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Posted by: skline Apr 3 2007, 03:48 PM

I got this thing all ready to go and was wondering if it was good enough to ship? It is going by FedEx Freight if I can get it over there today. It is straped down with a ratching tie down and then plumbers tape on the engine bar and exhaust pipes. It seems pretty solid and firm to the pallet. What do you think?




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Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com Apr 3 2007, 04:01 PM

shipping companies stack so the top end may get crushed. Also I would use heavy strapping to cinch it to the pallet. We usually put the engine in a box, and stuff it with bubble wrap. That solves all.

Posted by: skline Apr 3 2007, 04:03 PM

I shipped a V6 like this but it was through like one of the big freight companies, I did wrap it with plastic however but they didnt stack anything on it. They can put this one on top!

Posted by: SteveL Apr 3 2007, 04:03 PM

I agree with George - Trucking company will set something on top of it with a fork lift. Box it for sure, and make the box top insanely over built. Don't believe them when they tell you "we won't stack on top of it"

Posted by: Series9 Apr 3 2007, 04:04 PM

That's exactly how I ship my engines. It'll be fine and they won't stack stuff on top of it.

Posted by: machina Apr 3 2007, 04:04 PM

this is how RAT ships, nice crate.


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Posted by: skline Apr 3 2007, 04:07 PM

It would cost me what I got for the engine to build that box, RAT charges enough to cover that, I didnt

Posted by: Series9 Apr 3 2007, 04:14 PM

The 3.6 and 3.2 arrived like this:




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Posted by: Garold Shaffer Apr 3 2007, 04:18 PM

My 2.2 from Eric came that way, no problems. I would wrap a trap or something over it.

Posted by: McMark Apr 3 2007, 05:50 PM

It'll be fine, most likely. Especially if it's a core motor.

Here's my last crate:



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Posted by: Andyrew Apr 3 2007, 06:36 PM

Stickers everywhere that say
" DO NOT TOP LOAD"
then Idiot under them...

Then you'll be just fine.

Posted by: grantsfo Apr 3 2007, 06:46 PM

The pro's like AA and Jake understand what it takes to protect a motor in freight enviroment. Others are just lucky. Anyone who has been around a distribution enviroment understands that a careless forklift driver could easily run a fork into a motor or poorly load freight on top of the motor. I have watched dock workers from all major freight companies destroy shipments by mistake.

If the engine is of any value to you should remove headers and build a crate around it. The engine you show is not balanced on a cheap pallet and has a little overhang that might catch on other freight. I'd say it has a 80% chance of making it OK. 20% chance of getting banged up. Where is it going? Since youre in Southern Cal its likely going to a big terminal where lots of freight moves so it will likely only get loaded into one trailer on outbound. Depending on where its going it might get unloaded and reloaded a couple times. So you'll have a few fork drivers testing their skills with this shipment. With each move your odds of shipment damage wil increase.

So at least now you're making a calculated gamble if you decide to ship it this way. I know some higher quality companies that would refuse your shipment until properly crated.

Posted by: skline Apr 3 2007, 07:16 PM

Well, I know of one now also, FedEx freight would not accept the motor without some kind of box around it. At this point, I dont have the lumber to build one and if I did, I would not get it done and back in time.

Eric, I'm sorry I could not get it done for you, I did try but there is a point where you just have to say, forget it. It's now 5:10 and the place is 30 minutes from here with no traffic, after 5 the traffic makes it a 50 minute run. It would easily take me 30 minutes to run to home depot to get the wood to build a box around it and then probably a good 30 to 45 to build the box, and to get down there in time would be impossible. There are other factors making this impossible right now. I wish there was a way but I just dont see it.

I am going to leave it on the pallet and I will build a box around it for the next guy who wants to try shipping it. Your refund will be on it's way momentarily.

Posted by: eric914 Apr 3 2007, 09:50 PM

Thanks for trying. I'll see if I cant find one in driving distance. Anyone got a motor within 200 or so miles of Cincinnati OH?

Posted by: computers4kids Apr 3 2007, 10:24 PM

I wouldn't ship without a crate...it only costs about $10 to make. It would only take one bad bump to destroy something...at least if you're sending a complete motor. If you're only sending a core, I guess you're OK. If it was me, I'd still put it in a crate.


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Posted by: jim_hoyland Apr 3 2007, 10:34 PM

I received a tranny attached to a pallet that was wrapped tightly to the pallet with that clear plastic wrap. Held everything in place and no discernable blems.

Posted by: LarryR Apr 3 2007, 11:31 PM

I have shipped 3 engines that way. They all arrived just fine. I would be more worried with the fancy crates that someone would set an engine on top of it and it would crush my home made crate

Posted by: Mike D. Apr 4 2007, 12:43 AM

I just sent this one today...


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Posted by: Jake Raby Apr 4 2007, 06:30 AM

Those crates use is the reason why I have only had ONE engine damaged in shipping in the past 11 years...

I tell customers that are shipping core engines not to worry about an actual engine crate, because we are going to toss away 1/2 the engine anyway and there is no need for the hassle and cost at the beginning of the process.

I would NEVER, EVER think of shipping a completed RAT engine without it being secured inside a crate...

Also, realize the class you ship the engine at, if you use a class 70 for a used engine the freight company is limited to paying you 3.50 per pound of freight shiipped IF the engine is damaged. Class 85 is 5.00 per pound, class 100 is 10.00/pound and class 125 is 15.00/ LB. I generally ship class 150 even though its the highest rate because it will pay up to 25.00/ pound....

Keep this in mind and know that fed Ex Freight IS the BEST shipper in N. America- period...

Posted by: Matt Romanowski Apr 4 2007, 06:46 AM

Jake - You realize you can just purchase extra insurance, right? Much cheaper than shipping as the wrong class. Also, you have to make sure you use the proper NMFC #.

Make sure you put large sheets on the pallet that say "DO NOT DOUBLE STACK" and "RACK SHIP ONLY". Mark it on the BOL and that is about the best you can do.

Posted by: 9146986 Apr 4 2007, 07:30 AM

Most freight lines would prefer engines to be fully crated. Either way, you probably don't want to have anything overhanging the pallet. If it's a core, then obviously you don't have to take as much care, but you still want it to get there OK.

Posted by: 41ghost Apr 4 2007, 07:32 AM

we got a engine once that had the box ran through with the fork lift and hit the engine. had to send it back.

Posted by: SLITS Apr 4 2007, 07:43 AM

Ok Scottie .... if you haven't given up already ..... If you can get it to my place I can ship it as it sits. Usually, I stretch wrap the pallet. There are plenty of transportation companies willing to take the freight. It would be Terminal to Terminal as they won't deliver to a residential address, so Eric would have to pick it up at a terminal.

Oh BTW .... The class is 50 ... scrap steel .... then add for insurance to cover the cost of the engine.

Lemmeknow!

Posted by: dflesburg Apr 4 2007, 08:08 AM

Oklahoma Foriegn shipped my engine and transmission in one giant box... It was undamaged.... Scarey getting it off the truck but some cool neighbors helped me

Posted by: grantsfo Apr 4 2007, 09:10 AM

Hey Jake,

Some companies negotiate FAK rates at a 75% discount and get full replacement value from companies like FedEx. FedEx Frieght is an OK LTL provider. There are better/more cost effective solutions than FedEx. FedEx operations actually had a higher damage rate with my customers than some smaller LTL providers and my rates with smaller players were about half of what FdEx charges.

Posted by: eric914 Apr 4 2007, 10:18 AM

The reason we were trying to use Fedex freight was I could get my companies rate. To ship from CA to OH was going to be $195 class 70. If you can get it here for a similar $ figure I'm still in.

Thoughts Scottie?

Posted by: skline Apr 4 2007, 11:27 AM

I dont have any thoughts today, I am working till 3AM and therefore I am mindless until tomorrow.

Posted by: jhadler Apr 4 2007, 01:00 PM

I had someone ship a motor to me just strapped to a pallette. Turns out, that was a mistake. Somthingmashed down onto the motor, dented the shroud, broke some wires, and bent the intake manifold (2.0 L with D-jet). Oh well... At least it wasn't too expensive to start with...

Yeah, BOX it. Some cheap construction grade plywood or MDF and some 2x's make a pretty sturdy crate.

-Josh2

Posted by: Brian Mifsud Apr 4 2007, 01:57 PM

If you value the item, never ship Via Yellow Freight.. use ANYONE else...

they split loads, and will remove things from open pallets in the terminals. If all the paperwork happens to be attached to the items removed from the pallet... oh well....

Posted by: eric914 Apr 4 2007, 02:56 PM

Get some sleep. Doesent sount to safe working on the docks when you hafe awake.

Posted by: Dr Evil Apr 5 2007, 11:37 AM

Dude, when I ship engines and trannies via ForwardAir they dont complain when I just paletize it. I do wrap it with shrink wrap, but it doubles as a strap to hold the engine/tranny down. Never had a problem.
YMMV

Posted by: eric914 Apr 19 2007, 10:55 AM

The engine has arrived safe and sound shrink wrapped to a pallet.

I want to thank Skline for getting selling the engine to me for a fair price, its looks to be in really nice shape.

I also want to thank Slits for arrangine shipping. Without his help I would not have been able to get it to Ohio.