Putting an engine in the frame

[stinkwheel]

KLE 500 with knacked gearbox. Going well so far. Got the bike stripped and the engine out in an hour and a half .

Fridays task is to fit my spare GPZ500 engine which SHOULD be the same size. The only bit of the job I am uncertain about is fitting the engine into the frame. Has to go in sideways through a gap in the frame made by unbolting a section then shunted back to fit between the lugs (in the same way as a GPZ but with a bit more clearance all round).

Now this engine is pretty heavy. I can lift it high enough but no way can I manouver it into place and knock a pin through on my tod.

Anyone got any clever tricks? I was thinking along the lines of a couple of trolley jacks and a plank of wood. Or even just sit it on a sheet of plastic on a long, greased plank of wood propped on bricks and slide it in sideways along the plank.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Richy]

ive dropped an engine before - not fun.

we eventually got it in with a skateboard (bikes gotta be really low to the ground) so we could wheel it about and line it up before manhandling it a short distance into place.

good luck

[Nath]

Drop the forks and remove the rear wheel? Then you can easily lift the engine into the frame, and then move the frame about to get the holes to line up.
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Hard livin', hard luck.

[Bezzer]

If it's just a bare frame then engine on it's side with some wood underneath to level it out and lift it a few inches up from the floor/bench or whatever then just drop the frame over it. No problem to manouevre it and get the mountings done up enough to hold it then just lift it all upright and secure everything. If it's still got the runing gear on then you'd have to have the engine a bit higher off the deck to allow for that. Done it that way on a GS750 when I'd got no one to give me a hand.
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I used to be indecisive but now I'm not quite so sure.

[Kickstart]

Hi

I normally just use a trolley jack to roughly hold the engine in position vertically. However generally it is FAR easier with someone to help.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Lone-Wolf]

Wotcha.

The way I put the Bullet engine back in is by bunging an old carpet on the floor, laying the frame on its side - obviously do the same to the engine - get at least two bolts in, then pick the plot back up.

Works for me
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Cheers.
^..^
L.W. - www.moonshiners.org.uk

[iCraig]

[sickpup]

Long thinish old screwdrivers.

Roughly line the holes up and knock them through prior to putting the engine bolts back in.

[mr.z]

somebody in the dutch cx club made an adjustable height engine trolley, just a metal frame (looks like modular shelveing, the sort you get at b&q for your garrage) with castors on the bottom...

Apparently works brilliantly and didn't take much time to knock up.. also works as a stand when doing front end related things.. might be worth a go (would certainly come in handy in future i'd imagine) alteratively, wood blocks take the frame to the engine maybe :/

Good luck, dont do yourself an injury (incedntaly, anyone fancy giveing me a hand carrying the engine in my garrage upstairs?... its not very heavy, honest)
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Robby]

Brute force and a trolley jack.

If its got oil in the engine, would be an idea to drop that out first, save 3 or 4 kilos.

[stinkwheel]

Cheers for the tips.

I do like lone-wolfs idea of doing it all sideways, lateral thinking
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.