...don't understand what the concern is about lifting the axle.

For the 30 years I've owned my 190E 2.6 I've been using a small floor jack to lift the front at the center of the front cross member, then place jackstands under the front frame rail lift pads. At the rear I lift the axle, then place jackstands on the rear frame rail lift pads. For both front and rear I use a 2x4 block on the jack puck and have never dented the front cross member or left a scratch on the axle.

Duke