Chrysler Sebring, Day 23

Finished the engine stand and got the engine up onto it. It was a little nerve racking, balancing the motor on top of the floor jack, while we pulled out the bricks and sticks that had been supporting it and then wrapped our newly constructed work stand around it and persuaded the supports to stand where we wanted them. They were a bit uncooperative.

It's up, and it's stable, but it's not what you would call rock solid. I suspect the whole mass of metal weighs upward of 500 pounds. The longer supports, the ones on either side of the engine, are taking the weight. The ones at either end are not doing much of anything. The supports can take the weight, and they are braced in one direction, but not in the other, which means the whole thing moves back and forth a bit. I am thinking a couple of horizontal cross bars connecting the vertical supports could make it solid. They would make it tougher to get down when we finish. It might be worthwhile to borrow a hoist for that part.

There are several big bolt holes in the bottom of the engine and transmission that would be great for attaching some kind of jack platform, except they are all at different levels and angles. Working underneath, trying to figure out the dimensions would be a real pain. Even figuring out the placement of the vertical supports for my stand did not work out precisely as I had hoped.