Yet another jacking question

flylikeabanana

New member
Hi all, first post.

I recently acquired a 2004 2500 and got a flat, and found that the OEM flat kit had disappeared under a previous owner. After doing some research here, I purchased a 3-ton bottle jack/jack stand combo off Amazon, but the head of the jack stand is millimeters too wide to fit between the flanges of the jack point. I'm considering my options, and the "playing it safe" approach is to return it and try and find a jack with an appropriate sized head, but part of me wants to modify the jack head or widen the flanges somehow. Anyone been in this situation and can offer advice?
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
You can just widen the saddle some if its really that close. I often choose to jack under the front subframe, or from the axle tube near the wheel. That is generally a lot easier. Though you may want a block of wood under the subframe.
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
Before you hammer it out ... verify that the jack can extend enough...

The Sprinter jack was kind'a unique in that (if i recall correctly) it has something like a 22 inch lift.
That far exceeded the usual floor jacks and typical bottle jacks that only went to 16 or 18 inches.

I suppose you could test it by putting a notch in a 2x4 and putting that between the jack and the lift point ... and then pump.
See if you can get the wheel actually off the ground (and then ask yourself if it would do it *without* the intervening 2x4)

--dick
 
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Deleted member 50714

Guest
Do it proper, avoid hacking and bashing, grind the jack's saddle to accommodate vehicle's lift point. Here's a jack/stand combo. I would be reluctant to lift from anywhere other than manufacturer's suggested lifting points. They are provided for a reason. People deviate from the manufacture's recommendations and end up with hunk of junk.
 

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autostaretx

Erratic Member
Item to like in Bob's photos: spray paint the jack points to make them easy to find (and tell other folks about). I used White paint.

Item i don't like about Bob's photos: the "flattening" of the otherwise "cupped" jack top with his "temporary wood spacer" ... that's why i suggested putting a *notch* into the 2x4.

--dick
 
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Deleted member 50714

Guest
Item to like in Bob's photos: spray paint the jack points to make them easy to find (and tell other folks about). I used White paint.

Item i don't like about Bob's photos: the "flattening" of the otherwise "cupped" jack top with his "temporary wood spacer" ... that's why i suggested putting a *notch* into the 2x4.

--dick
No flattening just narrowing of jacks saddle 1/8th each side to fit inside lift point. Wood spacer was temporary.
 

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Patrick of M

2005 T1N 2500 (NA spec)
The manufacturers jacking points are very high up, at my shop I lift the van with a trolley jack usually from some other lower point (that is obvious structural) , then sometimes use the Jack point for my jack stands, depending on what I’m doing/ what access I need.
Speaking of which no one reminded the OP not to depend solely on a hydraulic jack.
I know MB says only use their Jack points, and if you have a fully laden van, or a heavy rv conversion that is a definetly advisable, there are other ways to safely lift the van without deforming anything (plywood or rubber interface to ease the pain).
Just looked at Bob’s pics...I don’t have any of those fancy 2 in 1 jack stands, good idea though, real time saver.
 
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autostaretx

Erratic Member
I din't think you'd flattened the saddle, merely that you'd filled it with the flat-on-top "temporary wood spacer"
(and only in the photo that had the pointer)

Patrick wrote:
"Speaking of which no one reminded the OP not to depend solely on a hydraulic jack."
Bob's final photo clearly showed additional bracing :whistle: (i use jack stands, myself)

--dick
 

220629

Well-known member
The jacking points are provided to be used with the included OEM tire changing jack.

They are not the only safe places to use to lift the truck.

Even the hydraulic lifts at the Mercedes dealerships don't necessarily include using the OEM tire jack lift points.

Both my 2004 and 2006 have fully operational OEM hydraulic jacks/tools. I have used them on trailers, I have yet to use any on the Sprinters. That 2 stage high lift jack does work great on trailers BTW. I carry a small floor jack in each Sprinter complete with some blocking. The times I've needed to lift a Sprinter when not at home, those floor jacks have worked fine.

Personally I wouldn't get too hung up on exclusively using the OEM tire change jack points. That approach will leave many perfectly fine tried and true truck lifting methods off of your list. A Sprinter is afterall just a truck.

Added:
This for example.

AxleJack.jpg

NOT this.

JustStupid.jpg

Before anyone jumps in with "Don't lift on the axle tube", that official warning is included under the Floor Jack cautions.

fluid.JPG


:2cents: vic

P.S. - Many fleet vehicles have had their jacks/tools removed as SOP. Not all missing OEM hydraulic jacks were stolen.
 
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flylikeabanana

New member
My jack is precisely the one that Bob posted, and facing the jack saddle was definitely one of the options I was thinking about. I have access to a hammer though, not a grinder, but I'll hunt around and report back.
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
There was once a looonnnngggg thread about jacking on the differential pumpkin.
I'm amused to see that the "hoisting" chapter does NOT forbid it.

--dick :popcorn:
 

Patrick of M

2005 T1N 2500 (NA spec)
There was once a looonnnngggg thread about jacking on the differential pumpkin.
I'm amused to see that the "hoisting" chapter does NOT forbid it.

--dick :popcorn:
Was the long thread forbidding lifting via pumpkin? I sometimes lift cars by the pumpkin, don’t think I would lift a sprinter like that, although empty and in a rush to put winter wheels on, I might/might have?
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
It was a looonnnngggg thread because it had proponents of both camps: "lift" and "don't lift".

No final "resolution", the two camps still happily exist.

(i'll see if i can find it)(watch this list grow....) ... done.
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?p=90965#post90965
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1325
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20493

Msg#7 in this thread ended up with a damaged differential:
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61664

--dick
p.s. this is about a 2008 and an MB tech saying "don't use the diff":
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33506
 
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220629

Well-known member
Again.

Yes Sprinters are damaged by people using incorrect jacking methods.

Shock mounts are damaged, body metal gets damaged, front structures get bent/metal tearing by not using blocking, differential covers get bent to the point of leaking because proper pads aren't used, etc., etc. All that stuff happens because the correct locations are not selected and proper methods aren't applied.

I have yet to see any documentation where jacking a Sprinter up using a properly padded floor jack cup against the differential case has caused axle tube failures. Please provide the data if you have it.

Back in 2010 I searched for any documented axle tube failures related to jacking the differential case. I found none. I have been asking for some documented axle tube/differential failures since 2010. I have yet to have anyone produce any data.

Lift your Sprinters however you wish. I have no problem with members telling others to apply caution and offering specifics as to lifting their Sprinter. I don't believe that fear mongering is productive.

:2cents: vic

My sprinter will be getting new tires in the next two weeks. Can someone point me to a thread showing the proper lift points?
From my earlier post here.

To safely use our Sprinter tire jack points you would need a special design post hoist. This design doesn't even exclusively use the tire jack points. (It must be official because the audio is in German.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR7t-oO2l5w

I suggest watching the above video for the general information and diagram it contains about Sprinter lift points.


From another thread. At the end there are 2 ea. PDF files. One for T1N. One for NCV3.


...


https://sprinter-source.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-1325.html
A 2007 discussion.
****
talkinghorse43
06-27-2007, 08:06 PM
Rear axle is okay (on the axle tube near the spring mounts), just not under the Differential Housing (or pumpkin). ("Thou Shalt Not" applied again?? - vic)
*****
Here's from the '03 service manual.

FLOOR JACK

When properly positioned, a floor jack can be used

to lift a vehicle. Support the vehicle in the raised

position with jack stands at the front and rear ends

of the frame rails.
*
vic edit: If you think they are telling you to only use the floor jack on the "front and rear ends of the frame rails" re-read the statement or we may then be on our way to another "Thou Shall" misinterpretation. They say "jack stands at the front and rear ends". If they are telling you to place the jack stands in those frame rail positions that means the floor jack needed to be positioned somewhere else to raise the vehicle so the jack stands could be installed in those positions. I'm thinkin' the differential would be a perfect place to raise the rear with a floor jack for this. You can't place the jack stands under the frame rails if the floor jack is already there in the way.
*
CAUTION: Do not lift vehicle with a floor jack positioned

under:

An axle tube.

A body side sill.

A steering linkage component.

A drive shaft.

The engine or transmission oil pan.

The fuel tank.

A front suspension arm.
****
Note that the differential housing is not listed in the above MB list. - vic

Here is a T1N document thanks to autostaretx.

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=22835&d=1271903222

20101103 edit:
Here is a NCV3 document thanks to JD Caples.

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=27767&d=1288802419
 
D

Deleted member 50714

Guest
Vic, following manufacturer's safety recommendations should not be construed as "Fearmongering." I have, as well you and others, have lifted many vehicle's from the pumpkin without damage. However, in my case, the vehicle's were much older and more stoutly constructed in contrast to today's vehicle constructed and scaled to reduced weight. Many pumpkins now have plastic covers.

There's at lest one post documenting a pumpkin leaking as a result of a tire shop lifting at the pumpkin.

Video was certainly informative but too fast paced for my low bandwidth visual cortex. So, I took screen shots of the alternative lifting points.
 

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pfflyer

Well-known member
I can say Bob's solution of milling/grinding a little off the jack/jack stand saddle works. It doesn't take much effort or heat generated to get the excess off. The curve of the jack/jack stand saddle is close to the factory jack point as well.
 

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