Like C230 said, I use the diff if I need to jack the whole rear end at once. For just one side, I use the lower control arm. All of C230's safety tips are good ones when jacking with the diff!

Works like a charm!

 

$22 pads from autozone huh........ don't tell that to the car in front of you!

btw...hospital and insurance costs when u rear end somebody will make that $22 seem like only pennies!

 

I have used the rear diff. Sturdy piece in my opinion.

E

 

so what is the consensus on here? is it safe to use the differential as a jacking point for the rear or better to use the control arm? ive been reading and some people say its fine and others say it puts too much stress on it.

 

The owner's manual says you can use the rear diff, so they (Mercedes) must know a thing or two. I use it all the time when lifting the rear of the car up.

 

do you jack it on the actual diff and not the heat sink? i would imagine the heat sink crumbling if you were to jack it on that.

another thing i just went to jack up my car today and boy was the under engine carriage point far deep in there... my jack couldnt even reach... i just ended up putting a block of wood on the side skirt pads and jacking it up from there... experimented with not putting a block of wood there and now i regret it.. the jack dented the seemingly dense rubber pads in.

 

hey ctc230k, ive got 15k miles on my 22$ pads on my heavily modified c350 which i drive very spiritedly in the mountains, ie ever heard of the dragons tail,,,and the pads have worked flawlessly and with minimal dust vs stock.
oops, i may have contributed something.

 

Theres two under each rocker panel, black things, take a look they aren't exactly hidden.

 

As long as this thread's being resurrected, I might as well get some use out of it.

Why is the car sitting on the tips of the jack stand bracket? I always put the jack stands so they carry the weight of the car on the middle of the V. (Basically 90 degress from the position shown and holding up the car by the inside rail. Did I miss something?

 

yo, everyone chill and read my post # 15, im board certified in internal medicine, im not stupid, but i think i deserve to ask a question once in a while. the pix were great.

 

I'm getting ready to start servicing my C230K and found this thread. That lead me to look at Reverse Logic's jack and jack stand pads. I emailed them and asked a bunch of NOOB questions (since that's what NOOBs do - I have to play the part) and he told me that it is "not considered best practice to put the car on four jack stands".

Does anybody have a reason for that? Is it because of the possibility that it could fall off?! It seems pretty silly to me, but then I haven't jacked up my car yet!

Thanks!

 

Yup, not best practice because it's not the safest thing to do (i.e. if there's an earthquake, or someone pushes hard, etc., there's a good chance the car will fall off them). Better practice is to leave one end on the ground while the other end is up.

That must have been by the Harris Ranch. I don't envy you having to get out of the car thru there - sometimes the smell is so strong I think some weaker folks might pass out (seriously!). If you're a red meat eater, excellent steaks/burgers, etc. there. One of the top 5 best steaks I've ever eaten was at the Harris Ranch.

 

Re: earthquakes
That seems like an unlikely eventuality in most parts of the country and pushing the car over seems more unlikely, but not much though I will admit that I would more comfortable with a three point support... I guess I'll see when I finally jack 'er up!

Re: read meat
Sounds great! Wish I could go there!

Thanks for the reply!

 

i wouldn't lift more than two wheels up at a time... even when i do this, i leave a jack in the center just as another safety precaution.

 

Are you using the pads already? I purchased them from Reverse Logic and will be receiving them this week sometime. I went through quite of bit of deliberation and ended up getting those. I too would be nervous getting under a car that were on the edges of the stand points above.

 

the pads are awesome.. ive had it for over a year and it works great.

 

I don't have them (yet). I may just get the jack stand pads - jack the car up from the front jack point, put stands under the front side points and jack up the rear from the diff. I don't know where I would put stands in the rear yet - I've never jacked the thing up yet! (what a NOOB!)

I was interested in their lug bolt guides, but it looked like MB gives you one in the tool kit (of course the PO either kept it or lost it). His stuff does look really good.

 

Hi, mlg:

Glad to learn that there seem to be ceramic brake pads which work at a rock bottom budget. Thanks for the info.

I presume it might have not been difficult for you to find, evaluate, and select these pads since the process must be very similar to the search and evaluation of generic drugs vs specific original brand names. Keep it up MD, and loosen up that a cocky attitude which conflicts with the Hippocratic oath... Incidentally, Internal Medicine refers to prescribing and using suppositories, or it gets bigger?

Cheers,

 

Nice "mbarrad". I needed this level of detail, pictures, & your notes so I don't kill my car or damage my expensive self - or reverse that! ;-) Thanks (years later!)

 

 

All these years later, still have the car and I'm getting to do #2 starter.
And I learned the 1st time it's good to have lots and lots of room under the car, so jacked up high.
Now, yes. I've jacked my car up many times. but still came to consult the best practices on jack points since
I want to put it up on stands, and I learned the hard way to be careful where on the front
suspension you put a jack, I popped one of those dohickeys (rubber donut on end of suspension arm) once, and it's never been replaced.
My jack pads are all mush and the center one is completely gone. (Part number?)
I don't want to get crushed, and really wishing I had taken advantage of the
place that used to be in Santa Clara with lifts for rent, but no matter they went out of business and I've moved.
But man, I did a tranny service there once and it was like the Hilton for autocare!
So, kicking myself I didn't do the starter since it was making wierd noises anyway.
And now, I'm got the car up with the left front jack point and wondering, where to put the 1st jack stand?
I guess the back. I'm thinking now, perhaps better to just drop it back down, jack up the rear put,
some ramps under the rear wheels, jacks stands on both sides, and then jack up front.
From the sides. But that still leaves the question where to put the stands!?
Well, I guess I'll see what happens. I even purchased a new jack for the occasion.
It's a 'racing' jack, but still not low enough to get under my lowered front without 1st raising it.
Well, here goes.
(a little but later)
So, really liking the new jack, so put the front wheel back on, got the rear diff up high, ramps under the tires and jackstands in places,
and just going to stop for today.
I'm looking at my age old jack stands, they don't have pins or anything, just these cogs, cheap
Kragen junk from years ago and thinking perhaps it's time for a newer sturdier set.
Odd but I do recall having some nice ones in a previous life, and no idea
what happened to them that had pin only. That seems like a better setup to me
vs cog style only. Do I really want to trust that the cogs won't slip?
Mmm...no. Though I have for years. I'm thinking time to upgrade.

(Just a little but later...again!)
Ok, so I'm surprised, most of the stand sold have no pin of any kind.
"Ratcheting" jack stands.
And this kit here used to sell for $20! (OK 20 years ago)
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...ck+stand&pos=4
Inflation baby!
These here do have pins ($70 on sale!? Wow)
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...ck+stand&pos=1

 

OK, so project on hold. I don't trust my old crappy ratchet jack stands.
I want ones with locks!
Oreily wants $70 for 2, but got 'em for 26 on Amazon.
Ordered 2 Sets of 2, double locking!!!

I also ordered 4 jack stand adapters

Then since all my jack point are completely hosed I ordered a set of 4
https://www.ebay.com/itm/325517816077
aftermarket 2039970186 from a seller on ebay, who is in the USA with great feedback.
They were on Amazon, said shipping from US but seller was in China, and
also Ebay had them for 5 bucks less supposedly in USA but again seller was in China, little feedback.
Also ordered the one that goes under the engine from a dealer- 0029976186 about 10 bucks
And lastly I ordered a jack pad to mate with the new jack points.
They have aluminum ones but I went with a rubber once since my jack surface is solid metal and maybe this won't be inclined to slip.
I went with the 1.5 Ton Aluminum Racing Torin brand on ebay.
I actually wish I had bought the 2 ton, but it was too late to cancel.
This should be fine, Way more robust than the super crappy Kragen special I have now.

So, while all those years ago, this may have seemed like a stupid question,
I think it's important to remember to make sure you are safe before you climb under your car trusting
your life on some potentially cheap and unsafe jacks or jackstands and to make sure everything is secure before you
go under that car. That would be a crappy way to die!
I will feel much sater once all this stuff is installed, and there no (or greatly reduced)
chance of slipage or issues with the jack stands.
THE END! (or rather the beggining of the starter project)z W203 W209 W211 R171 2039970186
4PCS Rubber Jack Lift Pad FOR Mercedes Benz W203 W209 W211 R171 2039970186

 

Oops. Somehow posted twice!R171 2039970186

 

It seems that the longer they are here, the more they are a Ahole. I guess they don't remember when they were new.