W123 where I place my jack stands on the car - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

dmorrison · #1 11-23-2007, 01:29 PM

blankenship PMed me about where I place the jack stands while working on the car.
I have the 6 ton and 12 ton jack stands from Harbor Freight as well as the long reach jack that can raise the car up to 33 inches off the ground. Right now the 300D is up on the jackstands. So here are the locations I place them.
The front are under the box frames that are under the driver and passengers feet. The rears are under the subframe mounts. When working on the subframes I place them under the trailing arms.
I jack the car using the front cross member under the engine and either the differential or subframe point in the rear.

Dave

PS These locations are the same for all W123's. The sedan, coupe or wagon.

TheDon · #2 11-23-2007, 01:31 PM

I guess you don't have any 2x4 scraps laying around. I prefer to do the same as you but with wood shims between the jack stand and car

JimmyL · #3 11-23-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

I guess you don't have any 2x4 scraps laying around. I prefer to do the same as you but with wood shims between the jack stand and car

I like the protection also of the wood between the stand and the frame insulation, but I had a piece of 2x4 split one time, and that pretty much ended that practice.

dmorrison · #4 11-23-2007, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

I guess you don't have any 2x4 scraps laying around. I prefer to do the same as you but with wood shims between the jack stand and car

Full woodworking shop. So I do. But I choose not to install them. I place the car on the jack stands and give it a shake to make sure that all 4 stands are positioned evenly. I feel a 2X4 would provide "slop" in the jack points and could allow the car to move or tilt. I guess some hard rubber in a pad shape would be useful.
If you choose to use the 2X4's I could see doing that. I just have never done it.

Dave

blankenship · #5 11-23-2007, 01:53 PM

Thanks Dave-
I've kind of struggled with the placement of my 'notched' stands in the rear. As far as padding/buffer, maybe the thing to do is get THESEfor the Harbor Freight stands...

Brian Carlton · #6 11-23-2007, 01:59 PM

You both are correct.

I'd desirable to have a block of wood between the stand and the vehicle so that the contact point is larger. A typical jack stand such as the one Dave is using will cause localized damage to the sheet metal. Not a big issue, but, it's a point where rust will begin, if given half a chance.

However, wood on top of such a stand is dangerous. The platform on top of the stand is insufficient to support a block of wood and it's quite easy to split it in half.

The final solution involves finding a jackstand with a nearly flat top. I found a set of aluminum stands with just a slight depression and I had the machinist turn that flat. So, I've got a platform of about 2" x 2" that will safely support a 2" x 4" and won't run the risk of splitting it in half.

These stands are available at various outlets and I like them quite a bit.

dmorrison · #7 11-23-2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blankenship

Thanks Dave-
I've kind of struggled with the placement of my 'notched' stands in the rear. As far as padding/buffer, maybe the thing to do is get THESEfor the Harbor Freight stands...

I've seen those, wish they had them for the 12 ton stands.

Dave

Jeremy5848 · #8 11-23-2007, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

I like the protection also of the wood between the stand and the frame insulation, but I had a piece of 2x4 split one time, and that pretty much ended that practice.

I use small pieces of plywood to "cushion" the stands -- doesn't split -- and put my jack stands under the jacking points, while using the factory jack to raise the car.

blankenship · #9 11-26-2007, 02:30 PM

well, i went over to Harbor Freight on Friday and got a couple of the 6 TON stands for $19.99 and a pair of the rubber pads for $8, and popped 'em under the subframe mounts.

Seems very sturdy...like a really good 'plywood and damage-free" solution for those having "knotched" stands.

jnc19610 · #10 11-26-2007, 03:38 PM

I have hockey pucks for this purpose. They conform to the irregular surfaces.

On my Merkurs, I didn't use a pad, and over time, the unibody 'frame rails', were nicely smashed (as in not nicely crushed) by repeated lifting.

SirNik84 · #11 11-26-2007, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnc19610

On my Merkurs, I didn't use a pad, and over time, the unibody 'frame rails', were nicely smashed (as in not nicely crushed) by repeated lifting.

I've got this kind of damage on my SD. I'm thinking of welding in a section of C channel to cup over the frame rails.. that should solve that, and i should be able to jack on it all day long.