How to store a crankshaft

Fritz Maurer · Dec 13, 2011

Laying down or standing up? Why?

jm. · Dec 13, 2011

Fritz ,I have no idea why and I have been in the junk bussiness all my life but most larger places that store cranks will have racks where they can be hanged verticle from the flywheel end.

Goose · Dec 13, 2011

I've always heard standing up on the flywheel end.

However, if a crankshaft is stored that way, precautions should be taken so it can't fall over. They can bend just by falling over.

Laying down so several counterweights are on the floor distributing the weight should work. Anyway I've done it that way, too.

Spook · Dec 13, 2011

(quoted from post at 19:25:57 12/13/11) I've always heard standing up on the flywheel end.

However, if a crankshaft is stored that way, precautions should be taken so it can't fall over. They can bend just by falling over.

Laying down so several counterweights are on the floor distributing the weight should work. Anyway I've done it that way, too.

In the factory, they are stored in dunnage, resting on the counterweights. They are very easy to bend. I knew a guy who worked on our crank line, when he scrapped out a crank, he's throw it in a gon so that it hit post end first. It would snap in 2 most times.

GregCO · Dec 13, 2011

I have always heard that they should be stored standing up or hanging from the flywheel end. I have stored them on their side and never had an issue that I am aware of. Heck, they are made out of steel or cast, if they moved around that easy and warp or bend under their own weight it would surprise me. I think most machine shops hang them just to save space and keep them from getting dinged up from falling over or getting something dropped on them.

Greg

rustred · Dec 13, 2011

simple,standing up to prevent warpage is the proper way.

504 · Dec 13, 2011

Two pieces of Chanel iron bolted under the work bench to hang it and lots of wheel bearing grease on the journals.

Dick L · Dec 13, 2011

Right or wrong I have about a dozen crankshafts setting on the flywheel end.

John M · Dec 14, 2011

Well, I was taught to store them laying down, on a piece of wood. Standing on end they could fall over and could possibly break at a journal, or possibly nick something that wouuld require machining. The wood would keep it from warping any, because if put on concrete, it couldwarp if the floor wasnt perfect. But Ive never had a crank out long enoguh to worry about damaging it...

Leroy · Dec 14, 2011

And tractor parts yards just have shelves where they are layed just one on top of anouther like cordwood.

Traditional Farmer · Dec 14, 2011

Standing up in a barrel of oil

dhermesc · Dec 14, 2011

If a crankshaft will warp from its own weight I wouldn't want to use it in any engine of mine.

Mike M · Dec 14, 2011

I have heard like the others that they should be standing up.
I also could never see much sense in this as the high likely hood of them falling over to me would cause the most damage to them.
I have had one shipped to me by UPS (small block chevy) and it survived. So they must not be that fragile as UPS is VERY rough on things.

mkirsch · Dec 14, 2011

Not standing up, HANGING up so they can't fall over.

If you're not going to hang it, lay it down. Your toes will thank you.

Leave one laying long enough they CAN warp, though. It only takes a couple thousandths to really mess things up.

Notice how in an engine, the crank is supported in 3-5 locations.

48C-MAN · Dec 14, 2011

Lay down a proper sized board, coat w/ expanandable foam, lay plastic on foam, lay crank on plastic and allow foam to cure, lift crank up spray w/ fogging oil and shrink wrap. I have many vintage cranks stored this way that are still perfectly rust and warp free after 20 plus years.

How to store a crankshaft

Fritz Maurer

Well-known Member

jm.

Well-known Member

Goose

Well-known Member

Spook

Well-known Member

GregCO

Member

rustred

Well-known Member

504

Well-known Member

Dick L

Well-known Member

John M

Well-known Member

Leroy

Well-known Member

Traditional Farmer

Well-known Member

dhermesc

Well-known Member

Mike M

Well-known Member

mkirsch

Well-known Member

48C-MAN

Member

Similar threads