Stupid Question
 

I've recently inherited my first floor jack. I want to use it tomorrow to change the wheels on my E500. What's the best way to use the floor jack? Should I jack up one wheel at a time by placing it under the regular jack point or is there a central place where I can safely jack up the whole front/rear end at a time?

I've always used a regular spare-tire kind of jack in the past.

I use the jackpoints and back up the floor jack with stands one side at a time.

I was going to post something, but when I saw your avatar I lost my train of thought.:shocked2:

See what you did!??? Now you have to tell him where to place the jackstands!!! :D

The jack points are kind of soft and squishy. Kinda like they weren't designed to support the weight of the car. Funny how MB doesn't talk about where to put a floor jack in their owners manual. I wish I knew for sure where to support the cars weight with my floor jack.

Mark, place the floor jack under the jack pads and raise one wheel at a time. Or, jack under the front cross member to raise the entire front end, and under the differential to raise both rear wheels simultaneously. I place a hockey puck in the lifting "cup" of my floor jack so that I get full contact with the car's lift points.

That's a good idea Ferd.

Aren't the lifting pads designed to work with the lift holes in the side of the car? Most of the weight of the car should be supported by those holes if done proper I guess. Pity we don't have an attachment of some type that would fit our jacks and utilize the MB lift holes.

The jack/lift pads are under the car in line with the jack holes for the car jack. They are ideal for lifting the car with a floor jack. Why would you ever want to use a floor jack adapter that would fit into the jack holes? If you want to use jack stands under the jack pads then jack up the front end under the front cross member and the back end under the differential.

It was just a thought Fred. I am used to vehicles that have dedicated metal jacking points that my floor jack locks into with a non sliding connection.

I am new to MB and my W124 and putting my floor jack on the soft and pliable bumper under the jack hole seems a little unsecured to me. I guess I will get used to it.

If you Google "mercedes jack hole adaptors" you will find a lot of solutions.

:)

bada bing bada boom use an old subframe bushing in the floor jack.:D;)

On my 107 (and should be applicable on the 124) is to place the floor jack under the lower control arm. works great with minimal rise of the vehicle. Ive never had any issues, just be sure to get the jack seated on a good point on the arm.

So, the differential is the appropriate spot for the floor jack if your goal is to get the rear up on jack stands? I considered using another spot on the subframe assembly, but there were no level spots under which to place the jack.

If you have the jack stands at the rear jack points, can you still get the subframe assembly loose? I think it's attached at the front right at those jack points, isn't it?

Bingo.

Are you suggesting that a bingo chip will work if you don't have a hockey puck?

DO NOT pick up a 124 car by placing the floor jack under the differential!!!!!!!

This is fine for a solid rear axle car like a Ford or a Chevy, but the 124 and any other modern Benz has the differential mounted on rubber to the crossmember. Raising the car via the differential damages the rubber differential mounts and they are a B!+C# to replace!