When I took over purchasing in 2020 for a 40-person shop, one of the first weird requests I got was for a new engine hoist. The maintenance lead was working on a side project—a 1980s Hyundai electric car someone had dragged in—and needed a way to safely lift the motor. My background was office supplies and coffee, not heavy lifting equipment. I had to figure out how to specify the right tool without overspending.
Everything I'd read about buying shop equipment said to just ‘get the highest capacity you can find.' The conventional wisdom is that bigger, stronger equipment is always better. In practice, if you are planning on lifting a modest drivetrain out of a classic, a 3-ton hoist is just overkill that costs more and takes up floor space. My experience with that project says otherwise. Here's the exact checklist I built and still use to get this right.
When to Use This Checklist
This is for when you need to buy a physical tool—like an engine hoist—for a specific repair or project. Not for a full shop build-out, but for a single unit that needs to handle a specific weight range. If you're in my shoes, juggling a budget request from the shop floor and trying not to get a call from finance about overspend, this is for you. This checklist has 5 steps.
Step 1: Define Your Actual Lift Load, Not The Max Capacity
Do not just buy the biggest one in the catalog. Specify the actual weight of what you are lifting. For our Hyundai 80s electric car project, the motor weighed maybe 300 lbs. We did not need the 4-ton monster the team initially pointed to. I asked the lead to put the motor on a pallet and weigh it. I'm not a mechanic, so I can't speak to the specific connector weights, but from a procurement perspective, a hard number changes everything.
A lesson learned the hard way: A sales guy once tried to sell me a 6-ton unit “just in case.” That kind of over-spec costs extra cash up front and takes up floor space that could be used for a skid steer loader project later.
Step 2: Measure Your Clearance (Height & Legs)
This is the step most people ignore. A 2-ton hoist might have a higher lift height or longer legs that won't fit in your bay or under a low ceiling. For our build, the 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric was too low to slide legs under easily. We had to measure the clearance of the car's frame.
I didn't check this on my first order five years ago, and we had a hoist sitting in the yard for three months because it wouldn't fit in the service bay. Worse than expected. Now, I use a simple rule: check your door opening height, the chassis clearance, and the collapsed height of the hoist before clicking buy.
Step 3: Check the 'Included' List for Hidden Fees
The vendor who shows a low price but hides the cost of a load-leveler or a specific sling is a trap. I've learned to ask 'what's NOT included' before 'what's the price.' For engine hoists, the 'base unit' quote might exclude wheels, a specific safety chain, or the hydraulic jack assembly itself.
In 2023, I found a great price from a new vendor—$200 cheaper than our regular supplier. I ordered a Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 style order on a hoist (a single, high-volume item). They could not provide a proper invoice (handwritten receipt only). Finance rejected the expense report. I ate the cost out of the department budget. Now I verify invoicing capability before placing any order.
Step 4: The ‘Forklift Certified’ Requirement Check
Here is the anti-cluey part. An engine hoist isn't a forklift. You do not need a forklift certification to use a standard engine hoist. I had to push back on a manager once who insisted “we need a certified operator to use the hoist. I had to explain that a simple hydraulic shop crane falls under general shop safety, not formal vehicle certification. It saved us a massive training headache and the 8 hours of paperwork for where to get forklift certified. That said, check your local OSHA rules for the specific weight threshold, but generally, anything under 5 tons requires standard PPE, not a license.
“I'm not a safety expert, so I can't speak to specific regulatory interpretations. Best to verify with your local safety officer. From my admin perspective, it's a good idea to write a simple standard operating procedure (SOP) for using the hoist, even if it's not a legal requirement.”
Step 5: Call Out the 'Total Cost of Operation'
Don't forget the cost of replacement parts or service for the hoist itself. I looked at a cheap rental hoist once. The price was great, but the picking fee and delivery cost on a crane rental service made it no cheaper than buying a new one. Plus, you don't own the asset. In my experience, buying a mid-tier Kito or Vestil hoist costs more up front but yields zero downtime versus a cheap import.
A Few Things to Watch Out For
Avoid the over-spec trap. A 6-ton hoist for a 500-lb motor is like buying a semi truck to carry a backpack. It works, but it's a waste of floor space.
Don't assume a forklift cert is needed. I've already said this, but it's worth repeating when you are writing a PO. It drastically changes the budget if you think you need to pay for 8 hours of training for everyone on shift.
Always check the hydraulic fluid. I once ordered a hoist that came with no oil. That is a 30-minute delay while you go buy a quart of the right stuff. Not ideal, but workable if you plan for it.
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Author's note: Pricing data for engine hoists is highly variable. The figures I mention are based on a Q3 2024 budget from my own project. Verify your current prices at your chosen supplier as rates may have changed based on steel and global supply chains as of January 2025.
