Just sold my take out 502 and need to crate it up for shipping. Local dealer want's $250 for an old used merc. crate - A-hole. What's the best way to securely crate it and secure it to a pallet so we can load with a forklift?

Who is your local dealer that wants $250.00 for a $50.00 dollar job?

Mercury has a 150 (I think it was) core charge on those crates that he will loose if he gives you one. Then another hour to load it in... I know it seems outrageous but his hands are kind of tied.

Get a good pallet, put a piece of 3/4" Plywood on top of it. Screw that into the pallet, then I guess we do not know if you are leaving the motor mounts on or not????

Jon

If you are then just get some large blocks of wood and put them down under the mounts and another at the back of the motor and screw it all together and run a threaded rod through the motor mount and down through the plywood and bolt it all together.

If you are taking off the motor mount stuff then you will need to figure out a way to sapport it from the sides of the engine some how......

I'm leaving the mounts on. Isn't there some type of cheap cradle I can buy to bolt the motor to and then bolt it to the pallet? It seems to me I've seen these but don't recall where or when.

Not sure but since you are leaving the mounts on it is really easy to just get some 6X6 blocks (you can measure to make sure that is large enough to keep the oil pan up off the pallet) and the threaded rod. It is acutally really easy. If you can grab a little bit of that plastic wrap from U-haul and wrap it up good to protect the motor. Should be fairly easy once you get started with it

Jon

Get a cheap engine storage cradle from Jegs or Summit, lthey bolt to the block mount pads and to the bellhousing bolts. Leave the wheels off the cradle and bolt it to the pallet. Then put a couple of the plastic engine storage bags over it (from same stores). Build a wood frame from 2x2's then attach some 1/4 ply to the frame to protect it (and seal it from curious eyes).

-Greg

Get a pallet and do the plywood on top. buy an big block cradle for $30 and bolt the engine to it and bolt it to the pallet.

Thanks guys. The storage cradle bolted to a plywood covered pallet seems the most secure way to go although it does leave you with the problem of removing and then having to attach to the pallet the motor mounts, flywheel, coupler and bell housing. Not an issue for me any longer though, the guy who bought my motor is going to haul his boat down and have my mechanic install for him.