09/06/2026
One of the front legs on my old engine hoist had started cracking around the caster mounting section. Whenever I rolled it across the workshop, I could see that corner flex slightly. I stripped the damaged area back to clean steel and fabricated a reinforcement plate from 1/4 inch steel. I fitted the plate across the weak section, welded it along the edges and added two short ribs running back into the main leg. I made sure the caster mounting surface stayed flat before finishing the welds. After everything cooled, I reinstalled the caster and rolled the unloaded hoist around the shop to check the repair. The final welds were left unpainted and fully visible.