Hi all,

Wondering what the proper procedure & equipment is for jacking up our W221s at home. I'd like to take the wheels off for cleaning and do some brake work.

I've read about the lift point in the front and lifting by the diff in the rear.

I have purchased a low profile 3 ton esco trolley jack, what kind of jack stands are recommended? It looks like my jackpads are somewhat mangled...

thanks

 

Mercedes have new, improved hard plastic jack sockets for W221, which are easy to install when you remove the current mess.

 

never try and lift a modern car using anything but the sill based jacking points (as shown in the manual) jacking by the diff only applied to prehistoric cars with a live cart axle - and few cars today have a front subframe giving a centralised jacking point either

 

Thanks Botus. I have both the original manual, and the WIS.... nothing that really helps with the proceedure of using a floorjack. WIS only says "lift with floorjack". Not sure how you are supposed to set on jackstands if you are using the trolley jack to lift by the pads...

Found this thread which is where I got the idea for the front cross member pad and rear diff: https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...-points-3.html

I guess I will try finding a jackstand with a rectangular lift point that fits into the slots.

 

the jack points on the car is the area they designed to have the strength to cope - and no wires, fuel or brake lines routed to get squashed... the bits u show all manged are fine - indeed as they are plastic any scratches won't rust - but if the animals that worked in it replaced the soft pad their jack came with it would still look like new !

 

OP place a square of 2X4” on the pad the jack lifts with. Set this right under the jack point and it will go up safely enough.

If if you can manage it.... A hoist is far and away preferred.

 

I replaced those with the ones from the W220.

 

Do yourself a favor and get some of these. I had mine made at a machine shop and costed me a pretty penny but Amazon sells similar for cheap.

 

Those look great! Where do you place your jack under the car to raise the front/back? Assume you put those pieces on top of a flat pad jack stand?


Saw this just past the plastic cover under the front of the car.... sure looks like a jacking point!

 

Yes that is the correct jacking point for the front. As far as the rear, there is none from the factory so you will have to use the differential unfortunately. The ones I posted, go on your side jacking points but I would definitely swap yours for new ones. Those look shot. New ones are about $16 each from the dealer.

 

I replaced mine with Vaico...no problem after three years of use. I've used the differential in the rear for a jack point in the past with no issues.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...=12620&jsn=501

 

Get yourself some jackstands that let you jack from the same point.

 

These seem to be sold out everywhere.... we're you able to also source the lifting pads?

ps. That is a clean looking wheel!!

 

I got these years ago and the Mercedes pads are sold separately.

 

these pads are meant to be this shape so they lock in and lift the car on the bottom edge https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383344256766?

 

PLANGER® - Daimnd Pad Flat - Rubber Jack Pad for Mercedes Benz (Special CAR Brands from Germany) Trolley Jack, Vehicle Lift and Axle Stand - Protects Your Car, SUV https://a.co/d/geSND99


Just bought these for my 2012 w221 s550 beauty and they fit the underside jack pad like a glove! PERFECT fit!!

Ok, I'm on my phone so linking to Amazon seems jacked up. I'll fix it when I get home

 

not sure about your link - but that product name comes up with the right part at a sensible cost

 

Thanks BOTUS. Yes, I thought they were priced sensible as well to keep from destroying the on-car jacking pad as noted above. These "lock in place" just like the ones you posted but for us availabe state side.

 

best money spent! Fits like a glove! No more deformed/destroyed rubber jacking inserts

 

I was going to buy some new jacking pads to replace the smooshed ones under my car until I took my car for its yearly state inspection and noticed the gas station worker shoving his floor jack under there and smooshing it even more. Guess im lucky he didnt crush the side skirts.

My C300 is so low i have to drive the car up on wood boards just to fit my floor jack under. The good thing about this is if the floor jack fails and the wheels are off the car wont end up on the ground, its still held by the floor jack in regular position.

if i need to work under the car, working on the exhaust or changing diff fluid ill drive it up on wooden ramps i made out of stacked up scaffold planks so its still sitting on the wheels. If i need more room under there ill jack it up even more and place more wood planks under the wheels and set it back down.

Jacking the entire front is easy with the front middle jacking point in the front subframe, still i need to drive the front on ramps to even slide my floor jack under. Then jack it and put my jack stands under the front side jacking points.

I have yet to use the rear diff as a jacking point. Ive worked on the suspension in the rear with both wheels off, so i can spin the wheels/axle. Ill back the car on my wood ramps then a floor jack under each rear side jacking point and raise them evenly. I shove wood blocks under neath the arms of the floor jacks so if they fail the wood blocks prevent the arms from going down.

Plus i have a lot of spare wood timbers, various 8x8, 12x12s ill place under the car at various areas so hopefully the car cant ever fall on me. Ill even slide the wheels under the sides as triple insurance. But i hardly ever go under neath it.

 

on cars with independent rear suspension - the diff is not designed to take the abuse of jacking up the car - the diff casing only has to hold the gears together - not take vehicle weight - AND the sub-frame (at this point) is there to hold the diff, not take the vehicle weight

the 221 is a heavy thing and goodness knows what a mess up of the rear end you could achieve trying - I have never lifted a car with IRS like that in 40 years

 

part numbers?

 

@botus, my CL is on my QuckJack right now. I'm never certain where to put the backup jack stands for the rear. Any suggestion? The control arms accessible look too flimsy to support the weight of the car, and the subframe point is too far inward to be good.

As for the question about part number for the real MB adapter....

203589023100

 

yep, not many sensible places - I always struggle too - we call them axle stands - and you use mostly to help in case a jack fails, or with both the jack and the axle stand bearing the weight - if fighting bolts that don't want to come undone

I forget - are there massive subframe mounts in front of the rear wheel.... they always seem to look good but then there's usually something in the way - like my jack

on the front I put the on the inner elements of the track control arm (under the mounting bolt)

of course if you try on a suspension arm - the suspension gives and we must also remember on air suspension if the bag gives up, or a pipe gets snagged that could be super dangerous, not only could it come down quick, but the massive movement might get things all wobbly

on the back I don't really like it - and I tend to have them to at least do something in an emergency situation and rely on the trolley jack to take the strain - I looked at those outer hidden bushes the other day and gave up trying at home to much to undo and not enough room... I wasn't going to get my head under there coz I couldn't find a sensible place for the axle stand (made worse as its all the stuff I needed to undo

 

Find part numbers here

https://nemigaparts.com/cat_spares/