Is it always safe to use the rear differential as a jack point.

[t walgamuth]

but what is a 4x4 plan form?

tom w

[boneheaddoctor]

I have a adapter with a rubber pad on my 4 ton floor jack an use the diff as a lift point al the time...but I sit it down un jackstands under the control arms ASAP so dwell time is minimal.....not broken anything yet.....but who knows....maybe Whunter is right. He's been doing this (working on Benzs) far longer than I have. And I do trust him when he says something.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

when jacking under the s classes be careful of the fins on the bottom of the diff. (this is a general warning, brian, i know you know about them)

tom w

I have found that the bottom of the diff sits nicely in the jack puck and the puck doesn't seem to contact the fins in a way that would damage them..............but...........I really should check more carefully.

[Duke2.6]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

but what is a 4x4 plan form?

tom w

Plan form is the "view from the top" - like the floor plan of a house, so if you cut off a 4" (actually 3.5" as you said) piece from a length of 2x4 lumber the plan form is "4x4", actually 3.5 x3.5.

Duke

Originally Posted by Ferdman

A Service Advisor and a seasoned tech at our local MB dealer advised me that jacking under the differential of 124 cars was fine. For what it's worth I've done it occasionally with no problems.

Coming from a dealer? I will not let those guys touch my car with a ten foot pole.

The rear diff housing is mounted on rubber mounts with bolts. I guess shearing it off is of no concern??

For safety sake, You must only raise the car on its chassis frame.

You can always replace the diff but not your life.

Maybe there should be a thread/DIY article with pictures on the proper and safe way to raise an MB. That because I am a safety nut.

[Hatterasguy]

I raise the rear of my W126's by sticking the jack under the rear shocks. Use some wood so you don't dent the sub frame. Then a jack stand is placed under the rubber jack pad.


You see those 4 rubber jack pads that are under every MB? Those are where you support and lift the car from, the dealers lift grabs those four points.

On the front of most MB's their is usually a frame rail in from the jack pad a bit. If you want to put a jack stand under the pad that rail is a good spot to lift from. However I have only lifted W126 and W140's this way. So if you don't have one of those figure it out.

[jbaj007]

AS per MB for the 126.

[whunter]

Originally Posted by jbaj007

AS per MB for the 126.

Thought there was a TSB followup to that one?

[jbaj007]

Went thru the TSB titles here and didn't see anything contrary to what was published by MB.
http://www.alldata.com/TSB/35/84352004.html

There is a 1982 TSB for electric hoist adapter; but that's about as close as I saw. I used 1984 300SD as reference.

[meangrean]

SORRY GUYS I DONT KNOW WHAT YOU DO FOR WORK,but it is safe to lift a car buy differential,unless it is a car that has a diff coo;er on it.Than you shouldnt,.couse it wil damage it if youare not carefull.

Yes i know i am talking against our Modurator but sorry to say but it is just fine to lift it on the diff,,Hey we get icbc car in all the time with no wheels ,so where are u going to put the jack.All diffs are conected to the subframe ,which is bushinged to the body.And yes the diff has 3 bolts ,but they are big enough to take the weight......Ok if you have aluminum diffs,they willl still take the weight,unless i sayed do not do it with the diff cooles like on the AMG's

[tvpierce]

Well, the pdf file makes it perfectly clear that MB recommends lifting from the differential. But common sense tells me not to. The differential is not designed to carry the weight of the car -- it's disigned to withstand torsional twisting.

Even if Wilhelm Maybach speaks to me from the grave -- telling me it's OK -- I'm still not going to jack my 201 from the differential.

But, hey... that's just me.

Jeff Pierce

[whunter]

Originally Posted by meangrean

Sorry guys, I don’t know what you do for work, but it is safe to lift a car buy differential, unless it is a car that has a differential cooler on it, then you shouldn't because it will damage it if you are not careful.
Yes I know I am talking against a Moderator but sorry to say it is just fine to lift on the differential.
Hey we get ICBC car in all the time with no wheels, so where are u going to put the jack.All diffs are connected to the sub frame ,which is bushing-ed to the body, and yes the diff has 3 bolts ,but they are big enough to take the weight.
OK if you have aluminum an differential, they will still take the weight, unless as I said do not do it with the differential coolers like on the AMG's

What is an ICBC car?

ICBC - Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
www.icbc.com

Where does bait car funding come from?
http://baitcar.com/where_does_bait_car_funding_come_from

Note:
You are not attacking a Moderator, as I understand the definition of attack.
Attack requires a violent and/or personal component.
You are expressing a differing opinion.

I disagree with your broad statement that it is safe on all vehicles.
Concours d'Elegance: restoration shops that I know, would terminate employment, and sue for damage, if you lifted a Rolls-Royce or Bentley by the differential, lifting a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow by the differential wrecks the sub frame no exception to this fact = $3,800.00 USD damage.

Please consider that many of these cars are ten, twenty-five or more years old, this can mean serious corrosion in structural areas, what was acceptable on a NEW car will damage or destroy a rusty old car.

[Hatterasguy]

I paid $75 for my new diff mount last fall and after looking over it I decided I didn't want to risk damaging the rubber. So since it is extremly easy to slip the jack under the rear sub frame I jack it from their.

[Stevo]

I posted the question over on MB.org, (Mercedes Digest, Vol 2, Issue 127)

Der Diesel Doktor sez.... "Absolutely ok with cars with dual half axles"

[meangrean]

Ok Whunter ,what i meant is all MB ,an ok if you are dealing with concours cars than i would maybe try and find a different spot.But nobody sayed anythink about show cars.It was just asked where to lift typical cars,for fast and easy raising of a vehicle or that is what i got out of the question.Most cars like 123,124,126,129 the diffs are made out of cast iron,so they are reallly sturdy and they weigh about 50lbs.So they are strong enough to withstand the weight of the vehicle.