Okay, here's a difficult situation possibly, need some experiences of others.

I have a parts car parked on grass across the alley from my garage, on axle stands - no wheels. The alley is unpaved, and slopes towards the parts car and away from the garage - upwards slope towards garage. There is a ditch behind the 300sd parts car, so it can't go back any further - just barely fits in there.

I'd like to pull the engine, but I remember seeing that you are not supposed to move the shop crane once you have the engine up. You are supposed to roll the car back first. Again, no wheels, no room.

So how do I pull the engine from this car with the shop crane sitting on unpaved ground, on a slight downslope towards the car?

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

I have moved engines on cranes many times. The worst is a Ford 460 in an old F150; the engine is very heavy and must be raised very high. It's not mine, but I've helped remove and reinstall that engine three or four times so far.

The unpaved surface is your worst enemy. Perhaps you can lay down some lumber to support the hoist.

Put the engine crane on a sheet of 3/4 plywood and you can pull it away from the car with a come-along attached to another car or with rope and a Z drag system or just pull it back slowly with a car.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Dunl, I think I would build an inexpensive trackway using 2 x 10 treated lumber. Then once you have the engine out and high enough start bringing it back and across the alley. I would do this with a "come a Long" properly attached to a post, pole or the trailer hitch of a vehicle placed in the proper place. Move it slow and have a helper to keep it on its track. Move it slow and easy, with the engine quite low and you will do OK. Four lengths of lumber should do the job as you can bring them back up front after or as you advance.

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

Cut the radiator supports and what not!

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Ahh I've run into the gravel driveway pulling parts thing too many times. The advantage of having a ranch though, is that tractors (usually found on ranches) are indeed quite handy in a multitude of situations and purposes.

I think I've used it to lift more engines and drag around projects than I have for working around here...

Perhaps you could find a way to secure the lift in a truck bed with the boom hanging over the back and use a longer chain, or make a hand winch hoist out of pipe that would fit into a stake hole?

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Chris
64 190D R.I.P.
80 240D W/617 engine -for sale
82 240D -for sale

I'd move the car to an open area, and barrow my uncles John Deer back hoe. As for moving the parts car, you don't need wheels..I'd chain that SOB to the back hoe and drag it right out of their.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Cut the car away from the engine. Like peeling a banana.

I did this with a VW Golf, to get to the diesel engine, using a Dewalt cordless recip saw.

Small pieces will fit in the trash bin.

Moving the engine crane with the engine on a slope would worry me. I would look for a friend with a fork life or a tractor to pick it.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

When we moved our lathe into the basement (weighs as much as four or five 617s I'd bet) - we used the John Deere with a front end loader. We now own a Bobcat and might do it that way. We took the loader bucket off the loader and just used the framework of the loader (without any attachments). Chained it to that, lifted up, backed it very carefully off the truck, lowered it very carefully down towards the ground, and just eased the tractor into the basement.

If you know somebody with a front-end loader, just remove the bucket (so you have just a metal frame to attach to, chain it up, and move slowly.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

You might get away with laying down planks or plywood and using a winch come-along to drag it up the hill, but I'd use that as a last resort for fear of things turning over, getting crooked, falling apart... etc.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Use plywood and a come along only to go far enough to put the engine in the back of a pick up truck, move the truck then use the crane again to unload the truck and push the recipient car under the crane.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

So how about if you don't want to slice and dice the rad support? How do you get your engine out of a daily driver?

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

Daily driver with no wheels?

lift it high.