An engine lift, called a cherry picker or an engine hoist at the counter, is a wheeled folding crane rated at one to two tons for pulling a motor out of a vehicle. It is among the cheapest lines on a tool rental ticket, and the two things that catch people out are leg clearance and rated capacity at full boom extension.
The rating on the plate changes with every hole
The plate on the boom gives a rating for each extension position, four on a typical hoist. A unit sold as two tons may hold half that at the last hole, and reaching over a front bumper puts you there. Work out how far the hook must travel past the front of the vehicle before you choose the rating.
The legs have to slide under the vehicle
The straddle legs go beneath the car, so ground clearance and leg height decide whether the hoist can reach the engine bay at all. Lowered cars, trucks on ramps and vehicles on stands all change that answer. Measure the clearance and the distance from bumper to lift point before you collect anything.
The extras that make it usable
A load leveler, a chain set and grade 8 bolts turn a hoist into a working tool, and yards rent the first two by the day. An engine stand is a separate item and is where the motor sits once it is out. Take the whole set in one trip, since a Saturday return journey costs another day.
Space, floor and getting it home
These hoists fold, but they are heavy and awkward, and the folded unit needs a pickup bed or a van rather than a trunk. On site the floor has to be flat, hard and clear, because small casters will not cross gravel or a broken slab with a motor swinging from the hook.
Questions people ask about engine lift rental
Will it lift an engine and transmission together?
Usually yes, provided you check the rating at the extension you need and the vehicle allows that reach. A V8 with an automatic sits well inside a two ton hoist near the mast, and well outside its rating at full stretch over a bumper.
How long do people hire one for?
The weekend is the common ticket and the honest one, since a motor rarely comes out in a single afternoon. Yards often price Friday afternoon to Monday morning as one day, which is worth asking about directly rather than assuming.
Do I need the load leveler?
It is not required, but tilting an engine to clear the firewall without one means slinging and reslinging the chains repeatedly. Renting the leveler alongside the hoist costs very little and saves an hour of awkward work.
Can one person manage the lift?
One person can work the pump. Guiding a swinging engine past a radiator support is a two person job, and the second pair of hands is the difference between a clean lift and a scraped fender.