Cool.
Yah had heard of, and seen pics of, the sawhorse method but wondered about
simply using a single piece like that. I like the hand cranked hoist.

Part of the reason for my dolly was to make it easier to load in my Westy so
I can deliver the engine to a friend. And for moving it too. (driveway is on
an incline) I could have winched it up a ramp or muscled it onto the floor
jack to get it into the van, but this just seemed easier.

I'll be into trying an overhead mechanism when I install my future engine
conversion, so I appreciate the pics.

Thanks!

Neil.

On Nov 29, 2007 8:50 PM, Chris Lisica <wavanagon@gmail.com> wrote:

> Having worked w/ Zoltan, I can attest to his method indeed being 'fun'.
> Very
> easy, so easy in fact, that I made my own based off of his design. See the
> pics for yourself:
>
> http://wavanagon.googlepages.com/87westfaliaenginework
>
> It works great! I did the engine drop myself in a couple of hours.
>
> On Nov 29, 2007 8:11 PM, Zoltan Kuthy < zolo@foxinternet.net> wrote:
>
> > My method is simple and  cheap, easy and safe.  I have written about it
> a
> > couple of times.  I can't imagine any more simple and easier way.  I
> used
> > to
> > have a little dolly too, but I had to lift the car way too high that
> way.
> > Now, only lift one side of the car if I want to.  Much faster too.  And
> > the
> > main thing is, that I can be without the dreaded cherry picker.  Now, to
> > take an engine out or install, is fun.
> > Zoltan
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "neil N" < musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 6:30 PM
> > Subject: Re: Dolly for engine removal
> >
> >
> > >I should add that I used this setup for engine/transmission removal.
> > > Not sure if it would help when just taking out engine.
> > >
> > > Neil.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On 11/29/07, neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >>
> > >> Hi all.
> > >>
> > >> I'm sure this has been done before, but it might bear repeating.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> If you're a one man show, and have limited room to use floor jack to
> > >> scoot
> > >> the engine back once it's free, this may help. It also helps in that
> > you
> > >> can
> > >> move the engine around more easily. FWIW, I would have removed the
> > handle
> > >> from the jack, but this just seemed totally unsafe.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Basically you make a dolly that rolls under engine when van still on
> > >> ground, and has enough room between rails for floor jack to go
> > underneath
> > >> it.
> > >>
> > >> I made mine this way. Your jack may be different. YMMV! Also this
> > design
> > >> is not meant for a lot of use.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> With jack saddle seated, I measured height from floor to saddle. Mine
> > >> turned out to be ~ 6".
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Each rail of dolly:
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> 2 pieces of 2x4 and a 3/4" piece of plywood at roughly 17" long.
> Attach
> > 2
> > >> 125 lb rated plastic swivel wheels. (you may want something more
> > >> substantial
> > >> than plastic wheels. You may also want to add a cross member at rear
> to
> > >> ends
> > >> of rails.) The wheels I bought were ~ 2.5" from bottom of wheel to
> top
> > of
> > >> plate. Whatever you use for material, just make sure you make it so
> > jack
> > >> will slide out once dolly is on the ground.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Deck:
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> I think it was 18.5" x 15" but for sure is 3/4" plywood. I sized it
> to
> > >> support engine and IIRC, the carrier bar (aka load bar) but for sure
> > not
> > >> the
> > >> exhaust header. I positioned it on rails as such.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Here's how I used mine.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> With van still on the ground, I put dolly and jack under engine and
> > >> jacked
> > >> up dolly to support the engine. I supported the tranny, and removed
> the
> > >> mount and plate it attaches to from frame and tranny. I removed the
> > >> fasteners from the engine carrier, and lowered the engine/dolly to
> the
> > >> ground. Then I snuck the jack back to the tranny mount point on
> frame,
> > >> (there's room with other parts removed) jacked up the van, put some
> > jack
> > >> stands in there for safety, then I removed the bolts and nuts holding
> > >> engine
> > >> to tranny, wiggled the engine off the tranny, and with some
> fenaggling,
> > >> it
> > >> rolled out nicely!
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> I had removed some parts from the engine, so you may find there's not
> > >> enough lift on your jack to make this possible. Even so, you could
> add
> > >> wood
> > >> to your jack. As it was, I had to uh, persuade the sheet metal under
> > >> bumper
> > >> so the tower thingy (crankcase breather??) would clear. The body on
> > this
> > >> van
> > >> is scrap so I didn't care. Again, YMMV.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> The best part is I can roll the engine out to my other van, get the
> > jack
> > >> under the dolly again, and with any luck lift it up level with the
> van
> > >> and
> > >> slide it in!
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Heh heh.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> This design is not HD, but should suffice for limited use. I'd
> > recommend
> > >> using heftier rubber wheels and adding a cross member at rear to ends
> > of
> > >> 2x4.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> I'll post a pic tomorrow. It's too dark right now.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Cheers,
> > >>
> > >> Neil.
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >> Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia -
> > >> "Jaco"  (Bustorius) http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
> > >>
> > >> Engine swap beginings: http://musomuso.googlepages.com/home
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia -
> > > "Jaco"  (Bustorius) http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
> > >
> > > Engine swap beginings: http://musomuso.googlepages.com/home
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > No virus found in this incoming message.
> > > Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> > > Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.10/1159 - Release Date:
> > > 11/29/2007 11:10 AM
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Chris
> 88 Vanagon GL (daily driver)
> 87 Westfalia (in progress)
> http://wavanagon.googlepages.com/
>

--
Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia -
"Jaco"  (Bustorius) http://web.mac.com/tubaneil

Engine swap beginings: http://musomuso.googlepages.com/home