Engine Repair Guide: Using The Proper Hoist

There comes a point in any car’s customization where you need to decide whether you are going all in on a DIY approach or trusting a professional for the heavy lifting. If you do decide to go in there and do your own work, you will need a hoist, and buying the right engine lift involves the process of evaluating both your needs and your budget alongside the space you have to work in.
Hoist Types by Mechanism
The simplest and usually least expensive hoist design is the manual chain hoist. It is basically a mechanically assisted version of a rope and pulley hoist design that has been common for hundreds of years, but with a few upgrades to make it safer and easier to use. Manual chain hoists usually need to be anchored to a ceiling or wall, but they make it possible to lift your engine block with relative ease so you can take on upgrades like a new camshaft kit in your home workshop.
Hydraulic hoists are the ones you see most commonly in professional repair shops. They have higher capacity limits than manual hoists if you are looking to lift a heavy load regularly, and they are usually mounted on the ground, so you do not need to hang them. Most hydraulic hoist designs for home workshops can be folded up to minimize their spatial footprints when you aren’t using them.
The third option, electric chain and cable hoists, are built much like the manual chain hoist, but with an electric motor that does the lifting. This allows them to be operated remotely. Their maximum lifting capacity is similar to hydraulic designs, but the electric engine often lifts objects under five tons faster than a hydraulic system can.
Hoist Capacities and Automotive Engines
You probably won’t need a 30-ton lift in a home workshop, which is good because the highest-capacity hoists are also the most expensive within a design category. The best way to find one that works for your budget and your needs would be to look at some of the same places you trust for drag radials and other upgrades to find common choices, then fine-tune your pick according to their rated capacities and other features.
For portable hoists, mobile rollers are an important feature because they let you move the lifted engine to a position where access is easiest and they can be completely removed from the work area when you are doing a project that doesn’t need them, providing you with more room when you need to lift the entire vehicle.
Find the Right Hoist for Your Home Garage
The next step is to start looking. When you understand your budget and your available options, the rest really does come down to how much you need to lift and what you want to do with it when you are not using the hoist. Those two things make the decision clear for most people, so check out your workspace and then pick out your engine hoist today.