Just got my 350 out yesterday and put it on the stand. This is my first time so I have nothing to compare it to but the engine seems a little bouncy. Not up and down but side to side. This is the stand I bought used. The welds and bolts all seem fine. The stand looks new.
http://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lb...9521-8970.html
Should I add extra support when wrenching hard on things like the exhaust manifolds?

 

It should be fine. Check out the strength test car craft did on diffrent engine stands harbor freight was best bang per buck on strength. Just keep it steady they can tip as they are top heavy.

 

Looks pretty standard. The one I have is narrower and without the triangulation support, and it works fine.



It looks like this one, only it's an older version with a single wheel on the far end and little skids where the two wheels are in this model.


With about 650 pounds of engine hanging off of it, the stand won't feel perfectly rigid, but should be fine. In general, you can wrench pretty hard on it, and it won't cause any problems (crank bolt torque is over 200 foot pounds).

- Eric

ps: here's a picture of yours, so people don't have to click away to see it:

 

Mac, your stand is rated for 2000 lbs and that 350 is nowhere close to that. Just make sure all your bolts holding the engine in place properly tightened and you'll be good. I have one like Eric's picture, only it's yellow. I had a 455 on it and no problems even when I had to whale on a couple stuck pistons and crank pulley.

BTW, this is the perfect time to drain that oil if you haven't done it already...


EDIT: Holy crap Eric, that stand is HUGE

 

Sounds good. Thanks fellas. Just wanted to make sure.

 

Grade 8 bolts and plain steel washers. And I actually remembered to drain the oil before I pulled it out, lol.

 

That will do just fine

 

this is why it's recommended to keep an engine on a cradle instead of a stand whenever possible. For sure, you can't do the bottom end on a cradle ... but you can do most of the rest of the work ... cleaning, heads, manifolds, etc.

 

You'll be fine.

 

Cut a piece of lumber to go between the front of the crank and the ground. Make it an inch longer than free-hanging and lift the front of the engine just enough to wedge it in there. I would put it under the crank first and kick it in place. It will make it feel much more solid so you can really put a wrench on things.

 

I did this using a 2x6.
I also cut a V notch in it for the crank.
Worked very well and you can wrench on it
without worring about a tip over.

 

I was thinking of doing much the same thing. No reason to let the bounce absorb a lot of the energy I put into wrenching, right? It's like trying to hammer a board that's not supported on a flat surface.

 

I made a T shaped steel tubing brace that goes to the two legs of the stand and up to the block.

 

I'll probably make something out of wood. It's my medium

 

if i'm not mistaken the harbor freight one in the pic has the front legs on different than mine...i assembled it with the wheels facing in...maybe thats why mine wont steer

 

Yanks his car engine ... can't assemble a harbor freight engine stand ... *popcorn*

 

hold on now...i'm sure the wheels face inwards...the pic of the stand shows them facing outwards,the legs are different for left and right

 

That's nice stand for $130, looks sturdy
You cannot even buy that much STEEL here for $130

They cut, weld, and ship it from China and still make money. Wow.

Agreed that the idiot who assembled the stand for Shipwreck Tools' photo is doing it wrong. The wheels that don't caster have to be parallel to one another, in order to roll easily. Durrr...

Here's a sweet OLD engine stand, presumably made in the USA:
http://lansing.craigslist.org/pts/4114439945.html
see it now before the ad disappears.

I made 3-4 heavy stands yrs ago, with an improved method of holding the rotation. Pinch clamp. You can vary it from no hold to just enough to "ain't gonna rotate". The wheels are take-offs from Olds factory parts bins, they had 100's for cheap at the scrap metal yard.

 

I just scored a 1k lbs engine stand off CL the front wheels were as POGO described in his thread no bearings and falling all over themselves....ebay check shows same size style china replacements $5 each I found some on amazon made in USA $10 ea....I went w the USA models should be in tomorrow !!!

http://www.rwmcasters.com/

 

I bought mine used for $60. I didn't even realize the legs could go on backwards, guess I just got lucky.