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    • Jacking up, Raising & Supporting your Car for Repairs
    (Mercedes E-Class W210 and other models)

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    • This guide describes how to jack up and safely support your Mercedes in a number of ways for repairs. This guide specifically covers the E-Class, but is applicable to jacking up many other cars and Mercedes models. It covers how to safely get 1, 2 and 4 wheels of your car off the ground and accessible for repairs and maintenance.
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    • IMPORTANT: Safety First!
    • Jacking up and supporting any car is potentially very dangerous, although if done correctly and with the right equipment it is acceptably safe. Please ensure that you read this disclaimer (click here), and fully understand and abide by the following rules to reduce the chances of an accident:

    • The Rules for Jacking Cars

      Please read these first as your safety is critical
      • Never attempt to jack up a car without the right equipment for the jacking mode you're attempting and the weight you are going to be supporting. Equipment is rated, don't exceed its limits. This is particularly important in the case of hydraulic jacks which can fail without warning.
      • Never jack a car using any part of the engine or front transmission. Jacking a car at the back using the rear differential is acceptable, but it should not be supported this way for any extended duration.
      • Always jack a car on a level surface.
      • Always chock the car's wheels front and back to prevent it rolling, even if you have applied the handbrake or other mechanical brake. Most accidents are caused by cars rolling off ramps, jacks and stands. Never rely on the handbrake or other mechanical brake to prevent this.
      • Always support a car with an axle stand if you are using a trolley jack or other type of hydraulic jack (it is also a good idea to do this anyway if you are using a mechanical "boot" jack or scissor jack). Remember hydraulic jacks can fail and collapse without warning.
      • Always use the handbrake as well as chocks if using ramps.
      • Avoid putting any part of your body under the car until it is fully supported, treat it as a time bomb!
      Always use ramps as a preference to jacks and stands. Ramps are far safer as they are more stable, but they do not allow access to the wheels so cannot always be used.
      Always raise or lower a car slowly and watch any stands that are in position carefully. Jacking and lowering a car roughly can knock it off stands or jacks. Consider using 2 trolley jacks working on either side of the car if you are raising the two wheels at the front. This approach is easier and less likely to unbalance the car.
      Never work on a raised car until you have checked everything and finally given it a good shake to see that it is cannot fall off the stands or ramps.
      Always use your common sense. If you don't have any, then back away from the car and leave it to a garage or you'll probably find yourself being cleansed from the gene pool. Basically, trust your instincts, if you think something looks unsafe, it probably is.
    • You may think I'm being overly cautious but I work on a lot of cars, and although unlikely to happen, an unlucky or careless move while jacking a car can be fatal - there are 1000s of injuries every year, so please, just because it hasn't happened to you yet, don't assume it can't happen.
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    • Equipment
    • Never attempt to raise a car without the right equipment, the image below shows some basic equipment you will require. It also show the right (and wrong) type of axle stands - you should use the 3 legged models as they are safer.All about automotive Jacking Equipment - Axel Stands, Trolley Jacks and Ramps @ www.jamesandtracy.co.uk
    • It is a good idea to invest in both axle stands and ramps, and a trolley jack is essential (bottle, scissor and "boot" jacks can be used but are inconvenient and can be less safe):
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    • Ramps: When purchasing ramps always check first that they will fit under the bumper skirt of your car - this is a standard issue with ramps as if their slope angle is too high you will ground your bumper's skirt on it. This is particularly the case with the E-Class as the skirt is too low for the normal ramp angles.
    • Trolley Jacks: When using a trolley jack always check that it is locked off properly before raising the car. Raising the front of a car is often easier with two trolley jacks working together on either side. Two jacks are less likely to unbalance the car from its stands, so please consider this as an option.
    • Stands: Stands are an essential item, but make sure you get correctly load rated stands for your car (min 2 tonne) and make sure they are of the 3 legged tripod type (labeled "safe type" in the image above), which is more stable and less likely to collapse without warning.
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    • Index to Jacking Modes
    • The following table provides an index to this guide and shows what equipment you will need to ensure you can safely work on your car when it is jacked up with 1, 2 and 4 wheels off the ground. In many of the jacking modes you can use ramps in preference to jacks and stands, but at the cost of making the 'ramped' wheels inaccessible for repairs. In the case of completely raising all 4 wheels off the ground it is possible to use a combination of ramps, jacks and stands or simply 4 ramps. The main rule to follow here, is to always use an even number of ramps (2 or 4) and to only ever raise opposite wheels using ramps (never use ramps to raise just one side of a car):

    • Index to Jacking Modes and Equipment Required

      Jacking Mode Minimum Equipment Required
      • Car's boot jack, or trolley jack and 1 axle stand
      2 ramps or 1 jack and 2 axle stands
      1 jack and 2 axle stands
      2 ramps or 1 jack and 2 axle stands
      1 jack and 2 axle stands
      1 jack and 2 axle stands
      1 jack and 4 axle stands
      Click on the jacking mode to go to the relevant section in this guide
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    • Safe Jacking and Supporting Modes for your Mercedes E-Class
    • The following diagrams show the various jacking modes for your Mercedes E-Class, but will in general apply to any car or light vehicle. Please ensure you have read the safety advice in previous sections and understand the equipment required.
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    • Single wheel off the ground and accessible
    • Never use ramps for this operation, always use jacks and stands. The car's 'boot' jack is acceptable as a temporary stand for this procedure, but leave the trolley jack in place and supporting some of the weight to provide a more secure setup.
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      How to safely jack and support your car with one wheel off the ground @ www.jamesandtracy.co.uk
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    • Front of the car off the ground (wheels inaccessible for repairs)
    • Only ever use ramps in pairs & on opposite sides, make sure they are rated for load (min 2 tonne)
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      How to raise your car off the ground using ramps - Front of Car (Wheels Inaccessible) @ www.jamesandtracy.co.uk
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    • Front of the car off the ground (wheels accessible for repairs)
    • Make sure you have correctly rated equipment. Always use axle stands. Use wood or carpet pieces on the jack and axle stand cups to prevent damage to your undercoat paintwork. Ensure you are jacking and supporting as described on a sturdy chunk of your car's structure.
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      Mercedes Jacking and Supporting - How to raise the front wheels off the ground and make them accessible for repairs @ www.jamesandtracy.co.uk
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    • Rear of car off the ground (Wheels inaccessible)
    • Only ever use ramps in pairs & on opposite sides, make sure they are rated for load (min 2 tonne)
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      How to raise the rear of a car off the ground using ramps (wheels inaccessible) @ www.jamesandtracy.co.uk
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    • Rear of car off the ground (Wheels accessible)
    • Make sure you have correctly rated equipment. Always use axle stands. Use wood or carpet pieces on the jack and axle stand cups to prevent damage to your undercoat paintwork. Ensure you are jacking and supporting as described on a sturdy chunk of your car's structure.
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      Mercedes Jacking - how to raise and support the rear of the car off the ground @ www.jamesandtracy.co.uk
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    • Side of car off the ground (2 wheels accessible)
    • Never use ramps of this operation. Make sure you have correctly rated equipment. Always use axle stands. Use wood or carpet pieces on the jack and axle stand cups to prevent damage to your undercoat paintwork. Ensure you are jacking and supporting as described on a sturdy chunk of your car's structure.
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      Mercedes jacking - how to raise and support the side of the car off the ground @ www.jamesandtracy.co.uk
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    • All 4 wheels off the ground and accessible
    • You may optionally use ramps at the front of the car for this operation. Make sure you have correctly rated equipment. Always use axle stands. Use wood or carpet pieces on the jack and axle stand cups to prevent damage to your undercoat paintwork. Ensure you are jacking and supporting as described on a sturdy chunk of your car's structure.
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      Mercedes Jacking - How to safely raise and support the car with all four wheels off the ground @ www.jamesandtracy.co.uk
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    A complete tutorial on how to jack up, raise and support your car for repairs, from one wheel to all four off the ground. Applicable to all cars, but specifically the Mercedes E-Class W210 and other mercedes models @ www.jamesandtracy.co.uk

    How to jack up, raise and support your car easily and safely for repairs whether it's 1 wheel or all 4!

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