General Lifting Question - Lister(oids)

[veggie]

When lifting my engines around, I usually sling the bearing housings (and the cylinder to stop it from rotating).
It would be much easier if I could sling the flywheels and the cylinder.
Question:
Is it ok to gently lift lister(oid) engines by the flywheels?

veggie

[playdiesel]

  Our 24/2 had been lifted by the wheels in a similar manner as you suggest but I dont like it. We cut a piece of 1/4 x 3 and welded a pad eye to it then drilled it for two head bolts, takes all of two minutes to install or remove.

[veggie]

 Our 24/2 had been lifted by the wheels in a similar manner as you suggest but I dont like it. We cut a piece of 1/4 x 3 and welded a pad eye to it then drilled it for two head bolts, takes all of two minutes to install or remove.

Good idea.
This I can make.

Are two head bolts strong enough to hold the weight of a 900 lb. engine ?

veggie

[mobile_bob]

they are more than strong enough, two 3/8 bolts are strong enough in tension to lift 900 lbs

bob g

[cgwymp]

I had a machinist buddy make me this:

[Crofter]

Lifting by the flywheels gives a very real possibility that the engine will swing upside down. The center of rotation is not at the rims of the flywheels but rather at the center line of the main bearings. I think the center of gravity may be above that point.

As veggie says if you go that route you also have to have your slings decisively capture the cylinder head (heads) to keep the engine from rotating about the crankshaft..

Playdiesel's picture says it all.

[Ronmar]

I had a machinist buddy make me this:

I made one very similar to this also. works great to move the engine with a hoist, or in my case a 3PH boom on the back of the tractor, to get the beast across the yard and into the generator hut...  The good thing about this way, is that as long as there are studs in the case, you can lift and move the block in just about any stage of disassembly...

[Tom Reed]

I made one similar to that too. Works great. Besides being top heavy, I've read that crankshafts can be bent when lifting by the flywheels.

[Fat Charlie]

I run a tow strap from my lift hook under the shaft between the case and the flywheel, then up and over the hoist's bar, then back down under the shaft on the other side and then up to the hook again.  The tow strap's path is kind of like a W.  Once the slack is out, I tie a length of regular rope around the whole thing to keep it from rotating.

It works pretty well for me.

[veggie]

Thanks everyone,
I ended up making a bracket the same as the one in "cgwymp's" picture.
Works very well.

veggie