R170 Jacking

Benmac

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Hi all,

Apologies if this isn't the best place for this question. I'm not a poster on here really but the site has been very useful with a few issues I've had with my wife's 03 R170 SLK.

Anyway, after neglecting it for a while other than some basic cleaning I've decided to give it a bit of a treat now I've got one of my other projects back on the road.

Basically I want to lift the car up (one corner or end at a time) so I'm wondering about jacking points and where I could place some axle stands. In the 6 years we've had it I've only ever lifted it once before using the toolkit jack when it got a puncture. Obviously though with two fancy trolley jacks in the garage I don't want to be messing about with that again.

I've heard mention of rbber bungs you can jack on but can anyone tell me exactly where they are and where the stands could then go? I wld have a good look myself but I'm away during the week so can't do and I'd like to be prepared before embarking on the jobs (rear pad change, big cleanup of wheels and arches and investigating the extent of the damage to the O/S front arch liner from running over a football :rolleyes:).

Thanks
 

rovingHawk

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Look underneath just behind the front wheels & just in front of the rear wheels- you'll see four very obvious rubber pads.

RH
 

antijam

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As RH says, the pads are just inboard of, and adjacent to, the normal jacking points - easily felt if you stick your hand under the car at these points.

I have to say though, if you do use these to jack the car I'm not sure there are any nearby hard points to accept stands. I'd too be interested to know if anyone can confirm any more support points - other than the suspension.
 

mikestrivens

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If you want to put it on stands you are probably best off jacking it up with the jack that goes in the tubes and putting the stands under the trolley jack points. There are places under the chassis but they are difficult to find as they are mostly covered with plastic shields. I saw some amazing contraptions people had rigged up on the US forum but they didn't look that safe.
 

antijam

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I saw some amazing contraptions people had rigged up on the US forum but they didn't look that safe.

Yes Mike, I saw those too! :eek::eek: What we really need is some form of simple secure adapter that allows us to use a trolley jack under the normal jacking points, leaving the pads accessible for axle stands - or perhaps vice versa - anyone any ideas?
 

television

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It is sad that we can no longer use the ramps, but modern car design does not permit these unless they were some 8ft long
 

antijam

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It is sad that we can no longer use the ramps, but modern car design does not permit these unless they were some 8ft long

Absolutely Malcolm! I'm sure most of us have got a pair of standard car ramps lurking in the garage, now rendered useless as you cannot get a modern car with low ground clearance up them without removing the front valance! Also, tyres have got considerably wider in recent years such that most would overhang the ramp sides.

I am though considering buying something like these

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=260419392697

or these

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sports-car-lo..._Lifting_Moving_Equipment?hash=item1c0acedd37

(Probably actually the former as they are made just up the road from me)

Of course, these do not solve the problem of working under the car with the wheels off, and you are right, they are quite some length - so I won't be picking them up in the SLK.... :wink:
 

turbopete

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Yes Mike, I saw those too! :eek::eek: What we really need is some form of simple secure adapter that allows us to use a trolley jack under the normal jacking points, leaving the pads accessible for axle stands - or perhaps vice versa - anyone any ideas?

as the standard car jack is essentially a bar that threads into the jacking point tube, couldnt you just make a bar the same size with a flat pad on the end for the trolley jack to lift on? maybe even make it a swan neck type of affair so that the pad is lower to the ground so you can get extra ground clearance? just a thought!
 

television

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When using trolley jacks on any car care should be taken if the cup on the jack has the 3 or 4 lugs, and the cup is deeper than the rubber bung on the jacking point, I have glued half of a doughnut in mine to protect the sills,
 

turbopete

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When using trolley jacks on any car care should be taken if the cup on the jack has the 3 or 4 lugs, and the cup is deeper than the rubber bung on the jacking point, I have glued half of a doughnut in mine to protect the sills,

true enough. maybe we could apply that principle to a bar that slots into the jacking point so we can use a trolley jack to lift and then put axle stands under the trolley jack points :rolleyes::rolleyes::lol::lol:
 

television

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true enough. maybe we could apply that principle to a bar that slots into the jacking point so we can use a trolley jack to lift and then put axle stands under the trolley jack points :rolleyes::rolleyes::lol::lol:
I am surprised that no one has come up with an attachment like that

Just as a point of interest, axle stands can be bought with a U top or a cup, they both serve a good purpose, the U shaped one for under the suspension and the cup one under the jacking point
 

turbopete

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I am surprised that no one has come up with an attachment like that

Just as a point of interest, axle stands can be bought with a U top or a cup, they both serve a good purpose, the U shaped one for under the suspension and the cup one under the jacking point

ive never seen the cup type on axle stands, only the U type.

looks like i should get my thinking head on. if i come up with something that works, maybe i can make my fortune and buy that V8 AMG id love to have! :rolleyes::rolleyes::lol::lol:
 

television

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here is one of mine
 

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mikestrivens

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Does the salt and pepper go under the car as well?
 

mikestrivens

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don't worry the heat is getting to me
 

turbopete

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those stands look abetter idea than the usual ones for mercs under the trolley jacking points!

the salt and pepper only go under the car if he wants to give the floor a condimentary (complimentary? oh no!) clean! :rolleyes::rolleyes::lol::lol:
 

antijam

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One solution could be a tool on these lines. Basically it's a 250mm. length of Ø20mm. rod piercing a short length of about Ø60mm tube.

Tool1jpg.jpg


The Ø20 rod plugs into the jacking point and the Ø60 boss sits on the trolley jack lift As you've shown, most trolley jacks have a cup type receptacle at the business end. On mine a Ø60 boss will sit comfortably in the cup such that it cannot become disengaged during lifting and will also allow a small degree of articulation, which is necessary as the angle of the car changes with jacking.

The rod probably needs to be in something a little better than mild steel to prevent bending. (However, making the tool symmetrical means if it does bend, you can turn it over :))

This would allow you to raise the car on the normal jacking points using a trolley jack, leaving the hard pads available for axle stands.

What do you think?
 

turbopete

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nice diagram. now all i need do is think a bit more laterally. like dog legging the 60 boss so the jack lifts the car higher! or other such way of gaining extra height. biggest problem i have. i can never get the car high enough without using wooden blocks etc on the jack!
 


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