> Saw a Pep Boys ad in this morning's paper for a 2-ton engine
> hoist. Folds up
> for storage (hopefully, it folds up only when you WANT it to!). Made by
> Torin (which I've never heard of). $120. They say if it seems too
> good to be
> true, it probably is.and that sounds like an awfully good price. By way of
> comparison, Harbor Freight has 2-ton Central Hydraulic units at
> about $200.
I have the unit from HF (bought on sale for $150 as I recall) and there are
a couple of things I like better about it :
1) both the boom and the legs are adjustable for length, which can be handy
if your garage is tight or you occasionally need to reach a long way to pick
something up or lift it extra high. The load capacity does go down as you
extend the boom, ISTR it's only 500 pounds at full extension, but that's
still enough to pick up an engine and transmission.
2) By removing 4 bolts, it breaks down into 3 large pieces that store in a
smaller space than the folding unit does. I added a small length of chain
to strap the cylinder to the upright when in this mode (but you could make
it 4 pieces by removing one more bolt if you wanted).
3) The pieces are also light enough that I can lift them into my van, which
makes it easier to move to a different site (or go drag home something
heavy, like the $50 TR3 engine & trans I got on eBay).
Quality-wise I'd say they're about the same ... cheap junk but functional if
you don't mind a certain casualness about fit & finish. I believe the price
difference is primarily because HF never sells at a loss, while Pep Boys
does run "loss leaders" from time to time.
Randall
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