Engine stand question

[LTGTR]

I want to build a revolving engine stand. That is a stand that has a pivot point at the front and another at the rear so the motor can be revolved 360 degrees to work on the top or bottom.
My question is: when you seperate the 2 halves of the crankcase do you have the motor in its normal upright position and thus remove the top half of the crankcase upwards away from from the bottom OR do you have the motor upside down and remove the bottom half upwards away from the top half.
The reason I ask is because if my pivoting stand attaches to the top mounts (at the front and back) then its impossible to lift the top half of the crankcase away from the bottom half. If this is the correct way to do it, then my pivotting stand needs to attach to the two bottom mounts.
I have seen pictures of pivotting stands and they seem to attach to the top mounts.
I am getting prepared to rebuild a motor and I dont understand that when you split the crankcases that the trans and crank remain/rest/sit in the top or bottom part.
Sorry to be so long winded - hoping you guys can help.
Regards Ray.

 

[rsor]

I just used this vehicle engine stand that I found at a good deal, made up an adapter to attach to the back two XS motor mounts, and a couple of different sized, just in case legs. One for up right and one for upside down. You can turn it 360* and work on it in any position that you want to.

 

[Paul Sutton]

rsor, good recycling there!

If you wanted to work on the gearbox without tearing down the top end, can you just use the top rear motor mount with the engine upside down so the bottom half of the crankcase can be removed? Would you also have to use a leg attached to the front mount just incase one rear mount by itself is not strong enough?

Thank you for your views.

 

[rsor]

I just roll it over and go at it.

When it's rolled 180* the leg does not fit anymore, so I have a second one.

It's merely a safety thing, seems to sit pretty good even without the leg on it.

Here's a picture of before I added a connection to the lower rear mount.

Lot's of room to work on anything, and I have used it in all positions.

 

[Paul Sutton]

rsor, thanks for that, very spacious too!

 

[5twins]

These motors are split sitting upside down. The crank and gears remain sitting in the upper half of the case and you remove the lower half. So, the stand needs to connect to the upper half mounts. On mine, this actually facilitates getting the motor attached to the revolving stand. I start out with the motor on one of those normal upright angle iron stands, sitting on my Blackjack 1000 .....

Then the motor can be raised up and connected to the revolving stand .....

Jack and normal stand removed .....

And finally, engine flipped .....

 

[Paul Sutton]

Thank you 5twins, I have spent considerable time today trying to find a photo of this style engine stand. I recall seeing another similar setup in a posting from 2010 - 2012 but have yet to find that either. Anyway, nice to know I didn't imagine it all.

 

[5twins]

Eventually it dawned on me that if I had one of these split open and found I needed to replace some parts, I might have to open another up to get them. I didn't want to have to build another large and complicated revolving stand so I came up with this simpler separate add-on stand I call the "flipper" .....

With the motor sitting on one of those normal little angle iron stands, you simply add this one to the top .....

Then, getting it upside down is as easy as one .....

..... two .....

..... three .....

We're dealing with like a 150 lb. hulk here. Just moving it around can be a chore, let alone trying to turn it upside down. This makes it easy.

Then I had another idea to use this for splitting the cases apart. This can be difficult because even after all the fasteners are removed, the cases are still "glued" together with gasket sealer. So, I'm going to make up a plate or length of angle iron I can attach to the angle iron stand on top (yellow line), then place a bottle jack at the front (red arrow) and use the power of hydraulics to push the cases apart .....

 

[CalsXS2]

This may not be for you since you want to build. But I can't weld and would have to pay someone. So this is the route I took.

 

[LTGTR]

rsor, paul sutton, 5twins, calsXS2 - thank you for your ideas. I havent settled on a design yet but it will borrow ideas from youre replies.
I am being greedy because the features of my stand will include:
Rotisserie - for working on all sides of the motor and splitting the crankcase.
Strong and a large footprint - so I can put it in my trailer if I have to take my motor to a friend/expert to help me with somthing.
Strong with 3 attachments i.e front, back and bottom - so I can bench run the motor after I have rebuilt it. Of course the bottom attachment will be an add on or extra for when I start the motor on the stand. (the bottom support will stop it being a rotisserie.
Question please - will the 3 attachments be suitable support for starting/running the motor.
Once again - thanks very much fpr your replies. I wouldnt even be starting this project if I didnt have this resource.
Regards Ray.

 

[Jim]

Question please - will the 3 attachments be suitable support for starting/running the motor.

More than enough. My run stand just uses the bottom and front mount.... just the two.

 

[kshansen]

More than enough. My run stand just uses the bottom and front mount.... just the two.

How much does it shake when running?

 

[Jim]

How much does it shake when running?

Like an XS650.

 

[Leslie]

I knocked a basic stand up at work.

 

[5twins]

Boy, for a basic stand, that's pretty fancy, lol, but very nicely done. One suggestion I'll make - cut the angled legs next to the holes down lower, it makes sticking the bolts or pins in and out easier. I've modded all the ones I already built, and all new ones are made like this .....

And as you can see, I make two different versions. The one on the left with the extended front and back angles is what I call my "traveler". It's more stable and less prone to tipping when transporting a motor in the back of a pickup or in a van. Also, I don't use bolts anymore. Instead, I make pins from 3/8" rod. One end gets a little clip angle welded to it, the other is tapered on the end and drilled for a hitch pin style cotter pin .....

A little paint and a short length of paracord, and it's a done deal .....

 

[Leslie]

Like an XS650.

she doesn't really shake more than my last XS, and she runs beautifully, I did over 150 miles in 1 day a couple of weeks back, Scarborough and back including Fish & Chips on the sea front LUVELY mmmmm, cruised on the A1 at around 70/80 mph for over 1 hour each way.

 

[Leslie]

Boy, for a basic stand, that's pretty fancy, lol, but very nicely done. One suggestion I'll make - cut the angled legs next to the holes down lower, it makes sticking the bolts or pins in and out easier. I've modded all the ones I already built, and all new ones are made like this .....

View attachment 224445

View attachment 224446

And as you can see, I make two different versions. The one on the left with the extended front and back angles is what I call my "traveler". It's more stable and less prone to tipping when transporting a motor in the back of a pickup or in a van. Also, I don't use bolts anymore. Instead, I make pins from 3/8" rod. One end gets a little clip angle welded to it, the other is tapered on the end and drilled for a hitch pin style cotter pin .....

View attachment 224447

View attachment 224448

A little paint and a short length of paracord, and it's a done de

Boy, for a basic stand, that's pretty fancy, lol, but very nicely done. One suggestion I'll make - cut the angled legs next to the holes down lower, it makes sticking the bolts or pins in and out easier. I've modded all the ones I already built, and all new ones are made like this .....

View attachment 224445

View attachment 224446

And as you can see, I make two different versions. The one on the left with the extended front and back angles is what I call my "traveler". It's more stable and less prone to tipping when transporting a motor in the back of a pickup or in a van. Also, I don't use bolts anymore. Instead, I make pins from 3/8" rod. One end gets a little clip angle welded to it, the other is tapered on the end and drilled for a hitch pin style cotter pin .....

View attachment 224447

View attachment 224448

A little paint and a short length of paracord, and it's a done deal .....

View attachment 224449

View attachment 224450

View attachment 224451

5 thank you, I have worked for an engineering firm for over 30 years, I used to be on the shop floor, but I moved into management several years ago, so I cut the stand from 304 stainless steel 30mm x 30mm, I dont weld anymore so I asked the Lads in the welding bay and they did a luvely job, even cleaned the welds up. I will let the lads know you have complimented them

 

[5twins]

Wow, stainless? That really is fancy, lol.

 

[Bjorn]

I don't think I ever posted this, but this one rotates and by taking the lower bracket of you can split the case.

 

[2XSive]

Nothing fancy but here's my homemade rotisserie stand fashioned from a garage sale dolly.
Need to paint it still, but it also works to split the cases. I attach the traditional engine stand to the bottom case half, flip it upside down, then use a hydraulic jack on one end. Split several cases and works like a charm. Easily roll the engine around on that cart makes it convenient in the garage, and is stable.