I have an F250 with a 390 which is under 700 lbs. Just curious about pickers and stands I should shoot for or stay away from. At Autozone there's a brand new Duralast engine hoist for $300 and stand for $70. I'm not familiar with brands. Is there a better brand I should go for or do you pay for the name brand?

 

While they are the same cheap chinese one I have from a different manufacturer. They barely foot the bill for a big block. So if you do get them take your time, and don't force them too much.

If you can afford the HD versions I would get them for safetys sake.

 

what do you mean by HD version? I don't know brands. I don't want to go cheap on this. It's something I want to keep for a long time

 

Shop around, you will want the heavy duty(HD) if you can get a good deal. Check local Craigslist for stuff, if its got the original stickers check the weight capacity, I've had pretty good luck with the AC delco stuff that orielly auto parts carries if you have them there.

 

HF has the nice hd stand on sale right now. I have rebuilt a few 390's on the 700 lb stands they are fine just don't try to rotate the engine or the whole thing will flip!! DONE IT!!!!! Harbor Freight Tools

 

I recommend against a three-point stand (tricycle) as they are inherently unstable. Get one with four wheels with a wide stance as illustrated by Jeg's PN 555-80041. However, it doesn't have a geared rotating mechanism like PN 555-80059. I'd probably get the latter and modify the front "axle" to be at least as wide as the rear.

When rotating without the gear box, go slow or else the block's momentum will flip it over and land on soft body parts... keep your fingers clear of pinch points too.

 

definitely watch the cheap engine stands. you wand one with a mounting plate at least 3/8 inch thick, 1/2 inch preferred.
the thinner plates like the 1/4 and 3/8 mount will bend with the weight of a large V-8 engine.
i had borrowed a cheaper stand once and the plate bent so bad that a 400 ford had the lower pulley sitting on the floor after sitting on the stand overnight.
as for the hoist, go with a full sized one. the folding ones are not that good.
i have an old 12,000 lb unit with a 8,000 lb air over hydraulic ram on it i picked up at harbor freight.

 

Get a good engine stand, and make sure it's properly put together. Loctite is my friend.

 

I am in total agreement with HIO Silver. Get the four wheel stand, it's much more stable than a three wheel stand could ever be. I don't know why I waited so long to convert mine from three wheel to four wheel. The stability and peace of mind of a four wheel stand are worth it.

 

I bought A stand from my MATCO dealer. It has a 4 wheel stance and has a gearcase on the mounting pad. It makes turning the motor over easy plus it will stop anywhere you want it. I don't remember what I paid but it was well worth the extra money.