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Senior Leigh on Using the Differential as a Jack Point

Old Jan 20, 2021 | 09:05 PM
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Senior Leigh on Using the Differential as a Jack Point

Another excellent video by Senior Leigh.
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Old Jan 20, 2021 | 10:34 PM
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Thank you @39039 . Your videos are appreciated by the MB community.
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Old Jan 20, 2021 | 10:38 PM
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Originally Posted by chassis
Thank you @39039 . Your videos are appreciated by the MB community.
thank you chassis, ❤️
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Old Jan 20, 2021 | 11:08 PM
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
+1

I've used the diff many times... makes lifting the rear easy. It helps having a low-profile jack to get to it. My two jacks are a Harbor Freight Daytona (original) and an AC Hydraulics DK13HLQ.
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Old Jan 21, 2021 | 02:12 AM
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indeed, my w124's are exactly the same way, but I will suggest, you want some very sturdy and not cheap wobbly jack stands if you're going to do a 4 point stand like this. I put my wife's 124 wagon (1994 E320) on 4 '1.5 ton' cheap stands and I was not at all happy when I was under there mucking about with flexdisks and such. the tubular ones like senior Leigh uses are far superior to the 'Big Red' junk sold at your local car parts store.

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Old Jan 21, 2021 | 09:09 AM
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
Even better are the AC Hydraulic copies by ESCO:
Amazon Amazon

Very stable, with a rubber support pad.

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Old Jan 22, 2021 | 06:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Left Coast Geek
indeed, my w124's are exactly the same way, but I will suggest, you want some very sturdy and not cheap wobbly jack stands if you're going to do a 4 point stand like this. I put my wife's 124 wagon (1994 E320) on 4 '1.5 ton' cheap stands and I was not at all happy when I was under there mucking about with flexdisks and such. the tubular ones like senior Leigh uses are far superior to the 'Big Red' junk sold at your local car parts store.
I feel safest when I use my own DIY wheel stands all 4 , when and if under the car for extended time. Its a copy-cat of one guy design in Utube


This one ...........





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Old Jan 22, 2021 | 08:28 AM
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What have the DIY wheel stands been tested for carrying capacity? Death is a common result of failed lifting equipment. Suggestion is to have them rated at a test laboratory, or replace them with a rated device. Your wife and children will thank you.
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Old Jan 22, 2021 | 04:27 PM
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As has come to be expected, another great video from Senior. I have always assumed that the rear diff is the intended rear lift point. I sure haven't seen any other point in the rear of my E350 that looks anything like a good lift point, except for the jack stand points on the sides.
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Old Jan 22, 2021 | 10:38 PM
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Originally Posted by chassis
What have the DIY wheel stands been tested for carrying capacity? Death is a common result of failed lifting equipment. Suggestion is to have them rated at a test laboratory, or replace them with a rated device. Your wife and children will thank you.
Hi Chassis,
Thanks for the concern and yes, I value safety above all else.
I called it DIY because I spec the material and measurement to my needs and have a workshop do the cutting and welding.
I do not need to do a lab test on it based on its work load which is 1,300 pounds max for the heaviest side, which are: each of the front wheel with me in the car and...... without earthquake.
I know it will do well easily up to 400% of that or 5,200 pounds per DIY unit, based on eccentric loading ( the unfriendly loading )

The steel is ASTM A53 grade B with yield strength 35,000 psi / 240 Mpa. Elastic modulus is 200 Gpa.
I am very cautious when doing lifting or when supporting the lifted object above ground.
Hauling up/down yachts from and to mother vessel and/or shipyard and setting up keel supporting blocks on shipyard, since the 90s have taught me a lot.

4 of these DIY wheel supports combined use, is way stronger than my Quick Jack and safer in a "failure" mode , than the Quick Jack.
I usually use these DIY wheel supports as back-up when using Quick Jack , so if Quick Jack pin/s or latch or hydraulic cylinder failed,
the wheel would still be caught at 18 cm above ground and that means ample ground clearance under the car to prevent a mishaps....touch wood.

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Old Jan 27, 2021 | 07:04 PM
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For those jobs where the wheels are staying on, I use wheel cribs by Race Ramps. Super sturdy and gets my car nice and high.

https://www.raceramps.com/garage-service/cribs/c/cribs/
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Old Feb 1, 2021 | 06:09 PM
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I'm going to be attempting my first transmission service in a couple of months and I've been waffling about lifting on the differential. I have a long reach, low profile jack stand so I'm hoping I can even reach the diff from the rear. Will find out soon enough.
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