This is what I lay them on (4X4), though I need them a foot higher. It is very hard to work under that much space, but I managed.

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OK, even as I type my wagon is out in the driveway on the jack with the right rear wheel off. I positioned my floor jack right under the rear shock, where it pushes up on that whole arm assy.(don't know it's proper name) It doesn't touch the shock bottom though. I must admit, I never thought about putting something under the jack or jack stands to keep it from scratching the metal. I always worry about adding something extra that could slip.
JL

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

another thing, some jobs require jacking up the car and some don't. And some times a car is jacked up when it really isn't necessary. I've done it myself, but lately I've been trying to be conscious of when it's necessary or easier. The last time I removed my engine and transmission, I did it entirely without raising the car, not once. And I really felt like there was no time I really had to struggle, but hooking up the driveshaft and tranny was pretty close. But the powertrain lifting/moving was definitely easier because the front was lower and the car could roll when I wanted it to. And the best part was the confidence that the car would never fall on me because like I always tell my kids, IT CAN'T FALL OFF THE FLOOR!

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

why am I up so late anyway? just stoking the wood stove. My personal effort to save fuel oil!

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

a subject I know a lot about from working on cars..watching the sun come up..and realizing u still have to go to work..

You must be on the skinny side! I can't even reach the tranny mount with it on the ground.

I use ramps 90% of the time. If I use the floor jack or emer. jack, it is always backed up with a jack stand, sometimes two.

However, I have changed the starter, a couple of times, in the parking lot. I raised the side of the car just enough, with emer. brake set and spare tire underneath, to reach under while all four tires still remained on the ground.

Using the spare tire, you are in there for the jack anyway, can be a lifesaver for emer. roadside repairs.

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

Here's a photo of a couple of ramps I made out of 2x6 lumber. I find these to be very handy to create a couple inches of extra room to get under the car for oil changes, etc.

I originally made these for a car that had a low spoiler so that I could get it up onto a pair of store-bought metal ramps without dinging the spoiler. Now I find that these wooden ramps are all I need most of the time. They are light and easy to handle and much easier (and less scary) to drive up onto than those metal ramps.

The idea of setting my car on phone books scares the cr*p out of me. I wouldn't get under a car set up like that, knowing how "slippery" phone books can be.

I recently had to jack up both sides of the rear of my wagon to change the swaybar links. I jacked each side up under the control arms with a floor jack, and placed jackstands (padded with slim pieces of wood) under the factory jacking points on the sills. This didn't seem to distort the sills at all. I don't like the idea of jacking an IRS car on the differential itself. That could be a very expensive proposition if the differential housing should crack or break!

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'81 300TD turbo <<sold 12/05 to another diesel nut

5', 10" 190 lb...I don't think so. I do have a healthy fear of a vehicle falling though. Once I had a set of ramps. Part way driving up, one popped forward, like a watermelon seed squeezed between your fingers. I put those ramps out by the curb with the trash. I won't touch them ever again. Please be careful!

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

I guess I miscommunicated my use of a Phonebook.
I always use only 1 heavy technical maunal or phonebook between the Jack and the Car's center frame member. I do this for safety. The heavy book molds, or conforms, itself to the Jack Saddle and the Center frame member and gives about 3" of additional lift.
Instead of metal agianst metal which can be slippery,(because of oil, grease, etc.) the semi-pliable phone book/tech manual actually kind of "glues" or mates the two uneven surfaces together as it it gets crushed slightly, and spreads the weight around a little bit. Its true the phonebook gets chewed up and you can only use it 5 or 6 times, but thats why I raid the recycle bin. The book also protects the metal surfaces. Without the book, you would be surprised at times just how liitle contact there is between the usually dish shaped saddle and curved center frame member. Furthermore, it protects the oil pan.

Now of course maybe I am wrong and just lucky. I'm sure there are countless ways to do this; whatever works safely for you is the Best way. Whatever you are comfortable doing is the best way for you...

My local Harbor Freight (purveyors of all that is of Chinese manufacture) has 6 ton jack stands that have a nice wide base and are capable of raising the car about 24" off the ground. Sometimes these go on sale for about $25 bucks a pair.

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Bill Reimels
Now down to one:
1972 300SE 3.5 W109 (Euro delivery)

Hey Carrameow,

I used a thin phonebook on my jack stand when I was working on my 300SD this morning and it worked like a champ. Plus, it protected the paint.

Great idea.

Thanks for the tip,

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Anders

1995 E300
2015 VW TDI Sportwagen 15K
1977 240D (197K)
2002 Subaru Legacy L Wagon (115k) (Wife's)
Gone but not forgotten:
2005 Buick LeSabre
1998 C230
1984 300D
1983 240D
1981 300SD
1974 240D
1974 Fiat 124 Spider
1968 Triumph TR250

I've found I can do a majority of my work by just driving the front or rear up on a slab of concrete on each side, with a couple 2x6"s adding a little extra height beyond those, its a footing as solid as the floor. I did it just a couple hours ago to drain my differential finally. That was some BROWN fluid Nice clear Mobil 1 synthetic in there now. I'll probably do it again in a few weeks to get the rest of the gunk out. Did the same on my steering, flush #4. Still light red....slowly but steadily I am getting all the gook out of them.

When I have to jack it up, I bring it up with the hydrolic jack, then I set it on two 3 ton jackstands. Then right next to those jack stands I put both of our MB handcrank jacks into the jackpoint holes, and extend them till they have eeever so slight tension on them between the car/floor. Then I stack wood under the tires till its snug (if I am working w/tires still on) That way I know loots of things would have to fail for the car to even remotely fall.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I have had a bad experience with store bought metal ramps. It seems that the metal to concrete contact is actually quite slippery and in fact "kicked out" the ramp dropping the car about 8 in. when driving up the ramp. I tried various schemes such as rubber sandwiched between the concrete and ramp but finally sold them as I could never make it work. Now in parts stores I see plastic ramps I much prefer jack stands with additional back up support.
Oily

I have a pair of "Rhino Ramps".

They are slippery and tend to slide on the concrete floor, unless I "get a run" at them. Usually takes me 3 or 4 tries to get the car up onto them. Often I hit the brakes too soon because I am afraid of running the up on "over the top" of them and getting the car hung up.

I have some soft rubber mats (the kind SWTSMBO uses to keep rugs from slipping in the kitchen) and I am going to try putting these under the ramps to see if it makes it easier. I'd much reather ease the car up onto them slowly.

I'd rather use ramps than jackstands if I don't have to remove a wheel.

- Patrick

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1982 240D. 198k, Marine Blue/Blue, 4 Speed, Crank Windows, No Sunroof, No Rust, No Oil Leaks
2001 TDI. 197k, Lagoon Blue/Black, 5 speed, Chip, G60/VR6

AFAIK the 4 rubber pads under the car are where you are supposed to lift it from. Thats where the lifts seem to grab the cars. The holes right above those pads are for the tire jack. In front the W126 has a nice cross member right in front of the pad, if you use a block of wood under the jack you won't even break the under coating. I will never go under a car unless it is supported be a very good set of jack stands with chocks under the wheels that are still on the ground.

For like $35 I got a real nice set of Chraftsman jack stands. They are rated for like 8k pounds each.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200