Safety is the top concern when buying an engine stand. You want to choose well-constructed and durable products rated for the size and weight of the engines you hope to hang on them. Engine stands come with additional features including lockable mounts, swivelling wheels, adjustable arms and geared cranks for easier rotation. These features aren’t only convenient, they also improve and ensure safety when working on engines.
You’ll want to find the best engine stand that suits your needs and meets your engine requirements. In this guide we’ll break down some of the better engine stands widely available on the market today and give you the pros and cons of each option.
- Torin Big Red T26801 : Best Overall Engine Stand
- Torin Big Red T23401 : Best Value Engine Stand
- Performance Tool W41025 : Best Half-Ton Engine Stand
- Sunex 8300GB : Most Versatile Engine Stand
Torin’s line of Big Red jacks is well-known as an industry standard for good reason: This engine stand features four adjustable arms and 360-degree rotation. With a 1500-pound load capacity and a heavy-duty steel construction, this engine stand can handle most anything a casual user will throw at it and plenty a professional user will, too. A number of customers reported problems with lost or damaged parts during shipping, but most were satisfied with the product once put together.
- Load capacity
- Adjustable arms fit most engine blocks
- Five casters with two locking swivel casters
- Customers reported issues with lost or damaged parts during shipping
- Manual engine rotation may be difficult for the heavy engines this stand is designed to hold
For the reliability of Torin’s Big Red brand without the higher price tag, the T23401 engine stand will probably cover your needs. This 750-pound capacity stand is designed for those with smaller garages, smaller engines or both, but it still maintains Torin’s durable design and reliability. Other sacrifices for affordability are a reduction to three casters with only one swivelling caster and no way to fold the stand for storage. Like with anything, you get what you pay for and some customers reported this lightweight stand seeming wobbly or unstable with larger engines. Other customers reported shipping issues with missing or damaged parts.
- Quick and easy assembly
- Affordable with good quality construction
- Adjustable arms fit most engine blocks
- Lightweight, less stable construction
- Only one swivelling caster
- Customers reported issues with lost or damaged parts during shipping
If you need an affordable engine stand but still need a load capacity up to 1000 pounds, the Performance Tool W41025 is a solid option. This stand is designed with adjustable heads that rotate 360 degrees and features six locking positions. With tubular steel construction and heavy-duty swivel casters, this engine stand is ready to earn its place in your garage or workshop. Plus, who doesn’t like a bright yellow color to help avoid bumps on the head or stubbed toes?
- Affordable price
- 360 degrees of rotation with six locking positions
- Fully adjustable mounting head assembly
- Some customers report poor build quality or easily-broken parts
- Brand is not known for excellent customer service
For gearheads looking for an intelligently designed engine stand jam-packed with all the best features, the Sunex 8300GB will deliver and make you pay for it. This 1000-pound stand features a self-locking worm-drive gearbox with a 63:1 gear ratio allowing you to rotate even the heaviest engines. It also features a foldable design allowing you plenty of storage space when not in use. Finally, the engine stand includes two locking swivel casters on the engine side which maximizes steering and maneuverability in tighter spaces.
- 63:1 gear ratio hand crank for rotating engines
- Quickly folds up to save space when not in use
- Consistent five-star customer reviews
- Highest priced engine stand on our list
- Some customers report difficulty in assembly
METHODOLOGY
In order to determine the best engine stand for your shop or garage, we considered the products most accessible to the widest swath of consumers in the U.S. and evaluated performance, price and value. We also considered a broad range of end-user ratings and evaluations by multiple testers. Forbes Wheels evaluated eight top rated engine stands on the market. Products were rated based on load capacity, design, included features and price. Customer reviews were taken into account to determine our final list.