Im getting ready to assemble a iron block hemi with aluminum heads and cross ram etc. Im worried the engine stand that i have is underrated for a complete carbs to pan assembly. What would be a good safe working weight capacity for an assembly stand for an elephant ?? and what would be a total assembly weight estimate for a cross ram hemi ? Thanks.

all aluminum Indy 500lb

an iron block weighs close to 300lb yet only 130lb for aluminum

for yours estimate 700lb

o.k. Great , Thanks.

I would jimmy rig a removable support brace up front just for safety and peace of mind.

yes I agree . A brace would be cheap ins. for the added weight . This engine is a tank !!!!

Has anyone really broken an engine stand from too much weight? If anything, it would just bend badly wouldn't it?

just ask 383man[ron]. he has pics of a broken head unit that came apart with a big block on it. he was very lucky in that instance !

Can you post a picture of your engine stand? I have several different brands that I use all the time,both triangle style (3 legged T style) with three wheels that bolt together and one welded up one I wouldn't buy or use a Harbor Freight take apart under any conditions I've had both complete iron and aluminum block with iron and alumimunm heads with 10:71 blowers on my stands The heavier the engine weight the harder they are to push or pull around and harder to make them go where you want them to go when fully loaded with the engine ready to put in the cars I have one H.D. take apart Snap One four wheel one H style, it has rubber wheels on it so it hasn't been used in many years

Not only the stres of the engine hanging by the back of the block, but imagine the stresses that the block is in while you assemble it. Metal is liquid, what happens when you bolt that head down while on the engine stand? Every bolt and bracket distorts the block in some way. Glidden never used an engine stand, he put them together on a table with crank vertical, but none of his junk ran good anyway.