This may seem out of place but I feel it fits.
Packaging big stuff like valances/ bumpers can be a real pita.
Yesterday I found great solution….someone in neighborhood bought a new electric fat bike. I’d been searching for a box and bingo..it was at street for trash.
Stout box 60” long and 10” wide …
Tall but Cut it down to fit. Think I will actually get 2 out of it.

Good tip, thanks!
I have some bumpers and valences I'm not using, but always hesitate to list them because shipping is such a pain.

Almost every bike shop will give you free boxes.

I used a tv box for the last back pad I shipped.

Furniture stores usually toss out all sorts of boxes.

So here’s the wrinkle that voids my great plan…….big box = big $ for shipping.
FedEx cheapest was more than I sold part for.
So stuff like valances creates problem.

Do you have an account with them? It saves 25-35%.
I ship a lot. I just spent $1k to ship a transmission to Australia and $2400 to ship an engine from Germany. Sometimes you have to pay to play.

Get quotes from parcelmonkey.com

Furniture store are also a good source for boxes. Usually a stack of them at their loading docks.

I use about a dozen a yr for my GT lids.

Thanks

FYI
Tried Parcel Monkey per Jeff’s suggestion.
Took it from $85 to $65.
That’s pretty good alternative so will try them in the future.
Thanks Jeff.

@mepstein deserves kudos for this, following his previous recommendation

And I got the recommendation from someone else. I use them a lot for Canada and overseas. Mostly for price and they take care of customs documents. Usually my FedEx account has the same rates in the US. Ben prefers UPS. Whatever works best for you.

Make sure you stay under ‘oversized’. This is when 1/2” counts.

60” length is what killed me….I think.
Have an account with FedEx but probably don’t ship enough to get discount.

I find most times if you have a Payapl account, even if you didn't receive payment that way you can still use their shipping tool, ShipStation. I have had many bigger items that shipping that way was cheaper than using my business UPS account. It still went UPS, but through shipstation. Same for international shipping.

I have never used Parcel Monkey, but will check them out the next time I have a bigger item to ship.

This is a good tip. They use UPS and the savings are significant. They will not ship certain items so that uranium might need to be described as Jello. Your risk! Brad

Updating this post.
Went back to Parcel Monkey…..set of six heat exchangers shipped with some insurance ….
Looks like $48.
Pleasantly surprised……I dropped at UPS terminal as opposed to store because they are easier to deal with. Will update further if cost changes once it goes through electronic measuring….
Otherwise this is really good based on typical rates from shippers.

From FL to where? $48 seems reasonable. Even if the recipient is 60 miles away. 48 worth of fuel doesn’t get you any kind of distance. Just the way things are.

Albuquerque…
Frankly surprised and am waiting to see if it changes.
Tried to be sure I got dimensions right.

There is another boutique service out there. I think it is called Ship Bikes. Similar to golf Shipstx. It is for guys who ship bikes for vacation or to races.

You tell them box size. They sell and send you the box and then you ship it on their account. Very good rates

I see one also four skis - Ship Skis. Would work for valences/ mufflers etc. never used them but these guys get much better volume rates than an individual gets.

I've had luck finding large boxes at a bicycle shop they threw them away. AL

to ship big heavy ( Ty 4 engines ) I use Engineshipping , com 800-998-2100 . shipped an engine to Penn. from Atlanta in a box . If you take it to a freight line and ship to their terninal about $200 for a residential pick up about $300.

Well was just getting ready to sing praises of Parcel Monkey……rate was fantastic.
However just heard from buyer things were beaten up pretty badly. That is actually UPS.
I insured for partial ….will see if they pay anything…..

Yea, parcel monkey is just a broker. Packages still go through the regular carriers with all the same issues.

Shipping is a mess. $100.00 part in a bicycle box is $3-400.00 to ship for a 20-25 lb package.

I just shipped a front bumper x-country for $125 in a bike box. I wouldn’t mind less but not terrible prices.