Do-it-yourself hydraulic crane for engine removal: instructions and drawings

When you need to lift or move something very heavy and bulky from one place to another, and even alone, you can’t do without an auxiliary device.

In certain cases, a manual mechanical or electric winch can come to the rescue. But we recommend making a mini faucet with your own hands.

It can be used for a variety of tasks: to lift a car engine or to move some large piece of driftwood to a suitable place.

The design is suitable for garages and construction sites, and is also suitable for simply lifting heavy objects. Let's consider a homemade mini crane in 3 versions, with different lifting drives.

Assembling a goose tap with your own hands is not at all difficult. All the necessary drawings with dimensions can be easily found on the Internet.

The main thing to remember is that the garage crane must be reliable (made of metal), stable and have sufficient load capacity.

Structurally, a homemade crane consists of three main elements:

a support (usually with wheels so that you can move it freely around the garage);
vertical stand with a drive mechanism (jack, mechanical or electric winch, etc.);
retractable telescopic boom.

Below you can see three different lift options.

Design features and operating principle

The hydraulic valve is made of durable metal and has a stable design. The main principle of the mechanism structure: stable support with low dead weight. This helps you lift loads of up to three tons with ease, but a maximum of two meters above the ground.

Garage crane is used for:

removing the engine;
lifting beams, bridges;
movement of dimensional units.

The crane contains a hydraulic drive and operates through a system of communicating vessels. The method allows you to make the rise smooth.

Stationary

The stationary crane is installed in large car repair shops and is securely attached to a monolithic foundation. The mechanism has a boom with a rotating system and is equipped with a manual drive. Allows you to work on only one vehicle at a time.

It is important to calculate the installation location in advance, since it will not be possible to dismantle the structure without loss.

An integral advantage of a stationary crane is its large lifting capacity. It is provided by a monolithic support, which creates rigidity of the system.

Portable

The hydraulic rolling crane has wheels on its base. The support is provided by the lower metal beams, which results in loss of load capacity readings. It is better to choose a faucet with a massive triangular support. By design they are divided:

on cast solid supports with limited boom reach, but good load capacity;
telescopic or folding - they have an increased boom reach, but reduce the load capacity by several times.

Important! Folding units need to strictly follow the instructions for lifting the permitted load. The arrow cannot withstand and, if the permitted standards are not observed, it breaks off.

Machine structure

The operating principle of a crane is based on the physics of simple mechanisms. The simplest version of the crane is a stick placed on a fulcrum in such a way that the free ends have different lengths. Now if you hang a load on a short lever, it will take less effort to lift it. The most common design is one that uses, in addition to levers, a system of blocks.

A do-it-yourself crane is an indisputable assistant in small-scale construction. When constructing a private house, the use of bulky industrial cranes is not required. The height of the houses rarely exceeds 2 floors, and the weight of the lifted load is 200 kilograms.

Crane diagram

Although there are many variations of lifting mechanisms, a classic crane consists of the following parts:

An arrow with a block attached to its end. Depending on its length, the height to which the load can be lifted is determined.
Platform. The boom and counterweight are attached to it. It is the main part of the crane and is subject to significant loads. Therefore, when manufacturing a platform, it is important to pay special attention to its strength.
Counterweight. Serves for crane stability. Defines the maximum load weight that the crane can lift. Stackable counterweight options are available to provide maximum stability.
A guy wire connecting the boom and the counterweight. Allows you to adjust the tilt of the boom and move the load in both vertical and horizontal planes.
Winch with cable. It is the lifting mechanism itself. The power of the winch determines how much weight the crane can lift.
Stand with a rotating mechanism. It is necessary to turn the crane to the sides.
The support cross, which is the base of the crane. Sets the stability of the entire structure. When manufacturing it, you should also pay attention to its strength.

Main types of equipment

The average garage has a reduced square footage and requires careful selection of equipment. Before installation, it is recommended to carefully study the need for individual mechanisms, their types, pros and cons. A hydraulic valve is determined by two criteria.

By type of drive

There are also two subtypes of hydraulic drive:

automated design with hydraulic cylinders;
combined, with hydraulic cylinders and manual winches.

A significant drawback of the first is oil cylinders. They need frequent regular replacement, so this design is considered extremely unprofitable for constant use. The combined system will last longer. However, some of the work with winches will have to be taken on by mechanics.

According to the design of the support

Hydraulic cranes are divided into mobile and stationary, they can be folding and prefabricated cast (goose). For ordinary garages, it is more rational to choose a mobile structure with folding parts.

terms of Use

To operate lifting mechanisms safely, certain rules must be followed.

Homemade Pioneer crane

These rules apply to any lifting device:

The load capacity must not be exceeded. A load that is too heavy may damage the device.
The base must be stable. Homemade lifting devices should be located on a previously prepared hard horizontal surface.
In bad weather conditions, you should also refrain from working with the crane. Strong winds will throw the crane off balance, and poor visibility may make it difficult to see people under the boom.
Before operating a crane or lifting device, it is necessary to conduct an external inspection to identify any malfunctions. If malfunctions are detected, operation of the crane is prohibited.
It should be remembered that when working with the lift, you should not make sudden movements. The load must be lifted smoothly. And most importantly, do not stand under any lifted load.

DIY crane assembly technology

If you have certain skills, assembling the mechanism yourself will not be difficult. To do this, it is important to draw up a preliminary design drawing, choose materials wisely and strictly follow the assembly instructions.

Schemes and drawings

Below are sample drawings of a hydraulic crane. You need to make accurate calculations yourself, based on the parameters of a particular garage.

Material selection

To build a garage lift yourself, it is recommended to first purchase all the required materials:

3 steel corners with parameters 7.5x7.5x0.8 centimeters.
“Worm” gearbox, the minimum load capacity of which starts from 300 kilograms, and the additional indicator is 60 kilograms.
A strong steel plate one centimeter thick. If you have an old metal cutting machine, you can take it from it; you won’t need outside help for this.
About 10 matching bolts.
2 dense metal chains with a diameter of two to three centimeters. The crane is designed to work with very heavy materials - you should carefully monitor the quality of the metal.
Hook.
Steel cable with a diameter of 5 millimeters.
2 keys with different parameters in the shape of an asterisk.

Step-by-step construction instructions

The process of assembling and installing a homemade garage crane does not look complicated:

steel corners must be installed on parallel walls;
fasten the steel plate to them using M8 bolts;
fix the “worm” gearbox on the plate;
install a larger key on the drive shaft;
drill a hole in a pre-designated place, insert a chain into it and close it into a ring;
fix a smaller key on the output shaft of the gearbox;
drill 2 more holes in the plate;
pass the second chain through the holes, where one end is on a small key, and a hook is installed on the second.

Installing a faucet yourself has a number of important advantages. For example, the cost of a homemade mechanism is almost two times lower than a purchased one.

Preparation for design

So, after I customized the drawing I found on the Internet, I began to prepare the tools: grinder, wrenches, drill. I didn’t have a welding machine, so I had to beg my neighbor for one. After these steps, I began to prepare materials. I needed:

6 casters (2 swivel, 2 regular, 2 with brake);
hook and chain;
rectangular pipe 80x80 (approximately 7 meters);
3 round pipes (2 750 mm long and 89 mm in diameter, and 1 – 950 with 76);
jack (ideal option - five-ton);
4 steel plates (thickness – 8 mm).

Garage hoist: drive manufacturing

You can make a hoist for lifting loads yourself. It is based on a brake lever that used to be on a truck. In a car, such a lever helps to supply the pads and reduce the gap between them.

To make a hoist with your own hands, you need to have skills in electric welding and turning.

The expansion knuckle shaft is cut to the required size using a lathe. The shaft is equipped with two washers. The entire structure is called a winding drum. One washer is equipped with a ring on the inside so that it does not interfere with the free passage of the cable.

How to make a drive:

The worm gear has the shape of a hexagon. A socket head should be installed on its protruding end.
The socket head is secured with a thread secured with a bolt and washer.
The head is equipped with a handle that will rotate the drum.

Before manufacturing the lift, it is necessary to prepare drawings. The finished device can be used to lift and lower a centrifugal pump and other types of loads. As an alternative to this type of crane, you can make a hydraulic “Goose” crane.

To lift the engine and body in the garage, you will need a special mechanism. They are expensive, so you can save money by making them yourself. To do this, you must first familiarize yourself with the types of lifting mechanisms and their functionality. After choosing the type of mechanism, you need to start drawing up drawings and an assembly plan for the structure. For self-production, it is better to have turning skills and skills in assembling mechanisms.

Homemade lift and mini-crane: inexpensive and effective

Building a house alone is possible, but difficult. Especially if you have to lay stone walls, lift bricks to the second floor, or “throw” sand and bags of cement onto the ceiling. So as not to overstrain yourself. To save on ordering a crane and, in general, to simplify your task, many FORUMHOUSE users make mini-cranes and hoists. In this article we will talk about two successful designs.

Automatic lifting and unloading mechanism for bulk materials
Homemade crane based on an electric hoist for lifting aerated concrete

Complex block system how to calculate power gain

If the system is designed in such a way that one simple pulley pulls another simple pulley, then this is already a complex system of blocks. To theoretically calculate the gain in strength, it is necessary to conditionally divide a complex chain hoist into simple ones and multiply the values of the gain from simple chain hoists.

For example, if the system consists of 4 blocks, and the first conditional simple pulley has a gain of 3. It pulls the second simple two-block pulley, also with a gain of 3. The total force that will need to be applied will be 9 times less. It is the 4-block complex chain hoist that is most often used by rescuers.

What characteristics should a garage lift have?

In garage conditions, two types of lifting mechanisms are used. The first type includes a lift that can lift the entire car, and the second type includes a goose-type lift that allows you to move loads around the garage.

Lifts of the first type are stationary devices and the main requirement for them is stability. The car weighs more than a ton and should not have the slightest chance of falling. In order to prevent any accidents, the garage lift must have a reliable stopper.

Homemade goose tap

The goose type lifts are most often used in auto repair shops. It is quite simple to make it from a profile pipe or channel. First, the base is welded on which the rotating mechanism needs to be installed. It is best to make an arrow with an adjustable reach. This will make it possible to move weights in any direction.

Advantages

Among the advantages of a hydraulic crane installation are the following:

Easy adaptability and ease of control. Such equipment does not require special skills. It facilitates repairs and maintenance work on automobile and truck components.
Minimum amount of inertia and high level of smoothness of the operations performed.
During operations with a load, the object being lifted is clearly fixed, which ensures its integrity and safety.
Autonomy of work. For the operation of garage crane equipment, no additional power source is required.
Compactness. This allows you to store and use the equipment in a small room. Also, due to its small size, the device can be rolled under any vehicle.
Reliability of the design. The unit is made of durable metal alloy, the body is reinforced with special welded elements and seams, which increases its service life.
Due to the fact that the running mechanism is securely attached to the base of the crane, during movement the equipment does not damage the underlying surface and does not emit unnecessary noise.
High level of load capacity.
Good level of extension of the working body.
The design of the crane installation provides a high level of protection against angular loads, reducing the likelihood of the crane overturning.
Low cost of equipment and spare parts.