easy 2x4 crane for lifting an engine head

**KustomsbyKent** · Sep 27, 2020, 06:02 PM

Here's a redneck 2x4 wood crane that I made for lifting the cylinder head back onto my CabOverEngine truck, as it is heavy, awkward, and quite a reach to get it up and in there.
It worked quite well.
The head is 80+ lbs and needed to be guided down over a copper oil line and also not damage the new head gasket.

**DIYer** · Sep 28, 2020, 02:41 PM

Thanks KustomsbyKent! We've added your Cylinder Head Crane to our Cranes category,
as well as to your builder page: KustomsbyKent's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Cylinder Head Crane by KustomsbyKent

tags: 2x4, crane

**Tooler2** · Sep 30, 2020, 02:29 AM

how much control do you have lowering using a ratchet strap?

**KustomsbyKent** · Sep 30, 2020, 08:58 PM

Using a large ratchet strap, you can control it pretty easily. It goes slowly as you can only release about 3 ratchet clicks at a time. I also made sure to spool on enough strap when I tightened it so that I would have enough to let it down into place and not run out of release strap.

Plus, I can take it all apart, and use the 2x4's for something else... so almost zero cost!