Vestil HC-2-FA 2-Ton Heavy-Duty Foldable Shop Crane
Industrial-grade cherry picker. Built for production shops and fleet maintenance bays.
2-ton industrial-grade foldable shop crane. 3/16" structural steel frame, dual hydraulic cylinders, 48-inch base spread, 1,400 lb max extension capacity. Built for daily commercial use.
- 2-ton (4,000 lb) rated capacity
- 3/16" structural steel plate and 2-1/2" square tube frame
- Dual hydraulic cylinders — level boom rise, no side torque
- 1,400 lb capacity at maximum boom extension
- 48-inch wide base leg spread
- 6-position adjustable boom
- Commercial-grade roller bearing swivel casters — 700 lb each
- Folds flat for wall or overhead storage
✓ In Stock — Ships in 5-10 business days
| Model | HC-2-FA |
| Casters | 4 × 360° roller bearing swivel, 700 lb rated each |
| Duty Rating | Commercial/production daily use |
| Frame Steel | 3/16" structural steel plate + 2-1/2" square tube |
| Lift Height | 10 in (min) to 82 in (max) |
| Unit Weight | 143 lbs (64.9 kg) |
| Manufacturer | Vestil Manufacturing |
| Boom Positions | 6 |
| Certifications | ASME PALD-2009, ANSI |
| Rated Capacity | 2 ton (4,000 lbs) at min boom / 1,400 lbs at max boom |
| Hydraulic System | Dual cylinders — synchronized lift |
| Base Width (deployed) | 48 inches |
Multi-angle views of the Vestil HC-2-FA 2-Ton Heavy-Duty Foldable Shop Crane. Click any image to zoom.
See this class of lift in action. The video below shows installation, real-world operation, and the kind of shop this lift belongs in.
Engine hoists (cherry pickers) use a foot-pedal or hand-pump hydraulic cylinder to raise a chain-hung load from the boom hook. The 6-position adjustable boom lets you set the reach before lifting — shorter for higher capacity, longer for reaching over fenders.
🔧 Boom Position Selection
Select the boom position before lifting. Shorter boom settings provide higher lifting capacity; longer settings reduce capacity proportionally. Verify your engine's total weight (engine + accessories + brackets) against the capacity chart on the boom before attaching the chain.
⬆️ Hydraulic Pump
Foot-pedal or hand pump builds hydraulic pressure to raise the cylinder. Pump in smooth, even strokes. The cylinder rises and lifts the chain load. Stop pumping at your working height — the pressure holds.
⬇️ Precision Release Valve
The release valve controls descent speed. Open slightly for controlled, slow lowering. For engine installation (lowering an engine onto mounts), half-turn increments on the release valve provide inch-per-second descent — precise enough to align engine mounts without a second person.
🔗 Load Leveler Operation
If your hoist includes a load leveler, attach it between the hoist hook and the engine lifting bracket. Turn the adjustment wheel to tilt the engine nose-up or nose-down while airborne. Set the angle before lowering into the engine bay — it's much harder to adjust under load once the engine is partially installed.
⚙️ ASME PALD-2009 Compliance
All shop cranes and engine hoists must comply with ASME PALD-2009 (Portable Automotive Lifting Devices) standard, which specifies minimum capacity ratings, safety factors, test loads, and marking requirements. Look for the ASME PALD marking on the boom's capacity chart decal — it confirms the capacity ratings have been independently verified.
🔗 Rated Chain & Hook Inspection
Inspect the lifting chain and safety hooks before every use. Replace any chain link showing visible deformation, cracking, stretching, or corrosion pitting. The chain should be rated to at least the hoist's maximum capacity. Safety hooks must latch fully closed — a hook with a broken latch is immediately unsafe and must be replaced before use.
⚠️ Capacity Chart Compliance
Never exceed the capacity listed on the boom position decal for your current boom setting. Capacity decreases as the boom extends — typically 2,000 lbs at minimum extension drops to 500–1,000 lbs at maximum extension. Weigh your engine package (engine + transmission if combined) before attaching the chain. Exceeding rated capacity causes hydraulic seal failure and sudden load drop.
🛡️ Load Leveler Safety
When using a load leveler, ensure the attachment points on the engine lifting bracket are rated for the engine's weight at the angle being used. Angled loads create higher forces on the attachment hardware than vertical loads. Never exceed the load leveler's rated capacity, which may be lower than the hoist's own rated capacity — always use the lower of the two ratings.
How does this compare?
The Vestil HC-2-FA is built for shops where the crane gets used hard, every day. Budget hoists flex noticeably at 1,500–2,000 lbs of extended boom load — you can feel it in the frame. The HC-2-FA's structural steel frame construction eliminates that flex. The dual cylinder system is the other differentiator that matters in daily use: single-cylinder hoists develop a slight lean as the hydraulic cylinder wears; the dual-cylinder design stays level across the boom's full travel. For fleet maintenance shops pulling 3–5 engines per day, the commercial casters also pay off — consumer casters fail in 3–6 months under that load cycle.