Safety Reminder!

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RustyRatRod

I was born on a Monday. Not last Monday.
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I've been dragging my feet doing this, but since Kitty was kind enough to help, I went ahead and did this tonight. I could have done it myself, but it's always "funner" when she assists me with things. I've been needing to do some needed maintenance on my engine hoist for a while, especially since I am using it right in the middle of my friend's Chevy truck work. After I got the little small block running GOOD, we noticed water leaking from between the engine and transmission. (insert eyeroll here) Sure enough, the guy he had build the engine several years ago used cheapass steel freeze plugs. Now this makes zero sense to me, since brass ones are the same price and lots of times cheaper. So out the engine and trans came last week and now we have some purdy brass freeze plugs and ready to go back in this coming week.

On to the engine hoist. I knew the bolts holding it together were loose, because I could feel the hoist sway with weight on it independent of the legs. Time to tighten things up. So we took the lift arm off and flipped it on its side. I removed all four adjuster bolts from the legs, cleaned them up good, put some high temp ceramic brake grease on them and reinstalled them. Same with the lift arm adjusting bolt. All of the structural bolts, I removed, cleaned and put blue locktite on and re-torqued. I also got my grease needle and greased all of the casters good. They really need replacing, but that'll have to wait until the budget is in better shape. I plan on replacing the casters and also get an air over hydraulic ram for it, to make using it even easier.

This is no weenie hoist. It's not the foldable type. It's the old HEAVY duty one. My friend, Robbie Armstrong (RIP) who died earlier this year gave it to me several years ago as he said it was "something he'd never use" and knew that I would. ......and I have used it a good bit. Now, it's solid as a ROCK and very steady and rolls much better, even though it does need new casters. I know Robbie would be glad I have "reconditioned" it and that I use it so much. It's been a big help. So remember, to check the fasteners on your shop equipment! Here's the beast.
IMG_20210926_032321.jpg
 
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I have an old HF picker similar to this. It's been outside for several years, so I'm following for safety's sake. Paul.
 
I have an old HF picker similar to this. It's been outside for several years, so I'm following for safety's sake. Paul.
This one was kept outside a long time before I got it. I kept it outside for a while, but have brought it in and will keep it in. If I need to, I'll break it down, even though it's not foldable. It doesn't take much to get it apart. I've already found some new heavy duty casters at Northern Tool, so I'll be getting those soon.
 
Great advise, also dont be stupid like i once was pulling an engine out of a Capri.
I used a small cheap chain that broke, the cherry Picker slammed back knocking me out cold.
 
I have the same hoist-it is a beast. Takes up some room but worth having around, for sure!
 
This one was kept outside a long time before I got it. I kept it outside for a while, but have brought it in and will keep it in. If I need to, I'll break it down, even though it's not foldable. It doesn't take much to get it apart. I've already found some new heavy duty casters at Northern Tool, so I'll be getting those soon.
My hoist has been outside since I bought it, probably 2003 or so its rusty and ugly but still works great iv used it alot on alot of different stuff. I need replace the pins in the legs it has the extendable legs and one of the pins got lost.
 
On to the engine hoist. I knew the bolts holding it together were loose, because I could feel the hoist sway with weight on it independent of the legs. Time to tighten things up. So we took the lift arm off and flipped it on its side. I removed all four adjuster bolts from the legs, cleaned them up good, put some high temp ceramic brake grease on them and reinstalled them. Same with the lift arm adjusting bolt. All of the structural bolts, I removed, cleaned and put blue locktite on and re-torqued. I also got my grease needle and greased all of the casters good. They really need replacing, but that'll have to wait until the budget is in better shape. I plan on replacing the casters and also get an air over hydraulic ram for it, to make using it even easier.

This is no weenie hoist. It's not the foldable type. It's the old HEAVY duty one. My friend, Robbie Armstrong (RIP) who died earlier this year gave it to me several years ago as he said it was "something he'd never use" and knew that I would. ......and I have used it a good bit. Now, it's solid as a ROCK and very stead and rolls much better, even though it does need new casters. I know Robbie would be glad I have "reconditioned" it and that I use it so much. It's been a big help. So remember, to check the fasteners on your shop equipment! Here's the beast.
View attachment 1715796339


Hoist.jpg
 
Is it me, or does the one hanging out of the tree already have a cast on his arm?
 
I have the same hoist in my garage. I use to take it apart also and lean it up against the back wall to get it out of the way. 1/2 of that thing weighs more than a HF fold up one does. Now I just leave it together and walk around it, its to heavy to take apart these days.
 
Great advise, also dont be stupid like i once was pulling an engine out of a Capri.
I used a small cheap chain that broke, the cherry Picker slammed back knocking me out cold.
I'll tell you what I did do when I was young and stupid. I think I was 19. I was working for a guy that had a medium/heavy duty truck repair business. I was pulling the engine out of a Ford F350 dually UHaul cube truck. Probably about the same year as my F250....about a 75. I was between the engine hoist and the front end of the truck. First dumbass mistake. I neglected to chock the wheels. Second dumbass mistake. The truck was in front of the shop bay which was concrete, but sloped gently into the parking lot. AS SOON AS I got the engine broken free of the manual transmission, the truck started rolling backaward, dragging the engine hoist closer and closer to the front of the truck, with ME in between. Robert, the guy working with me ran around and jammed on the brake pedal to stop the truck.....and I DID apply the parking brake.....they simply "DON'T HOLD" well going backwards. I couldda been a Rob sammich that day. To this day, you won't see me do "much" to one AT ALL without chocking the wheels.
 
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you guys DON'T wanna know some of the things I've done, some of the injuries Ive gotten over the years....
 
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