I need to lift up the front of my car (a 1988 300SEL). For the life of me, I can't find any documentation about a safe location to lift (using a hydraulic floor jack).

Anyone have any idea?

I know what you mean. I have a 95 S600, and I always use the spare tire jack to lift the car, then place a jack stand under the rubber snubber directly inside the jack lift hole. I can't get my floor jack under the car, and even if I could, I would place the floor jack under that rubber snubber. Then I have no safe place I know of for the jack stand. It's tedious, but at least I know I'm not damaging anything. If there's anything I hate, it's split body seams from poor jack placement.

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1995 S600, 1 of 618 (sold)

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Remove the sound encapsulation panel from under the engine and jack up on the crossmember between engine and transmission. Make SURE you don't lift on the oil pan or catch the steering linkage!

On the W126 you can also lift one side by putting the jack under the outer end of the control arm also. You cannot do this on the W124 and later models as the jack slips on the control arm.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

If your jack is too short to reach that crossmember and still have room to pump the handle (I'm talking from the front of the car), you can drive up on a couple of short 2 by 8s, or anything to get the front tires a little off the ground, and gain enough room for the jack handle to have room to pump. You put the jack right in the middle of the crossmember, take it up as far as you want, then put jack stands on both outer edges of the crossmember. Of course if you don't need the space you can leave the jack in place as well.

I'd recommend using a small block of wood on the jack saddle to distribute the weight evenly. Make sure it makes full contact on crossmember (i.e. not the drain holes, if yours has them), otherwise you run the risk of possibly denting or bending the frame.

psfred's suggestion is good. Sometimes I use a floor jack/ spare tire jack combo and walk up both sides to prevent extreme twisting of the body.

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63 220S W111
76 300D W115
2013 VW JSW TDI M6

previously-
73 280 SEL 4.5
86 300E 5 speed
2010 VW Jetta TDI M6

Peter,

Is this the gravel protection panel you're talking about? I have read about this a few times on a w126; but mine does not have it - neither on the online part places. What say ya ?

Frank.

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'86 560SEL | Silver Ext. / Blue Int. | 201K miles (Apr. 05) | 204K miles (Feb. 06)

You wont find it online because that is like saying I couldnt find a steering wheel for my car on fastlane. The sound encapsulation panel or gravel vector re-motivator is included with the purchase price of every new 126. Perhaps you can find another one in a junkyard.
They are held on by 4 8mm hex screws.

__________________
63 220S W111
76 300D W115
2013 VW JSW TDI M6

previously-
73 280 SEL 4.5
86 300E 5 speed
2010 VW Jetta TDI M6

Thanks Josh!

__________________
'86 560SEL | Silver Ext. / Blue Int. | 201K miles (Apr. 05) | 204K miles (Feb. 06)

On my 97 C230 I use a floor jack positioned under the rubber frame pad > jack up one side of the car and place a jackstand under the box frame [with a piece of plywood as a insulator [wood on metal vs metal on metal] >> then I repeat the process on the other side... not quite as elegant as a single lifting point > but you can't really get to a single lifting point with the under-engine splash panel in place