Safe jacking and wheel swapping

[philharve]

Hi All

A Mercedes saloon has a least 4 jacking points, including two each side, and usually carries a jack of sufficient strength to be able to raise one corner of the vehicle for the purposes of changing a wheel. But suppose you wish to remove two wheels simultaneously, for example, to perform a front and back wheel swap in order to extend tyre life due to different camber wear on each tyre. Is it better to use a jack at each wheel (two jacks?) or can the vehicle be safely lifted using a powerful hydraulic jack placed midway between the two jacking points? Is the chassis strong enough at this mid point that it would not sustain damage during the lift?

Obviously if the vehicle was taken to a tyre fitting specialist they would use a hoist that would support the vehicle from beneath so that all 4 wheels are lifted off the ground simultaneously. These hoists are equipped with at least 4 rubber-faced, independently adjustable arms that can be placed near the side jacking points. This arrangement would permit tyre rotation, if required.

However, if such a hoist was unavailable, is it possible to safely lift one side of the vehicle without using the standard jacking points?

I can imagine a couple of axle stands or two towers of study wooden blocks would easily be able to support the weight of the vehicle and prevent it from crashing down if the hydraulic jack were to fail. Safety is paramount.

I have seen vehicles lifted using the cross members, front and back, when working on the front or rear of the vehicle but I am not entirely happy that this is a safe lifting procedure even though the cross members are very strong.

Regards

Phil

 

[television]

You can only do a side lift with a hydraulic jack underneath the original jacking points, you will find a half round ball underneath that fits into the cup of the jack. I would not recomend jacking under the cross members without a good knowledge.


Malcolm

 

[BarryG]

Went into Kwik Fit last week I was expecting to have to drive it onto the ramp. The guy pointed me to what looked like a pile of girders. turns out it was the arms of a lift I had never seen before. The arms with the cups that Malcolm mentioned are swung out and lined up with the points on the car and the whole thing lifts the car. What I did notice about this was there was much more room to work than if it had been on a ramp.

 

[television]

We are so backwards compaired to Sweden. Over there garages like texeco and etc have a bay with up to 10 lifts of the type Barry described all curtained off. there is an oil container and a high pressure wash all built in.

these lifts cost £1.50 per hour to hire, any special tools are there and can be hired for a few pence. people go there to fit there own exhaust and other under body items like brake pipes.

I will take some pics in the Summer.

malcolm

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Blimey. I would gladly pay to use a service like that. What a brilliant idea.

 

[television]

Blimey. I would gladly pay to use a service like that. What a brilliant idea.

The odd thing is that there are not that many rusty cars over there, in spite of the salt for up to 4-5 months of the year as people wash them down underneath, you are in and out in 30 mins for the basic £1.50 charge, I always do mine when I take it over.

Malcolm

 

[benz girl]

Went into Kwik Fit last week I was expecting to have to drive it onto the ramp. The guy pointed me to what looked like a pile of girders. turns out it was the arms of a lift I had never seen before. The arms with the cups that Malcolm mentioned are swung out and lined up with the points on the car and the whole thing lifts the car. What I did notice about this was there was much more room to work than if it had been on a ramp.

That would have been a two post ramp,

 

[hawk20]

Not really the right thread -but close- I heard a good tip today. If you get a puncture on the drivers side, try to turn round before pulling in to the curb. That way you are less likely to be hit by passing cars while you change the wheel. Friend of mine had his son killed on the hard shoulder of the M1 while changing a wheel. He had just graduated in dentistry and was on his way home to parents to celebrate. Hit by a lorry.

 

[BarryG]

That would have been a two post ramp,

Ah you technically minded people always get me with your correct terminology

 

[Wezzel]

I always have this problem too. I've got a trolley jack but never get to use it because once you have put it under the jacking points and raised the car there is not room to put the axle stand under.

I always have to use the standard car jack.

Even if I wanted to jack up using the cross member I couldn't without crawling under and removing the plastic under tray.

 

[ONEMERC]

THIS IS WHAT I DO.
Jack up front, remove wheel put on spare. Jack up back remove wheel and put on wheel that was on front. Jack up front, remove spare, put on wheel that was on back. There you are wheels rotated and no need for any other jack than the one which came with the car.

 

[television]

THIS IS WHAT I DO.
Jack up front, remove wheel put on spare. Jack up back remove wheel and put on wheel that was on front. Jack up front, remove spare, put on wheel that was on back. There you are wheels rotated and no need for any other jack than the one which came with the car.

Thats what they call doing it on your Jack.


Malcolm

 

[stats007]

That would have been a two post ramp,

Or a four-post lift - depending on how many 'girders' are in a 'pile'

 

[Rory]

Not really the right thread -but close- I heard a good tip today. If you get a puncture on the drivers side, try to turn round before pulling in to the curb. That way you are less likely to be hit by passing cars while you change the wheel. Friend of mine had his son killed on the hard shoulder of the M1 while changing a wheel. He had just graduated in dentistry and was on his way home to parents to celebrate. Hit by a lorry.

I know many will think it 'girly' but you're not really supposed to change a wheel on the motorway at all - you should call for assistance. Health & Safety people recommend removing the tools from company cars to stop drivers doing it all.

Having said that, I changed a wheel in the coned off middle lane of a contraflow once - with traffic going one way in lane 1 and the other way in lane 3 - after I'd somehow hit a concrete block and smashed the wheel.

 

[Myros]

I had an explosive decompression on the M11 once

and while I was in the hard shoulder, getting all the kit to change the wheel out of the boot, a traffic policeman pulled up behind me in his Volvo T5, put his flashing reds on and changed it for me.
He said it was far less likely that we'd get flattened by a lorry or someone driving HUA with the high visibility lights on his patrol car.
I jacked it up while he undid the wheel nuts, I rolled him the spare, he rolled me the flat, and did the nuts back up. Job over in 5, including a "mind how you go sir".
Another reason why I hold the plod in reasonably high regard.

 

[philharve]

THIS IS WHAT I DO.
Jack up front, remove wheel put on spare. Jack up back remove wheel and put on wheel that was on front. Jack up front, remove spare, put on wheel that was on back. There you are wheels rotated and no need for any other jack than the one which came with the car.

Hi ONEMERC

Blimey ... that's clever! Lateral thinking in action. I like it, but it probably takes 2 or 3 times as long to swap wheels compared with (say) a single hydraulic trolley jack.

I'm intrigued by the balls, or rather hemispheres, that Malcolm mentions. Where are they located because I cannot recall seeing them?

I have a lightweight 'racing' trolley jack which can be carried easily with one arm. It has a 4 tonne capacity and a cup fitting Malcolm's description. Would it be possible to use this to lift one side off the ground just enough to swap wheels? I'm assuming the jack would be placed midway between the wheels. I think I would still use two piles of wood blocks to steady and support the vehicle during the lift.

I've encountered the axle stand problem too. I've lighted the front and back of vehicles sufficiently to slide in a pair of axle stands but this technique is not so easy when lifting the side of the car.

Does anyone remember the emergency jack comprising a tough plastic bag that you could inflate using the exhaust gases? Did they ever work? They would support the vehicle over a wide area and would avoid any damage.

However, ONEMERC's tip is one I'm never going to forget. It's so simple it probably wouldn't occur to most people, including me. It's inherently safe too.

Regards

Phil

 

[television]

If you feel underneath the jacking points the half balls are there,my 129 had them and so has my 230. a safety thing is that the car cant slide off the jack, as as the car is raised it rolls the trolley jack to suit, thats why the trolley jack should be used at 90 deg to the side of the car.

malcolm

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

Or try this

View attachment 1305

Kids remember, these are trained monkeys.

 

[television]

Or try this

View attachment 1305

Kids remember, these are trained monkeys.

A jack just like that one has been released by www.power-tec.co.uk

malcolm

 

[robbi-wan]

I recently bought myself a little trolley jack & axle stands for changing shocks at the rear and whilst using it, stumbed upon a very useful learning point:
The rear jacking points on my car seemed to nicely accept the buisness end of the trolley jack - but the jacking point is nothing more than a plastic moulding affixed to the chassis with a ridiculus plastic retainer similar to that used for interior trim panels. Whilst (tentatively) working on the rear shock - the moulded jacking point sheared away from the chassis almost dropping the car (minus wheel and with me underneath) on to the road:idea:

The foldaway jack you will find in the boot lifts the car straight up, whilst trolley types lift up and back which will pull the (stupid) moulding away!!!!

The axle stands that came with the jack were swiftly employed and will ALWAYS be used in future.
Luck can be a fickle thing and will not be trusted again
Rob