Ball Bearing Engine Stand:

Unusual and Unique Performance Mods
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F15falcon
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 6:41 pm

Ball Bearing Engine Stand:

Post by F15falcon »

I am going to do a step by step on how to convert your regular engine stand to one with dual bearings supporting the engine allowing the engine to be rotated easily as the bearings are doing all the work. I am using an old Ford 9" axle and a piece of 9" housing with a housing end on it. I narrow rear ends for a living, so I have this stuff lying around, but they are not hard to find.


This is the axle and housing end piece I am going to use. A big bearing axle is best and it does not matter if it is 28 or 31 spline as the splines will be cut off. The bearing on the old axle will be re-used:
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The first step is to bore the end of the housing end out to accept a sealed bearing with a 2 5/8" O.D. and a 1 3/16" I.D.:
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Here is the finished bore. You will need a slight press fit:
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The next step is to whack off all but 6" of the axle and turn down the end to slip into the 1 3/16" I.D. bearing. The 6" is measured from the outside edge of the bearing:
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We now need to do some cutting, a plasma cutter or torch will make quick work of removing the axle flange and the old tube on the engine stand plate:
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The axle is chucked back into the lathe and the O.D. of the axle stub is turned down. The old brake drum pilot is also turned down to the I.D. of the engine stand plate, which in this case is 2 3/8":
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The axle stub is then placed on the plate and it is welded on the inside and the outside:
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Here is the stub assembled on the housing end piece:
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This is the engine stand that will be modified. The plate that is on it is for Chevy engines, but it will be replaced with a universal plate:
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The old tube is cut off, and the piece is saddled to accept the housing end piece:
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The new tube is set in place and welded all the way around:
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The plate with the axle stub is bolted in to place, the bearing is pressed into the housing piece and the assembly is complete. A lock down bolt was also installed to keep the engine from turning. The engine will now turn effortlessly supported with two bearings:
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69comet514
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:15 pm
Location: Ottumwa,Ia

Re: Ball Bearing Engine Stand:

Post by 69comet514 »

looks awsome how much are they if i wanna be lazy and just buy it

falcon428
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed May 05, 2010 9:42 am
Location: Ohio

Re: Ball Bearing Engine Stand:

Post by falcon428 »

Good idea and a nice how-to write up. Might have to redo that ole engine stand that I was thinking of scrapping.

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Boss/Cyclone
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Location: South Central Michigan (Near Michigan International Speedway)

Re: Ball Bearing Engine Stand:

Post by Boss/Cyclone »

I did that same thing 20 plus years ago using an article in popular mechanics as a guide, if memory serves me right. Still got it, but it is no longer on a stand. Here is a picture. I used a much cheaper 4 lug 8 inch rear end out of a Mustang II.
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1965 Mercury Cyclone former drag car, 1971 Boss 351 engine, 4 speed, ladder bars, etc. Now returned to a street car.
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Larry

F15falcon
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 6:41 pm

Re: Ball Bearing Engine Stand:

Post by F15falcon »

Awesome!!

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tweaked
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Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2004 8:06 pm
Location: British Columbia

Re: Ball Bearing Engine Stand:

Post by tweaked »

Cool F15falcon, I remember some of your threads on the old Ford muscle forum, also I got some good advice from you on rearend shortening. I remember you had a home made rearend shortening jig.
Roger
65 comet 7.61@96mph 1/8
Made in Canada, Built for speed.
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https://youtu.be/JCVwEitXSi4


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Tbart
Posts: 227
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 8:21 pm

Re: Ball Bearing Engine Stand:

Post by Tbart »

Great stand! The closest I've got is a little oil on my stand.

Aussiecomet64
Posts: 70
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2014 4:58 pm

Re: Ball Bearing Engine Stand:

Post by Aussiecomet64 »

Top idea! Believe it or not, I'm using the same basic idea on a body rotisserie I'm building, but without the second (rear) bearing. I'm just using a piece of plate steel with a hole in the middle the same size as the axle.
I had a spare Borg Warner diff laying around, so it became the donor.

Your refinement looks ideal for an engine stand, and I've got 2 cheapo stands with the sh!tty pipe-in-a-pipe setup that would benefit greatly from this mod.

Thanks!

John.

vicegrip
Posts: 402
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 12:12 pm

Re: Ball Bearing Engine Stand:

Post by vicegrip »

The only thing I can say is get a good grip on things when you flip.Sometimes a little friction is a good thing.

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poboyjo65
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Location: Camden, Tenn.

Re: Ball Bearing Engine Stand:

Post by poboyjo65 »

vicegrip wrote:The only thing I can say is get a good grip on things when you flip.Sometimes a little friction is a good thing.
I agree! & after you pulled the motor, spinning an engine stand w/o bearings aint no sweat! I kinda like friction too, so the weight isn't working against you so much if it isnt balanced exactly. & if your building the engine every part changes the balance.
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Johno

popscomet
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Location: Jacksonville, Arkansas

Re: Ball Bearing Engine Stand:

Post by popscomet »

vicegrip wrote:The only thing I can say is get a good grip on things when you flip.Sometimes a little friction is a good thing.
OL POP thought this very same thing the 1st time I read this post..... :shock: :shock: pop
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