A Quick Comprehensive Guide On Choosing Engine Stands
An engine stand is a tool used for holding and operating an engine while it’s being worked on. From a simple garage to a big workshop, every car mechanic or even car buyer uses an engine stand for work regarding engine-related purposes. An engine stand is easy to use if guidelines are followed. You also need to know about the benefits of using an engine stand as it is essential and more importantly user-friendly while working on an engine. There are various types of engine stands that are used in particular cases depending on the work and engine type. Read on and get a clear idea about the engine stands and how to choose them while buying.
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How to use an Engine Stand?
All engine stands have more or less the same design with a simple working mechanism. If we divide an engine stand into substructure and superstructure the purpose of each section summarises the working mechanics of an engine stand with a better understanding -
Superstructure — The superstructure consists of a head that usually comes with four arms. As every engine is mounted differently in a car the holding points in them are different. Thus, the arms of an engine stand can be adjusted into different positions making the mounting of each engine perfect. In general, all the engines are mounted on the stand at the flywheel end using the transmission holes as mounting points. After inserting the engine, all of the points are tightened and secured with suitable bolts ready to be worked on.
Substructure — While the main operation is done on the superstructure, the substructure provides foundation, stability, and mobility simultaneously during work. The whole structure can be moved to a different place with the provided rotating wheels and the rigid stand bed ensures solid base and stability during work.
What are the benefits of using an Engine Stand?
There are several benefits of using an engine stand that consists of different aspects such as -
- The rotatable head ensures accessibility in all areas of the engine making the work process more efficient and easier.
- Because of the secured state of the engine after mounting it on the stand, the risk of injury decreases while it gets more comfortable during work.
- As the engine sits way out of the reach of the ground, the longevity of an engine increases due to zero chances of getting exposed to dirt, debris, and moisture from the ground.
What are the Engine Stand types?
There are several types of engine stands that are divided into specific categories -
Load-Wise
- Lightweight Stands — These types of stands are mainly used for smaller and lightweight engines. For example, If the majority of your work revolves around smaller engines like a 1.6L 4-cylinder from Mazda MX-5 which weighs only around 280 lbs, the basic engine stand checks all the boxes as it comes with the required load-bearing capacity.
- Heavy-Duty Stands — On the other hand, heavy-duty engine stands are used in operating bigger engines like the 5.0L V8 from a Ford Mustang GT weighing 453 lbs. Heavy-duty stands are much more sturdy and can easily deal with this kind of high load.
Structure-Wise
- ree-Post Stands — This is a compact-sized engine stand that features a tripod-like design resting on three stands. These types of stands come with caster wheels for movement and an adjustable mounting head.
- Four-Post Stands — The most popular choice among gearheads and mechanics is the Four-post engine stand. This engine stand offers four sturdy legs that provide a stable and evenly distributed foundation. These types of stands generally come with adjustable mounting arms and brackets.
On what basis should you choose an Engine Stand?
There are some factors that you should look at before buying an engine stand -
Engine crane compatibility — Before you even select an engine stand for buying make sure to go through and inspect it as if the chosen stand is even compatible with your engine crane. You should look at the spacing between the legs where the stand and the crane need to interlock.
Weight Capacity — If you mostly work with bigger engines like V8s that weigh from 400 to 700 lbs, make sure the engine stand you are planning to buy can withstand the applied load and can operate without any hiccups.
Durability — Please research and fixate only those engine stands that are built with high-quality materials and can bear the sheer and tear in harsh conditions.
Additional Features — It is always useful to look for engine stands with multiple features such as height-adjustable heads, multipurpose mounting arms, and brackets, added dripping tray at the bottom, etc.
Conclusion
Doesn’t matter if you are a common car guy or a professional mechanic, working with an engine stand always makes your work easy and efficient. However, choosing an engine stand varies on the workload and complexity of it. Thus, doing a little bit of research beforehand is always suggested.
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