Okay, I just bought some jackstands for varoius projects and I have a question. Since, like most of you I only have one jack, can I use it on, say the left front side, put the jackstand in place, lower the car onto the jackstand and then repeat on the right side? It seems obvious, since this is the only way to do it with the MB jack, but I'd rather make sure before I drop a car on my head. Thanks for any and all help.
Justin

The jack supplied just does not seem all that safe to me for doing what you say you are going to do. Floorjacks are not that expensive ($30-$50-and up) and you don't have to get the superduper 5 ton type. A nice 2 -2 1/2 ton, preferably with a big dish, should do nicely. After all, its your brain that is going to be under all of that steel, and it will squish rather easyly under that kind of weight.
-Larry

If I do buy a floorjack, is there a central support point that it can be used on? My car is a 1987 560SEL, and the only support points that I am aware of are where I would be putting the jackstands.
Justin

Justin . ..I have yet to see any ' dumb ' questions on this forum just buckets and buckets of good sound advice and it's good and safe that you ask. Your 560SEL is one big car, weighing in at a kerb weight of about 1750 Kgs I think. I believe you would be well served by investing in a good 2 or 3 tonne capacity trolley jack and axle stands. I can lift my 500SEL using a trolley jack positioned under the jack point in the centre of the front cross member then placing the axle stands under the rubber lift points just aft of the forward wheel arches. I then lower the jack and keep it in position with the axle stands taking the bulk of the weight. Chock the rear wheels and leave the box in the park position. Then, and only then, is it safe to venture under your leviathan of a car ! The jack in the boot ( read trunk ! ) is solely designed to help you change tyres !

Thanks Andy. I guess I'll be making one more trip to Grand Auto! Safety is, of course important to me...I bought the 6 ton capacity jackstands just to be on the safe side!
Justin

Justin, never use the OEM emergency jack to lift more than one corner of the car, such as when changing a flat. That jack is not designed to lift the entire weight of the front end. It will fail with possible dire consequences. Use the floor jack, but make sure you get one that will fit under the car w/o hitting anything. You can safely jack at the front crossmember under the engine.

__________________
Jeff Lawrence
1989 300e
2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE
No matter what you fix, there will always be something else to fix..
"Warranty" is just another way of postponing the inevitable.

and putting the trans in park, use the emergency brake. Relying on the trans to hold the car, puts unneccessary strain on the fork, and besides that there is alaways a little play before it engages anyway.
-Larry

I follow the Larry Bible technique of giving the car a good hard shove from both sides before I get under it to see if it will fall off the stands.

Even with the car on stands, I will not do serious work underneath without the wheels/tires on the car. That way I figure that I will only be badly injured as opposed to killed if something goes wrong.

My dream is to have a garage with enough height for a proper lift.

Chuck

When I jack up my car, I jack it up with a floorjack. I have had a factory jack break before on another benz we had. Since then, the factory jack stays int he trunk where it belongs unless I geta flat on the road, in which case its still staying in the trunk as I don't have the lugs or lug wrench for the stock 15 hole spare. So I'd be calling AAA regardless.

I place the jack under the car jacking it up then I place the jack stand underneath, car is in park with Parking brake on, I lower the car onto the jack stand, jack up the other side and do the same if I want both sides up.

I then rock the car to see if it is stable if not, I redo it until I get it stable.

I also leave the floor jack extended with slight pressure on the side of the car I am under. if the jack stand on that side falls, the floor jack will still be there holding the car up on that side of the car. and when I think about it, even if the other one falls, I wouldn't be under that side and would probably not be hurt too badly considering I try to be as cautious as I can.

Sometimes I will grab the spare tire out of the trunk and place it under the other side just as an extra safety precaution., so if the car were to fall, hopefully that wheel will keep it high enough off of me to not get crushed.

I really want a pit in the garage floor that way I don't need a lift hehe. just climb into the pit and break out the light to see everything.

Alon

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'92 300CE - Sold
2004 C240 - 744 - C7 Wheels - Android Radio
2002 C320 - 816 - Sport Wagon

Justin,
This is the best advice I've ever heard given. I once had a '76 Lincoln Continental Coupe fall off of a horse while I was 1/4 of the way under the car. Needless to say, "didn't think I could move that fast while laying on my back and DEFINITELY don't have morons leaning on the car while you're underneath". Please be extra careful and safe!

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Richie
1986 300E

I always carry a small, inexpensive floor jack in my trunk. It fits perfectly in the side trunk well of my '90 CE. I despise the factory jack! I also have a higher quality, larger floor jack along with 3 sets of jack stands (different heights) at home for repairs.


Scott P.
'90 300CE
'86 560SEC
'96 E320