Jack Points W115 220 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Coastal220 · #1 03-23-2013, 12:21 AM

I got in a conversation over this with a friend today. If I wanted to pull all 4 wheels and leave the car on stands for any length of time, how would you do it? Some people have used bolts or rod sticking out of the original jack holes -- which I'm not crazy about but they should be okay if not rusted I guess. Is the default location a stand at these locations but not utilizing the original hole?

What are your preferences? Are you all picking up the rear of the car at once by the differential? Any problems leaving the control arms unsupported? Luckily my 220 isn't a rust bucket but I still don't like those factory locations...

Coastal220 · #2 03-23-2013, 10:54 AM

Interesting that out of 50 views there are no responses -- yet so many ways to jack up a car...

Based on the title you must have all been hoping that I dropped the car on myself, only to enter the post and discover it is just an ordinary question.
Next time I'll stage a photograph with my legs sticking out from under the engine next to a pool of ATF mixed with ketchup.

Cheers

Mike D · #3 03-23-2013, 11:12 AM

I've always used stands either under the control arms or the lift flanges. The jack ports aren't really designed to bear the car's entire weight.

What type of trans fluid? As you well know, any type other than type "F" will fail to perform to the original specifications.

Coastal220 · #4 03-23-2013, 11:49 AM

Mike, Definitely Type F -- it's the best for fake blood. Heinz ketchup, of course.

Thoughts on raising the rear with the differential? I know there is some controversy on this, but I like the idea. Bad choice for a W115 or is this okay?

Coastal220 · #5 03-24-2013, 01:34 PM

Anyone?

Jacking a W115 up from the differential?

Adv_rider · #6 03-24-2013, 02:05 PM

Maybe a lot of people were expecting to learn about it.... And not that it was a question.... Since the lack of "?"!

Coastal220 · #7 03-24-2013, 02:45 PM

Interesting theory. But how do you explain the responses to your post entitled: M117 986 1977 & timing chain

No question mark there... perhaps those who responded actually read your post. This is certainly what I was expecting.

JimFreeh · #8 03-24-2013, 02:52 PM

On my W114 chassis, I place the jack stands on the "frame" just to the rear of the front suspension, and place a pair of stands under the rear control arms.

This allows the stands to adjust to any floor irregularity, if the floor is off level.

Jim

Adv_rider · #9 03-24-2013, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coastal220

Interesting theory. But how do you explain the responses to your post entitled: M117 986 1977 & timing chain

No question mark there... perhaps those who responded actually read your post. This is certainly what I was expecting.

You're being picky

To be honest, I don't have a good answer for your question and always wonder what would be the best place.

Shortsguy1 · #10 03-24-2013, 11:18 PM

Recently, I use the MB jack in the jack hole to raise that part of the car, and then put a jack stand underneath the jack hole where the tube sort of bulges down. Another site suggests you use cut pieces of radiator hose between the stands and the car to protect the car and prevent any sliding. I just go around the car one by one. It is slow, but I feel pretty secure about the car afterwards. On the front, I have never felt good about the control arms because I cannot find a place that seems flat enough.

I have used the diff to jack the car which seemed fine to me. Not sure what the problem could be. But my driveway isn't flat, so it didn't raise both sides of the car the same. So it wasn't has helpful as I would have liked.

If I recall, there is also a cross member below the engine which looked super burly to me. I lifted the car there once too, with no negative consequences. But I have yet to zero in on any one plan that seems best. Good luck.

alabbasi · #11 03-25-2013, 12:17 AM

Safest way to jack one up is to put it on ramps. It's a W115, the bottom 6 inches is only held together by the underseal that was applied by the factory. There is no floor

Coastal220 · #12 03-25-2013, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alabbasi

Safest way to jack one up is to put it on ramps. It's a W115, the bottom 6 inches is only held together by the underseal that was applied by the factory. There is no floor

Hahaha... I like to think of the W115 pans as lending themselves to easy trapdoor applications.

I've built some interlocking wood cribs and blocks to raise things up when the wheels are still on it, but really I was looking for reliable solutions to keeping things stable without any wheels... I think I'll make an adapter for each set of cribs to support the control arms or maybe underneath the factory jack locations if this proves easier.

Coastal220 · #13 03-25-2013, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shortsguy1

Recently, I use the MB jack in the jack hole to raise that part of the car, and then put a jack stand underneath the jack hole where the tube sort of bulges down. Another site suggests you use cut pieces of radiator hose between the stands and the car to protect the car and prevent any sliding. I just go around the car one by one. It is slow, but I feel pretty secure about the car afterwards. On the front, I have never felt good about the control arms because I cannot find a place that seems flat enough.

I have used the diff to jack the car which seemed fine to me. Not sure what the problem could be. But my driveway isn't flat, so it didn't raise both sides of the car the same. So it wasn't has helpful as I would have liked.

If I recall, there is also a cross member below the engine which looked super burly to me. I lifted the car there once too, with no negative consequences. But I have yet to zero in on any one plan that seems best. Good luck.

Thanks for this, I appreciate your thoughts.

The issue with jacking up from the differential has to do with rubber mounts that MB differentials are sometimes mounted to, and the risk of damaging them. See this thread for a bit of conversation regarding the problem. I'm not sure if I need to worry about this with my W115 so I was hoping someone might chime in.

JimFreeh · #14 03-25-2013, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coastal220

Thanks for this, I appreciate your thoughts.

The issue with jacking up from the differential has to do with rubber mounts that MB differentials are sometimes mounted to, and the risk of damaging them. See this thread for a bit of conversation regarding the problem. I'm not sure if I need to worry about this with my W115 so I was hoping someone might chime in.

Jacking the car at the rear by the dif is an accepted means of raising the car.

The diff mount is the same on the W114, W115, W123, W107, W126 cars up to 1985.

I've owned many of these cars over the last thirty years, and so has my extended family. I have never seen an instance where damage was caused due to jacking on the dif.

Regards to placement, I like to use a pair on the "frame" and a pair under the suspension, as it's unlikely that you will raising the car on a surface that is perfectly flat. If you use the "frame" for all 4 jackpoints, the car will a tendency to rock on the stands and one of the jackstands will be supporting much less than 25% of the weight. This introduces an element of instability to the setup.

I also give the car several hard shoves from front to back and side to side to give me confidence that the jackstands are going to shift once I am under the car.

If you are not working on the wheels and they are remaining on the car, the ramps will work. Jack up the end of the car and place the ramps under the tires in opposite directions, one facing forward, the other aft. Very secure means of supporting the car.

Be safe,

Jim