Engine Shipping Pallet/Crate

cessna170bdriver · Post by **cessna170bdriver** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:01 pm

A look at a link George posted at another topic reminded me that I very soon need to think about a storage/shipping container for the C-145 I'm about to remove from '98C.

http://www.pennyanaero.com/engines1.asp ... &x=13&y=10

I could build something similar, but I'd prefer to store/ship the engine with the mount. When I bought that engine, the previous owner built a heavy duty pallet and drilled it for mounting the engine vertically (nose up) in its mount. That was fine for me picking it up, as I could tie the engine in the vertical position in the truck bed, but I'm afraid the CG would be too high for commercial shippng in that configuration.

Does anyone have a pictures of a design for a crate to ship the engine with the mount, or should I just build something similar to the picture and ship the mount separately?

Miles

Post by **GAHorn** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:13 pm

Miles I saw a really nice arrangement in a hangar one day. It was a regular pallet, which had a 3/4" plywood "wall" on one end, thru which the engine mount was bolted. The front of the engine was supported by the prop-flange which was bolted thru another piece of plywood standing/bolted onto the pallet. Two sides and a Top would enclose it nicely.

cessna170bdriver · Post by **cessna170bdriver** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:37 pm

Thanks George,

I hadn't thought of bolting the prop flange to the opposite wall. The best I could think of was to bolt the mount to one wall and block up under the front of the mount to relieve the torque on the rear wall. I think I like the prop flange idea better.

Is there a "standard" fork lift spacing to allow for?

Miles

HA · Post by HA » Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:42 pm

the crates we use often have either a wood or steel bracket to bolt the flange to, I wouldn't just bolt it to a side of the crate - if for no other reason than to isolate the crankshaft from shipping damage due to bouncing off things

cessna170bdriver · Post by **cessna170bdriver** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:32 pm

HA wrote:the crates we use often have either a wood or steel bracket to bolt the flange to, I wouldn't just bolt it to a side of the crate - if for no other reason than to isolate the crankshaft from shipping damage due to bouncing off things

I agree. If 3/4 ply was used, the center of the prop flange would protrude to the outside. I was thinking of an outer "wall" of 3/8 or 1/2 ply several inches in front of whatever is used to hold the flange. How much is this thing gonna weigh?

Miles

Dave Clark · Post by **Dave Clark** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:49 am

Why don't you put the 3/4 on the pallet then mount the engine vertically with the prop flange up? That's what I've always done. Then you don't have any chance of the prop flange taking any side load bumps.

cessna170bdriver · Post by **cessna170bdriver** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 1:05 am

Dave Clark wrote:Why don't you put the 3/4 on the pallet then mount the engine vertically with the prop flange up? That's what I've always done. Then you don't have any chance of the prop flange taking any side load bumps.

Dave,

That's the way I bought this engine, but I hauled it myself and tied it down to make sure it didn't tip over. See my first post concerning the height of the CG. How big were the bases of the pallets you used?

Miles

Dave Clark · Post by **Dave Clark** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:10 pm

Miles
Most of mine have been custom crates that I built to fit, starting with a plywood base sitting on three 4x4's and then 2x4's on edge around the perimeter to support the walls (do that before mounting on the 4x4 skids). Most were also Jacobs radials with perhaps a lower CG, however, I shipped my C-145 FWF with the mount, cowl and all to Illinois using this method. I think by the time you get a base a little larger than the firewall it's pretty darn stable. I use 1/2" or 5/8 floor and 3/8" sides and lid. Then insure it