floor jack

[kautz500sel85]

I would like to use a floor jack to lift a 1985 500 sel,but
I don't want to break the windscreen or twist the old body.
Please tell me the various lift points.
Thanks,

Front or back? Back you can lift it by the diff in the center. (or from the factory jacking places) If there is an engine cradle you can lift it from the center. If not there should be jack points behind the front wheel arch and in front of the rear wheel arch .(My Benz has little round rubber pads front and rear) You shouldn't have to worry about cracking the windscreen because the factory jack is no different than a floor jack. Don't forget the jackstands!! (my own close encounter!)

Bradley W. Buer
87 190e 2.6

Give Brad a gold star!!! Thanx for the safety tip! How many times do we say, it will be OK this once... or it won't happen to me!

Make sure you have a person who knows how to use a jack and a phone for 911 handy and good luck!

[rickjordan]

The thing that bugs me about using a floor jack is, where the jacking points are is where you're supposed to put the jackstands.

[Ashman]

Well what I generally do is jack up the car by the jacking points, and situate the jack stands in a solid position as close to the jack as possible. I then lower the jack enough for the jackstand to catch, then raise the jack with just enough pressure to take half the load off the jackstand. I then shake the car and try to get it to budge, which of course it never does, I then slide under and away we go.

Rather than pop in the jack stands and remove the jack, I keep it there as an extra safety precaution. Plus it makes it easy to remove the jack stands because I all have to do is lift the car with a few pumps.

Alon

Deezel,

Looks like you have another alternate safety officer in Mr. Buer.

Happy New Year,

1. Park on level surface.

2. Emergency brake on, fully!

3. Chock block the wheel, any old 2X4 will do, just make sure both wheels are blocked to avoid movement and rolling when jacking.

4. Have jack stands at the ready before jacking, on either side of the car if you are lifting one end.

5. Find the lift point and have a old piece of wood to put on the jack surface (to avoid any damage to the body) if you can start pumping.

6. Adjust stands and put under the frame or other jacking point. You want to put the stand in a place to give the car the most stable resting position, towards the side of the vehicle.

7. As Ashman said, lower the jack until there is pressure on the stands and you are sure they can fully support the weight in case of accident. I usually lower the vehicle fully onto the stands and then lift the jack again to take some of the load.

8. When finished working on the car, take some time to do a thorough inspection of your work area and the rest of the undercarriage, you will be surprised at the unexpected things you may find under there for your next weekend!


Happy New Years.