Lifting Equipment

Engine stands

Eight stands split into two families. The hand-positioned type covers the Norco 78100 (1,000 lb.) and 78108 (1,250 lb.), each in a U.S.A.-built and an imported version (78100i, 78108i) whose spec tables are identical. All four use a fully adjustable head with 360-degree rotation, a long handle, heavy wall tubing to limit frame flex, and a finger adjustment of 12 in. to 15.5 in. in height by 15 in. to 18 in. in width. The 78100 pair measures 37 x 34.5 x 38 in.; the 78108 pair steps up to 39 x 36.5 x 39 in. with heavier construction for the largest V8s.

The gear-driven family is a different experience at the crank. The Norco 78155 (1,250 lb.) and twin-post 78230 (2,000 lb.) both run a 75:1 gearbox on a hand crank, which Norco says makes turning the heaviest engines effortless. Both stand 42 in. tall, span 21.25 in. at the front and 40 in. at the rear, telescope from 38.25 in. to 53.25 in., and ride on polyurethane wheels specified to protect tile and epoxy floors. The 78230 adds a second post with plates adjustable up to 36-1/4 in. apart.

At the top is the Norco 78160, rated 6,000 lb. for diesel engines: a tilting head with full 360-degree rotation turned by a 95:1 worm gear drive, a floor lock, a universal adapter included, and 35.25 in. to 43.25 in. of rotational clearance from the mounting head to the ground. Mahle's AES-1000 is the other 1,000 lb. (454 kg) option in the category, a ShopPRO stand that adjusts laterally and locks its 4 in. braked front casters, with a maximum engine swing radius of 31 in. to check against bench and wall clearance. Its listing is not set up for online ordering, so call 800-562-4791 to confirm availability before you plan around it; if you want a 1,000 lb. stand you can order today, the 78100 and 78100i are the entry point.

In-vehicle engine supports

Two tools hold the engine while it stays in the car, which is what subframe and gearbox work calls for. The Ranger RST-500ES straddles the inner fender wells for 1,500 lb. (680 kg) of holding capacity, adjusting from 40 in. (1,016 mm) to 63 in. (1,600 mm) wide with 13 in. (330 mm) of screw travel, on rubber foot pads that Ranger says prevent damage and hold the load securely. Ranger scopes it to 4- and 6-cylinder engines, so check that before planning a V8 subframe job. The Norco 78099 instead mounts a transverse bar on the shock strut towers, with mounts adjustable up to 47-1/2 in. apart, two front support adapters, and three 1/2 in. hooks 14 in. long on spin knobs. Norco says heavier engines can be supported by adding one or both front adapters, but the listing publishes no rated capacity: confirm that on the model sheet.

Load levelers and positioning slings

These hang between the crane hook and the engine so the load can be tilted rather than fought. The Norco 78115 is a 1,500 lb. leveler with a 27 in. chain, and its sheet explicitly lists it for the 78106A, the crane in this category. The Norco 78606 is the heavy-duty answer at 6,000 lb.: 5/16 in. Alloy Grade 80 chain, hooks adjustable from 32 in. to 48 in., and an adjustment screw that turns by hand or with air tools. Its sheet lists compatibility with Norco heavy-duty cranes that are not part of this category, not with the 78106A. Mahle's CPS-6000 and CPS-10000 slings are Acme threaded, include 5/16 in. Grade 80 chain, tilt up to 30 degrees and give 18 in. to 42 in. of hook height. They differ in spread: 30 in. to 46 in. in 4 in. steps on the CPS-6000, 44 in. to 56 in. in 3 in. steps on the CPS-10000. On a wide engine, spread decides the choice as much as capacity.

Powertrain and EV battery lift tables

Four scissor tables work from underneath. The Norco 72850A is a 2,500 lb. table for engines with transmissions, transaxle assemblies, rear ends and large electric vehicle batteries, and it doubles as a work surface once a component is lowered. An air/hydraulic foot pump with a metered valve controls descent, and a safety overload system in the pump prevents it from being taken past its load limit. Top height runs 31 in. to 77-3/4 in. with the wood saddles, or 27.5 in. to 74-1/4 in. with the base plate only, on a 19 x 36 in. top.

iDEAL lists two air/hydraulic platforms that split by application, both 2,500 lb., both running 90 to 125 PSI (6 to 9 bar) with an integrated gauge and water separator, and both locking at 49 in., 61 in. and 68 in. The LT-PT2500AH-X is the powertrain version: an extendable slotted platform 23.6 in. wide by 31.5 in. to 36.7 in. long, jack screws giving 6 to 8 degrees of tilt, and travel from 35 in. to 72 in. The LT-EV2500AH-X changes three things: the platform is insulated, multi-directional and sliding, 59 x 31.5 in. with six adjustable latch clamps and travel from 35.4 in. to 72.6 in.; tilt runs 4 to 8 degrees instead of 6 to 8; and the machine is bigger and heavier, 74.6 x 35.4 in. and 978 lb. against 71.3 x 33.5 in. and 798 lb.

The BendPak EVS3000, from the Mobi-EVS line, is the electric alternative and the highest-capacity table here at 3,000 lb. (1,361 kg). A 12VDC motor with onboard charging replaces shop air, so it rolls anywhere in the building; the charger takes 120 VAC at 60 Hz and outputs 12VDC at 15A, with a 10 to 12 hour charge from roughly 20 percent, and a full lift takes about 18 seconds. Maximum rise is 77.75 in. (1,972 mm), minimum deck height 34.25 in., and twin cylinders run 1,250 psi at maximum load. It carries zero-throw casters, a tri-caster locking pin and manual floor locks.

Adapters

Three adapters are listed, all sold separately and none interchangeable. Compatibility is not inclusion: the 78160 ships with a universal adapter and the 78230 with two universal mounting plates, a rotating shaft and eight adjustable arms, but these three are separate line items.

• Norco 78109 replaces the engine mounting fingers to convert a stand into a transmission service stand. Fits the 78100, 78100i, 78108 and 78108i.
• Norco 78127 is a rotating Ford transmission adapter for the 78155 and 78230, covering the 6R60, 6R75, 6R80, 10R60 and 10R80, including the Ford Expedition, Explorer, Explorer Sport Trac, F-150, Mustang and Ranger, the Lincoln Navigator and the Mercury Mountaineer.
• Norco 78163 fits the 78160 only, covering Cummins engines including the NH, NTC, NTE, N14 855, V8 903 and L10.

The 78160 sheet names a dozen more adapters, also sold separately, for Detroit Diesel, Cummins, Caterpillar, Mack, Volvo, International Harvester and Ford engines and for Detroit Allison transmissions. The 78230 sheet names three: the 78201 and 78202 for Ford 6.0L, 6.4L and 6.2L engines and the 78208 for the Dodge Cummins 6.7L.

What your shop needs

Air and power. Both iDEAL tables state 90 to 125 PSI (6 to 9 bar), and the 72850A runs an air/hydraulic foot pump. Only the BendPak EVS3000 needs electricity, and only to charge. Everything else is hand-operated: the crane, all eight stands, both in-vehicle supports and all four levelers and slings.

Clearance and footprint. The tallest travel is the 78106A boom at 88 in. The 72850A and the EVS3000 tie just under it at 77.75 in. each (Norco's spec table rounds the 72850A to 78 in.; its feature list gives 77-3/4 in. with the wood saddles), and the iDEAL tables reach 72.6 in. and 72 in.; add the load and any sling above it before assuming a low-ceiling bay works. The 78106A is the only item that folds. The largest footprints are the EVS3000 at 91.25 x 53 in. overall, the 78106A at 74.5 x 51.75 in. deployed (it folds to 22-1/2 x 51-3/4 in.), the 78160 at 54.25 x 50 in. and the iDEAL EV table at 74.6 x 35.4 in. No listing states a required concrete thickness or anchoring; these are rolling units that hold position with floor locks and locking casters rather than anchors.

Freight and unloading. Seven of the 22 listings ship free: the 78106A crane, the 78160 and 78230 stands, the 78606 leveler, the 72850A table, the Ranger RST-500ES and the BendPak EVS3000. The rest, the two iDEAL tables among them, quote freight separately, and both iDEAL listings state $575 per unit to the contiguous 48 states, excluding Alaska, Hawaii and remote or limited-access locations, with a quote required above two units. Shipping terms are on each product page, so confirm them there before you order. Stated shipping weights run from 20 lb. for the 78115 leveler to 665 lb. for the 72850A and 978 lb. for the iDEAL EV table; BendPak publishes the EVS3000 at 1,918 lb. as a machine weight rather than a shipping weight, so budget crated freight above that, and the Mahle slings list 74 lb. and 115 lb. the same way. The BendPak listing states that unloading is the buyer's responsibility, so arrange a forklift or a liftgate before the truck arrives with a 1,918 lb. machine. The Ranger listing carries the same note, but it ships at 50 lb. in a 41 x 8 x 3 in. package that one person can carry.

Certifications and safety labeling

These listings publish safety hardware and warning labeling rather than certification marks: California Proposition 65 warnings on the Norco, Ranger and BendPak items, the overload system and metered lowering valve in the 72850A pump, the fail-safe hydraulic circuit and multi-point safety locks on the EVS3000, and the 78160 floor lock. None of the 22 listings declares an ALI, ANSI/ASME PALD, ETL or OSHA certification, so if a mark is required by your facility or insurer, ask for the model sheet.

Model comparison

These figures follow the spec tables except where a listing contradicts itself. The 72850A's table gives a high lift height of 78 in. while its feature list gives 77-3/4 in. with the wood saddles; the lower, more specific figure is used here. Five listings disagree with the catalog records on weight: the 78155 and 78230 sheets give 223 lb. and 315 lb. against 181 lb. and 299 lb., the Ranger sheet gives 50 lb. against 1 lb., BendPak gives 1,918 lb. against a blank catalog field, and the AES-1000 sheet states no weight at all against a catalog figure of 163 lb. Plan freight against the sheet figures.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the U.S.A. and imported Norco stands?

The 78100 and 78100i are both rated 1,000 lb.; the 78108 and 78108i are both rated 1,250 lb. Their spec tables match exactly: same dimensions, same finger adjustment ranges, same shipping weights. Capacity and geometry are the same inside each pair, and all four take the 78109 adapter. Two things do change: the imported versions are listed at a lower price, and the U.S.A. listings publish an exploded parts drawing that the imported ones do not, which matters if you expect to order replacement parts years from now. Current pricing for each is on its product page.

Which stand should I choose for a heavy-duty diesel?

The Norco 78160 is the only stand here rated 6,000 lb. and the only one described specifically for diesel engines. Its 95:1 worm gear drive is a higher reduction than the 75:1 gearboxes on the 78155 and 78230; Norco says the drive and its long handle "provide easy engine rotation," which is what makes turning a large diesel by hand crank practical. It includes a universal adapter, and the 78163 Cummins adapter fits it. For medium- and light-duty truck engines, the 78230 is the step below.

Do I need compressed air?

Only for the lift tables. Both iDEAL platforms state 90 to 125 PSI (6 to 9 bar), and the Norco 72850A runs an air/hydraulic foot pump whose pressure range is not on the listing, so check its model sheet. The BendPak EVS3000 needs none.

Which load leveler works with the 78106A crane?

The Norco 78115, rated 1,500 lb., is the one whose sheet explicitly lists compatibility with the 78106A. The 78606, rated 6,000 lb., is built for heavy-duty truck engines and its sheet names Norco heavy-duty cranes not carried in this category. The Mahle sheets do not name a compatible crane, and both slings are rated well above the 2,500 lb. 78106A, the only crane in this category. Match the sling to the crane you already own, never to the sling's own rating: the weakest link sets the limit.

Pricing and availability for each model are shown on its product page. To match equipment to the engines your shop actually works on, order online or call 800-562-4791.