warning about single leg jacks

[nim]

Hi all word of warning about single leg jack my car is 2002 E240 V6 the other day I was refurbishing my alloys first the back, taking one wheel of at a time then lowering on to axel stands everything ok. Then the front nearside wheel of jack ok first axel stand in place then move round to take off the offside wheel when the car was lifting I noticed that it was moving towards me and not up the next thing I knew it very nearly pulled the car of the axel stand.
I immediately stopped and put my trolley jack and it lifted perfectly. My jack that came with the W210 is one leg with an arm that slots in to the jacking point above the sill with a winding arm on top. When the car is on one axel stand it is at a different angle so when you go to lift the other side of the car instead of lifting the car the jack has the effect of pulling the car to that side not lifting it. I have informed merc as this is a safety issue but they don’t seem bothered. So anyone doing this in the future is very careful if taking of two wheels with this jack.

 

[television]

As a safety check I alway take off the parking brake and let the parking pawl engage and lock, and the re apply the parking brake.

Also free the wheel bolts off while the car is on the ground.

Malcolm

 

[BarryG]

Thought these jacks were only for changing one wheel at a time .

 

[television]

Thought these jacks were only for changing one wheel at a time .

Correct young man. I would love to see a car on 4 of them :-D :-D :-D :-D

malcolm

 

[mioba]

indeed, these jacks are really only for roadside emergency use.

 

[eric242340]

Correct young man. I would love to see a car on 4 of them :-D :-D :-D :-D

malcolm

They are only designed to remove one wheel and not hoist a car. Im not supprised mercedes had no comment. Please use some common sense. Look at the angle the side lift jack sits at - 35 degrees?

 

[eric242340]

Sorry Malcolm I just quoted the wrong person, I dident mean you. I meant the person who posted this, sorry.:Oops:

 

[jberks]

I take the point and it's worth bearing in mind. I've not have cause to use the jack on a merc in years but my last recollection was on a W123 when the tyres were slashed and we needed to remove 3 at the same time. Seem to remember it being ok on that one.
I still think the MB design is far superior to the 'normal' design of slotting just the jack under the jacking point and simply winding, Whilst it's fine in a nice clean flat garage, identifying the correct jacking point on an unfamiliar car in the rain, at night by the roadside can have us petrolheads scratching our heads, let alone joe public.

 

[Wezzel]

The problem is that if you use a trolley jack under the jacking point it is not possible to put the axle stand under ('cos the trolley jack is in the way).

I have to use the method Nim mentioned but I tend to lift the car in two hits so that I can re-seat the axle stands halfway through. I also loosen the wheel bolts all round by about a quarter of a turn and leave all four wheels on the car until the car is up, level and secure.

 

[television]

It is possible to use a axle stand with a V under the front suspension wish bone, I did this when my wheels were away.

malcolm

 

[Wezzel]

If I remember correctly it says something in the handbook about not jacking up the car using the suspension members or crossmember.

On previous cars I have just put the trolley jack either under the front crossmember or on the rear diff.