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Jack ( and on to rims )
Posted: 22 Jan 2011, 15:09
by rollercoaster
As I have got back to running my van daily again now and have just bought a tyre on ebay that could do as a spare (just need that W126 15" Merc wheel now) I feel like it is time to buy a jack. I fancy getting a high lift and some axle stands so its good for on/off road and working on it in the garage too. Can anyone help me with what jack, adapter for T25, how to stow it, and where to buy it from please?
Re: Jack
Posted: 22 Jan 2011, 15:26
by lloydy
I am going to get this jack
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/T-MAX-5FT-HI-LIFT ... 1739wt_905
and this adapter
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/T-MAX-90-110-HI-L ... 43a3f937af
They are not too far from me, so was going to go down there and try it out. Can't see why the adapter won't fit though, seems to be what people get
Lloyd
Re: Jack
Posted: 22 Jan 2011, 16:23
by Aidan
axle stands the 6 tonne ones from Machinemart seem to me to be the best for a syncro, ratchet type, big base, plenty height and massively over rated, they are less than £20 a pair on a vat free day there
Re: Jack
Posted: 22 Jan 2011, 18:06
by silverbullet
rollercoaster wrote:As I have just bought a tyre on ebay that could do as a spare (just need that W126 15" Merc wheel now)
I was bidding on that Grabber too! Bollox...
My weapons of choice, Bigger is better for any T3, don't bother with toys. You can't use a high-lift for work on the drive, that's asking for an accident. Get a big trolley for at home:

Re: Jack
Posted: 22 Jan 2011, 19:13
by Aidan
hi lift everytime over trolley jack they just get in the way of the axle stands and you end up jacking up rear trailing arms and the like risking a broken spring,
did my slave cylinder today, in the air 10 secs with high lift, axle stand under on the chassis rail and hi lift off 20 secs later and the van is totally safe and up and I can get under and on with job
thankfully I had previously modified the slave bracket for 1/4" socket access and used s/s nuts so everything came undone nicely, biggest hassle is having to remove inner cv so you can get the correct angle to access the slave bolts; another job that's easier on a diesel you can just use spanners for that so cv can stay in place
the only issue with the hilift/Jackall is the need for 3 foot of space for the arm when jacking/lowering, but I just asked the neighbour to move his car
Re: Jack
Posted: 22 Jan 2011, 19:25
by silverbullet
Each to their own! My Epco is big enough to lift a T3 under the bodyshell crossmembers or at the jacking points - that pic was staged! Can you elaborate on that slave bracket mod Aidan? I'll be needing to do that...bu66er you've got the bracket as it was siezed on the bellhousing
Re: Jack
Posted: 22 Jan 2011, 19:46
by torchy
I'm for a Hi Lift (original), but everything needs to be solid. I jacked up one side of the Doka the other day and "bang" went the jack mounting. Thankfully not too high when it happened or I would have been needing a new door too. Makes you remember... ALLWAYS get the Axle Stands in place first before climbing under!!
Re: Jack
Posted: 22 Jan 2011, 20:56
by rollercoaster
Sorry SilverBullet we were bidding against one another, and I feel it was a bit expensive too,
but its tough trying to sort out a spare, and I felt it would match mine in make, model and tread depth.
So it would be that or another set of tyres..
I cant afford to go out and buy a trolley jack right now and the highlift will see plenty of service in the field,
my workshop is wide enough to swing a jack handle so that would be ok
If buying the high lift then is it best to get the real thing or a copy, and where from?
Does the standard LR extension work for us? Im not jacking on my bumpers, possibly the tow hitch..
I liked the look of the wheel hooks accessory for lifting too,
and there seems to be a bit of kit that doubles it up as a sort of ratchet winch, like the sound of that.
Where do we think of keeping a high lift in/on the van?
The Axle stands seem to be a lot more expensive than they were when Aidan bought his,
couldnt see the own brand machine mart only the Clarke versions, is that them?
Can say I am keen to get it all up in the air, will need to put the smallcar sump on,
as well as the engine protection bars which may need some work adapting.
Also to scrub the salt off and put some waxoyle into sensitive areas.
Re: Jack
Posted: 22 Jan 2011, 22:06
by Aidan
wow they have doubled in price compared to what i paid for them - but then that was 5 years ago
I also got my jack from machine mart I bought the Jackall which is the canadian rip off of the hi-lift - all parts for it available, service kits and the like - doesn't have removable handle - and a friend and i made the adapter using a broken t25 jack and some 6mm steel plate all arc welded together - my friend lived at the boat yard in Runcorn so plenty steel offcuts to be had and a big f o arc welding set
Re: Jack
Posted: 22 Jan 2011, 22:17
by silverbullet
Are you running Grabber AT2's then or another tyre? Otherwise I'll buy it off you as that is the very tyre I'm using - Jed actually sent me the ebay link so it's all his fault again!
My axle stands are Sealey branded 5 tonners I think. They were about £60 the pair about 10 years ago and that was trade! Minimum height is around 18".
For hard-core jacking you'll need to contemplate what Pete (PC52) has done to his doka - reinforced tubes welded into the four corners of the bodyshell, facing fore/aft so they can be accessed when in a deep rut and a jackall/hilift plugged straight in.
Just make sure the jack is well strapped down - to the back of the caravelle rear bench should be ok if it's bagged up?
Re: Jack
Posted: 22 Jan 2011, 23:09
by syncropaddy
rollercoaster wrote:(just need that W126 15" Merc wheel now)
Are you sure its a W126 wheel you need and not a wheel off a W202?
Re: Jack
Posted: 23 Jan 2011, 00:04
by rollercoaster
part number 126 400 28 02
Its a 7J 15" wheel with an ET25 offset
the old thread is viewtopic.php?f=41&t=68269
and it has a picture of a similar wheel in there too
Thanks
Re: Jack
Posted: 23 Jan 2011, 00:22
by jed the spread
To be fair, the only down side (for those who have used one) is the down side of a high lift
Yerp!!!
Talk about um all day me like
jed
Re: Jack
Posted: 23 Jan 2011, 00:33
by syncropaddy
Very strange cuz the wheels fitted to this ...
dont fit on this ....
Are you using spacers? I have a set of 5 alloys for a W126 in the shed.
Re: Jack
Posted: 24 Jan 2011, 20:57
by rollercoaster
This thread seems about wheels now and Lloydy has started another Jack thread..
So anyway in reply to SyncroPaddy:
Recently in my search for matching wheel I contacted a Mercedes new and second hand parts supplier who replied..
"I've had a look and dont have any with an ET anywhere near that, that looks to be quite a rare wheel, especially as most 126's that had steels were 14" too,
sorry to not be able to help."
So there it is, an uncommon wheel that is from a fairly common range of cars,
seems like I may be looking for a set of wheels instead of the matching one.