Engine support bar - so near yet so far

[JOEPRO]

Having Merc S classes can cause problems. One of these is that they are big pitches so certain things don't fit.

£47 engine bar from scamazon free delivery. Very surprised with the quality of it. Heavy duty, probably weighs 25 - 30kg.

See if you can spot the problem:



(Not wide enough and this is not a wide S class) W140s are wider. Indeed so wide that when they first came out they had to widen the trians in Germany so they would fit.

Anyway, I wanted a 500kg one and suspected this would be the case so I have a plan B.

Bandsaw off box ends and carefully weld in 4 inch extensions to both ends. Re weld the end plate. Sand back and repaint the lot in gloss black or similar machinery enamel.



I don't like red powdercoat stuff as it ends up fading to Barbie pink.

Just so happens I have the perfect size box section lying in the "don't throw it out pile" 60 x 30 box.

 

[Turbo]

You only need to extend 1 end by 8", the hooks can slide along the bar can't they.

 

[JOEPRO]

You only need to extend 1 end by 8", the hooks can slide along the bar can't they.

Yes could extend one side only. However there are mid span evenly spaced "support blocks" welded in. Which would mean the hook spacing would become offset around these if extending only one side. That wouldn't sit well with me hence I'll cut both sides, extend and re weld on the plates and have it all even as intended.

Won't be too much work and will cost almost nothing. I'll try to get to it this Saturday. I have some blue paint already so it may become blue!

 

[Turbo]

That wouldn't sit well with me

Ocd's a pain in the butt, isn’t it!

 

[indykid]

Have you considered just bolting the extensions under the original bar? You wouldn't need to modify the original at all then.

The bending moment at the ends is minimal so wouldn't need to be as big or deep section as the centre.

 

[Jaeger_S2k]

OK, can I be stupid here?
What does it do and how, and what do you do that for?

 

[owas]

Free

 

[JOEPRO]

OK, can I be stupid here?
What does it do and how, and what do you do that for?

For example on my S320 pictured in post #1 I need to remove the transmission in the coming weeks for a rebuild.

When the trans is coming out the engine willl try to rotate / tip and could damage a radiator / wiring harness etc.

Attach this and support engine during transmission removal. Then with the transmission out of the way I can safely prop the engine from below and remove the support until the transmission is ready to go back in again.

 

[Jaeger_S2k]

For example on my S320 pictured in post #1 I need to remove the transmission in the coming weeks for a rebuild.

When the trans is coming out the engine willl try to rotate / tip and could damage a radiator / wiring harness etc.

Attach this and support engine during transmission removal. Then with the transmission out of the way I can safely prop the engine from below and remove the support until the transmission is ready to go back in again.

Is the support taken from the channels, either side of the bay.
I see the right one doesn't reach.
I'm guessing this doesn't take the weight of the engine but is more of a balancer stopping it tilting back or forward because of the lack of gearbox weight?

 

[Matchless]

I used an engine cradle to support the weight of the engine if I wanted to either raise it up to say remove the oil pan or so I could remove the front suspension cross member.

 

[JOEPRO]

I used an engine cradle to support the weight of the engine if I wanted to either raise it up to say remove the oil pan or so I could remove the front suspension cross member.

Yes that's one way to do it and I have an engine crane.

But big old crane box section legs under the car into your work space is less than ideal! Been there done that and cursed alot.

Hence why a support bar from above is a great tool to have.

 

[Matchless]

Yes that's one way to do it and I have an engine crane.

But big old crane box section legs under the car into your work space is less than ideal! Been there done that and cursed alot.

Hence why a support bar from above is a great tool to have.

Especially if the car is on a lift and you want to go up, and down, and up again!

 

[JOEPRO]

Is the support taken from the channels, either side of the bay.
I see the right one doesn't reach.
I'm guessing this doesn't take the weight of the engine but is more of a balancer stopping it tilting back or forward because of the lack of gearbox weight?

Yes needs to rest on the wing edge either side and this one is too short for a Mercedes S class hence I need to extend it.

Yes it's more of a support than anything else but at 500kg max it will be able to support the engine too if you had to drop a front subframe or similar.

 

[jmp49]

Especially if the car is on a lift and you want to go up, and down, and up again!

Hands up if you have supported something from underneath on the ramp then raised and lowered the ramp and forgot about it.
The flower on my oil drainer will never be the same again. I think I've hammered it back into rough shape 3 times now. Fortunately I think theyre designed to distort instead of wrecking the underside of the car...

I'm curious about the track thing because I never really thought about it until now & on Tuesday I'm picking up a SLK200 as a birthday present for wife & while I sincerely hope its not going to be yet another bloody project apart from some flaking lacquer and the dash plastic broke and the passenger seat refusing to go down that I know about but I know sooner or later it will need fettling in some way and its going to be a whole new world of learning.
Also was that a plasterboard moving dolly you are sacrificing for the extension?

 

[JOEPRO]

Also was that a plasterboard moving dolly you are sacrificing for the extension?

I bought this scissor lift a few years back good used from a local auto detailer.

He gave me the moving kit with it but then later I realised it was the wrong kit so no good for my lift. And besides that the lift is bolted down in my back garage floor so no need for one.

So it's completely surplus to requirements. I'll use the steel and keep the wheel for something else, you never know!

 

[Turbo]

Its amazing what you can move with one of those dollys. They used them in the factory to lift and move some very heavy production equipment.