SAFEST/EASIEST way to lift a LSx engine/trans combo? pictures inside
 

im doing my first engine swap and was wondering what would be the best way to lift in my engine/transmission together? --- i made this little bracket to lift the engine/stand out of my truck. would think be ok/handle the weight of a 4l80e along side the lq4

its basically just a steel plate with 3 holes drilled in to it - one for the chain two for the head bolts

https://ls1tech.com/forums/attachmen...1&d=1314600631

what its going in:

https://ls1tech.com/forums/attachmen...1&d=1314600945


thanks guys

I guess everyone has their own methods..I've used Chains & Load Balancers and it's worked..lately I've been using my 25ft Tow Strap..looping it under the Balancer and Oil Pan..its worked very well.

thank you -- do you think the heads will hold the weight of both the engine/trans? or should i use a tow strap under the balancer (or headers maybe?) for added support

mate the heads will hold the weight no worries. i lifted a mates cast iron block motor out the other day with a chain and two bolts in the intake side of the heads no probs

Bolting to the heads isn't a worry. It's common to lift LS motors with a plate bolted to the intake bolts, so your solution is even stronger than that.

That flat bar extension you built looks strong enough to support the weight, but will bend into the intake depending on how you attach them to the lift. Especially if you tilt the motor at all.

I would shorten up the bars and hook the chains closer to the heads. You will then needs some sort of tilt mechanism to keep the chains away from the intake. If you can't do that you may need to pull the intake.

Back in the old days they would lift a Chevy engine with one of those carb plates bolted to the intake manifold. Never tried this as it didn't seem safe.

I used a similar method when I installed my engine/tranny combination without a glitch. If you look back through my thread I had this combo in and out several times using the same straps. I did use a leveler as it makes the job 10X easier. A $40 leveler from Harbor Freight will more than pay for itself. I used one bolt in each head. You figure the engine weighs in around 450lbs and the tranny is prolly a good 150lbs. thats 600lbs split four ways, each strap is only holding 150lbs. I weigh 185lbs and before I decided to use this method I bolted one of the straps to my garage door frame and hung from it and it was solid.

There is a plate that bolts to where the Valley Cover goes..I made one here too one time. You have to pull the Intake to use it, and in a F-body that is a pain in the dick on it's own..lol

I have the plate which bolts to the valley cover, but didn't use it. Instead, like tsnow, I just used chains attached to 4 bolts which were screwed into the heads. We also used a load leveler.
Make sure you use at least grade 8 bolts.
You could look at it this way...the LS motor with accessories even at 500lbs max ..divided by 4 = 125lbs. Not a big deal for a graded bolt to handle and easily handled by the heads.

load leveler, grade 8 bolts, infinitely adjustable to any motor or vehicle.

Why didn't it seem safe? People still lift motors this way...my neighbor just pulled the 460 big block out of his jet boat like this and it's WAY heavier than an LS motor.

thanks guys!!! you guys are life savers! -- i will defiantly lower the chain location on the bars and go pick up a leveler from harbor freight(local)