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Posted by: Mike1981 Aug 15 2017, 02:12 PM

Hello

I have a large box to ship my fiberglass flares in

40x24x24 from MI to CA

20 LBS

UPS wants 270 Owch
FedEx wants 215 Owch

Any suggestions to an alternate source?

Thanks

Mike

Posted by: Optimusglen Aug 15 2017, 02:15 PM

Try USPS?

I've heard of people using Greyhound before, not sure on all the details though.

Posted by: Mike1981 Aug 15 2017, 02:21 PM

Thanks

USPS online calculator says its too large to mail

Posted by: Triaddave Aug 15 2017, 02:21 PM

You meet the requirements for US mail (USPS). L+W+H = less that the max of 108 inches. weight is O.K. too...

Posted by: Triaddave Aug 15 2017, 02:24 PM

On the USPS site, click on the oversize package, the one with the tire and big boxes. They gave you wrong information, try again

Posted by: Mike Fitton Aug 15 2017, 02:25 PM

Too big for USPS can only be 108" girth. 2 times largest measurement then plus 2 smaller measurements. This one is 40" x 2 =80" + 24" + 24" so total girth of 128". If you can ship 2 boxes and get them down to 40" x 14" x 14" at 10lbs. each cost should be around $58 each.

Posted by: Mike1981 Aug 15 2017, 02:31 PM

Thanks for the help everyone

Mike that is a great idea to make two boxes and shallower!

Posted by: JoeD Aug 15 2017, 02:33 PM

I bought fenders for my Datsun 240Z from eBay. They were shipped from Seattle to Atlanta via Greyhound Package Express for $175 (2 complete front fenders = really big box). Sounds great, right....?

But it's now been over a month. I started to get worried week or two ago, called the sender, spoke with the sending depot. They have no way to track other than "try calling every depot along the route" (really???!!!???) and told me that big items often get bumped from buses because they only ship stuff that fits once all passenger luggage has been loaded and "big items often sit around for days" waiting for a bus. Last I heard the fenders were heading for Nashville. I'm assuming they're going to make it, but man I would only ship Greyhound as an absolute last resort....

Posted by: mepstein Aug 15 2017, 02:38 PM

Take it to the fedex shipper. I have found the online estimator to be very inaccurate. Or two boxes is also a good idea. It usually cost me $120 to ship 4 - 7&8x15 fuchs in two boxes across country.

Posted by: mb911 Aug 15 2017, 02:47 PM

I have a business account but only ship a few packages per week and to ship a box 53x18x8 pretty much any where in the us costs me 106 dollars.

I shipped some fiberglass flares within the last year and it cost me about 55 to give you a perspective.

Posted by: Andyrew Aug 15 2017, 02:49 PM

10 years ago I had full rear quarters shipped reasonable via Greyhound. Picked it up at my local greyhound. Took a few weeks but it was much cheaper than everything else.

Posted by: BillC Aug 15 2017, 03:01 PM

Fastenal will ship crates and palletized large boxes between stores. I've never tried them myself, but I have read plenty of good results. https://www.fastenal.com/en/22/3pl-third-party-logistics

Posted by: burton73 Aug 15 2017, 09:03 PM

I got a quote today for 48x40x24 inches at 270 lbs. cost by FedEx freight on the pallet $210. From Freight quote Los Angeles to North Carolina. I got steel flares from AA and I do not remember the box being that big. The flares lay on top of each other.

Bob B

Posted by: Mike1981 Aug 17 2017, 01:55 PM

Hello and thanks for the advice

I downsized the box to 40x22x12

Shipping from MI to CA was 70 dollars



Mike

Posted by: DM_2000 Aug 17 2017, 02:35 PM

Adding to this. If you get an off the street quote from a LTL shipper ( Less Than Truck Load ), they will be 60 % more than anyone really pays so lean on them for better numbers. It helps if you drop off / pickup at a trucking depot.

UPS / Fed Ex does give a business discount but I don't think it is more than 15 % and based on volume.

As a side note, McMaster-Carr is an industrial supply house with warehouses all over the US. UPS places trailers at the warehouses and each trailer goes to a specific larger UPS depot. This way I can order something at 5 PM and have it arrive at 9:30 AM using standard shipping. McC probably gets a huge discount because
UPS does not need to handle incoming packages and outgoing is more or less pre sorted.