I have a floor jack that I much prefer to use over the factory jack in my '88 190. I have no problem using it in the front, as there's a nice spot of frame available for that purpose. In the rear, however, I'm not sure where to jack w/o causing damage. I had to have some rust taken care of in the rockers (around the factory jack points, as a matter of fact) and thus there is some bondo and fiberglass in addition to new metal that has been welded in. I am hesitant to jack in those areas for obvious reasons! Just looking, I can't tell what's frame and what's just rocker material.

Any ideas? Many thanks!

Chris

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

There are jacking shoes available to fit in MB jacking holes. A jacking shoe is a post that slips in the jacking hole and terminates in a heavy steel lifting pad. I have a set for my 300D. I don't know how specific they are from model year to model year. You can check with a dealer.

__________________
'78 300D 310K Maple Yellow / Bamboo
'87 300D 81K Barolo Red / Safron (RIP @ 113K)
2003 E320 34K Pewter/Charcoal
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Thanks, Luke. Surely, though, there must be someplace underneath to jack these cars from (???). What do shops do when they want to put one on a high-lift?

Thanks again,

Chris

__________________
1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

My indy happens to use jacking shoes, but he is the exception. He works on Lamborghini and other Italian exotics, and finds my diesel "refreshing". The rocker area under my jack points holds-up to a standard jack head. You had mentioned that you have some body filler on that area of the rocker, so I suggested jack shoes. Do not use the underside of a sub-frame mount. I've seen that done at Pep Boobs and the like. Seems to me you could damage the mount.

__________________
'78 300D 310K Maple Yellow / Bamboo
'87 300D 81K Barolo Red / Safron (RIP @ 113K)
2003 E320 34K Pewter/Charcoal
-------------------------------------

Lamborghinis? I'll bet you get a kick out of dropping off and picking your car up! Thanks for the tip... I just wondered whether there was an actual section of solid frame back near the rear wheels as there is in the front.

Tks,

Chris

__________________
1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

I keep telling him he needs to provide loaner cars.

__________________
'78 300D 310K Maple Yellow / Bamboo
'87 300D 81K Barolo Red / Safron (RIP @ 113K)
2003 E320 34K Pewter/Charcoal
-------------------------------------

Oh, man... you said it!

__________________
1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

The answer to your question about what do the shops do, is they are using a two post lift. The front lift arms go under the subframe horns that turn up below the firewall and they throw the rear arms under there anywhere in front of the rear wheels. There is a beam that runs the rear portion just inside the rocker panels.

That said, that's how they do it in Texas where we have rust free cars. Since your car has rust damage, I think you need to make some shoes or whatever it was that Luke called them. It would be easy enough to simply slide a piece of thickwall pipe of a size that would fit well into the jack tubes. Then pick it up a small distance with those. If you pick it up too far, the pipe might tend to slide out. I don't know how you could go about locking them in position.

On the earlier cars I used to simply lift up the back by the differential center section. Doing that on the later cars, however, will eventually destroy the differential mounts. These mounts are a &(*%_ to change.

Good luck and Merry Christmas,

Thanks, Larry. Glad you stuck around the 'shop! I will indeed fabricate some jacking ears per Luke's suggestion. Much obliged, gentlemen!

Chris

__________________
1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)