Low cost engine dolly

Topics about the engine, transmission, transfer, axles, or wheels/brakes of Chevy 1 1/2 ton trucks.

Low cost engine dolly

Postby pfarber » Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:47 pm

I got the plans for a wooden engine dolly off the net:

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/engine_dolly.html

I bought enough materials to make two (I have 3 chevys and two working motors to deal with)

Hardware:
Screws TSC $5
Casters Harbor Freight $15
Wood Lowes $24 (I chose pressure treated lumber as its cheaper) 1 4x4x8 2 4x6x8

So the total for two engine dollys was a grand total $45

The only thing I changed from the plans was the 3 1/2 inch cut for the side support. My table was only raised the blade to 3 1/4 inches. It made no effect in the final dolly.

szP9100162.jpg

Wood cut to length.

szP9100163.jpg

Notch gang cut on vertical supports

szP9100164.jpg

This was the 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 notch that I cut to 3 1/4 x 3 1/4

szP9100165.jpg

Screwed together with 4 swivel casters

szP9100166.jpg

Engine in sling, dolly in place

szP9100167.jpg

Then end result.

Its a good fit... the casters make moving it easy on concrete... its pretty stable.

Not bad for $25 in parts.

I did cut the other dolly's wood but did not assemble it not knowing if I would need to make and changes.

I am going to modify it as needed for the massive 270 from my CCKW.
I got a Mountain Cur and a ~~pitbull~~ big loveable cuddle puppy
RIP Kimber 5/26/2022
RIP Yeager 1/3/2019
RIP TJ 3/25/2014
RIP Sugar Bear 8/29/2014
RIP Shilo 4/10/2015
RIP Yuki 2/19/2017
User avatar
pfarber
Motor Sergeant
 
Posts: 2839
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 2:45 am
Location: The Internet

Re: Low cost engine dolly

Postby pfarber » Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:53 pm

I used 1/4 inch screws (1/4 x 3 and 1/4 x 1 1/2) for the 3 inch screws you must predrill... a lot of the screws are very close to the edges and you will crack the wood of you try to just screw them in.

I did not predrill the 1/4 x 1 1/2 screws for the casters
I got a Mountain Cur and a ~~pitbull~~ big loveable cuddle puppy
RIP Kimber 5/26/2022
RIP Yeager 1/3/2019
RIP TJ 3/25/2014
RIP Sugar Bear 8/29/2014
RIP Shilo 4/10/2015
RIP Yuki 2/19/2017
User avatar
pfarber
Motor Sergeant
 
Posts: 2839
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 2:45 am
Location: The Internet

Re: Low cost engine dolly

Postby retro-roco » Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:05 pm

Paul,

I've also built an engine dolly using that same plan. It works great. I also built a cab dolly, again using plans from Stovebolt. I seem to remember modifying the plan a little, to beef it up. The first cab dolly I built was destroyed being towed onto the trailer when my truck was being loaded for the trip to Illinois.
retro-roco
Motor Sergeant
 
Posts: 277
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:30 am


Return to Engine/Drivetrain

cron