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First time jacking a vehicle from the middle of the car....all because of how Mercedes set up these stupid jacking points with nowhere to set a jack and stands. Anyway, I positioned the jack on that middle bar that goes from one side to the other in the middle of the wheel. The problem is the jack starts to slip forward off the truck once I reach a certain height (wheels barely leaving the ground, but not enough to remove them). Basically the jack doesn't seem to be rolling as the truck is lifting. The wheels of the jack move perfectly fine and there is no debris on the road (asphalt). I tried putting a piece of 2x4 on the jack (I dont know if that would actually help) but the notches on the jack started digging in the 2x4 and the 2x4 started tilting a lot. Any solutions?
What's wrong with the jack points molded into the frame rails behind the front tires and in front of the rear tires? They work for about everything I've needed to do on mine.
I was just outside working on my W204 with the front end off the ground. Mine is so low I drive it up on wooden ramps i made just to be able to fit the floor jack under it. Also its gravel not paved. So the floor jack doesnt move at all.
If you have to pump up your floor jack so much before it finally reaches the jacking point maybe get a truck/suv jack. I have one from when I owned a Grand Cherokee. It has an adapter.
I helped a neighbor do his ball joints in his Wrangler last summer and we ended up putting some blocks of wood, like 4x6's lined up and put my big 3 ton floor jack on it then raised the front end. But to note at no time were we working under the car.
I have 2 floor jacks, 4 jack stands and 4 wooden ramps. The ramps are low enough I can fit them under the sides of the car and drive all 4 wheels up. If I need the front higher ill jack from the front middle jacking point then put the jack stands on the side jacking points. But I have yet to do a job where i need to be under the car WITH the wheels off. I plan on doing my transmission pan and fluid and when I do im driving it up the ramps, jack it up from the middle jacking point in the front then raise it enough to fit more planks under the wheels. For the rear ill use my two floor jacks and jack it up from the side jacking points then put more wood planks under the wheels then lower it.
I use scrap pieces of that white composite trim from Lowes, its made of a plastic it seems, it soft so it forms to the jack but doesnt split. Ill put that on my floor jack to make a cushion.
Thanks for the insight. I got a different piece of 2x4 and the jack didn't start sinking into it and it kept contact with the truck, so everything jacked up fine. Thanks for the point on the extension, I actually have that and forgot about it...I'll remember for next time.
06-01-2024, 01:49 PM
