The Ford Barn

Tom Wesenberg · 06-20-2013, 09:44 PM

I've wanted to make this tool for a few years and finally did it the other day to make the clutch job much easier. A hoist is very handy, especially if you are working alone. I tried it out yesterday with a piece of 1" aluminum tube for the beam. It worked fine and if I had a TIG welder, I'd make the whole thing out of aluminum. I used a steel 1" square tube to make the beam and legs. The top beam is 31" and each leg is 12". The 3" long pieces of 3/4" square tube that tuck into the beam ends are welded at an angle so the front legs (near firewall) are 33" apart measured on the outside edges, and the rear legs are 35" apart on the outside.

About 15 years ago I bought a couple of 3' long 3/8" rods that had a crank handle and a couple small gears pinned on. I figured they would come in handy some day for some project, and one worked out perfect for this tool. I cut off the excess length but left the one gear pinned in place to act as a lock for the crank. I used a couple 1" swivel pulleys from Menards and some 3/16" nylon braided rope from Fleet Farm. Notice I have a 2 to 1 ratio by using the bottom pulley, and by tying the rope on the left A frame and cranking on the right A frame, the forces hold the tool together and there is no need to pin or bolt the top beam. In fact if the top pulley bracket was a trolley, it could be slid back and forth on the beam with no force and no change in the height of the lifted object.

This tool sure makes the job much easier.

I used SEM rattle can self etch green primer to paint it.

SeaSlugs · 06-20-2013, 10:00 PM

Neat! i like it! I love all these homemade jigs and tools you guys come up with on here!

bogdonj · 06-20-2013, 11:29 PM

Never a surprise with you Tom. Great job!

QGolden · 06-21-2013, 05:53 AM

Well thought out. Good job.

Mitch//pa · 06-21-2013, 06:32 AM

nice job tom

rossofozini · 06-21-2013, 06:49 AM

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That's very cool!

RockHillWill · 06-21-2013, 07:00 AM

I love it! Nice work Tom.

Tom Wesenberg · 06-21-2013, 03:19 PM

Thanks guys.

One reason I made this a 3 piece unit is for easier storage, but a second reason was so I could change the beam length in case I use it for a different car, or some other purpose.

newshirt · 06-21-2013, 03:29 PM

Tom is the 'Chuck Norris' of Model A repairs. Old cars nervously fix themselves as Tom approaches.

ThirtyFordor · 06-25-2013, 10:47 AM

Ingenious

06-20-2013, 10:00 PM	#2
SeaSlugs Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Central, IL Posts: 3,968	Re: Homemade Tools, Tranny Hoist Neat! i like it! I love all these homemade jigs and tools you guys come up with on here! __________________ 1929 Model AA - Need long splash aprons!

06-20-2013, 11:29 PM	#3
bogdonj Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Walkerton, Ont. Canada Posts: 623	Re: Homemade Tools, Tranny Hoist Never a surprise with you Tom. Great job! __________________ _________________________________________ 1931 Ford Model A Tudor 1930 Ford Model A Deluxe Roadster 1930 Ford Original Rolling Chassis- Restoring

06-21-2013, 05:53 AM	#4
QGolden Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Alton, NH Posts: 1,231	Re: Homemade Tools, Tranny Hoist Well thought out. Good job. __________________ It's not what people think they know that will hurt them, it is what they think they know that aint so! -Mark Twain. It is the very things that we think we know, that keep us from learning what we should know.- Unknown

06-21-2013, 06:32 AM	#5
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Homemade Tools, Tranny Hoist nice job tom

06-21-2013, 06:49 AM	#6
rossofozini Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: south australia Posts: 166	Re: Homemade Tools, Tranny Hoist Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) That's very cool!

06-21-2013, 07:00 AM	#7
RockHillWill Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rock Hill, S.C. Posts: 985	Re: Homemade Tools, Tranny Hoist I love it! Nice work Tom. __________________ Uncle Bud says "too soon old, too late smart!"

06-21-2013, 03:19 PM	#8
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Homemade Tools, Tranny Hoist Thanks guys. One reason I made this a 3 piece unit is for easier storage, but a second reason was so I could change the beam length in case I use it for a different car, or some other purpose.

06-21-2013, 03:29 PM	#9
newshirt Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 868	Re: Homemade Tools, Tranny Hoist Tom is the 'Chuck Norris' of Model A repairs. Old cars nervously fix themselves as Tom approaches. __________________ Ray White

06-25-2013, 10:47 AM	#10
ThirtyFordor Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 55	Re: Homemade Tools, Tranny Hoist Ingenious