tip? Usually they are anchored to a truck hitch, but obviously if you were using it in the garage there would be no place to anchor it so it doesn't tip over...I thought that using a square-post anchor attached to a 2x8 with casters might be a good idea, that way you could take it apart and store it when it wasn't needed - but how do
you handle the engine-lifting process, besides risking a hernia or a bad back...? I do most of my work alone, so being able to do this by myself would be great!
My garage is a steel pole barn and doesn't have any beams going across that I can attach a hoist to, so that option is out; or maybe somehow attaching it to the bench itself, but that might cause a tipping problem too...although driving it right into the concrete floor with a bigger square post anchor could be an option...thoughts...?
