How to ship a large case?

Re: How to ship a large case?

Forward Air -- they do their own LTL, usually a better deal than anyone else if you live near an airport.
 
Re: How to ship a large case?

Rob Spence said:
I need to ship an ATA case. It is about 150lbs

Suggestion for how to ship it?

Should I take the wheels off and pack them inside?
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Yes, removing the wheels (casters?) will likely help. Oftentimes the dimensions of the item are figured in on the shipping charges for relatively low density items. Removing the casters could significantly lower the over-all dimensions of the case. Also, if you're figuring on packaging the case, a box is easier to package than a box equipped with casters. Also, if you remove the casters, that will eliminate the possibility of the case freewheeling on the casters during transit.

If you're shipping the case unpackaged, I suggest zip-tying the butterfly latches closed to lessen the chance of the latch handles getting damaged, and to lessen the chance of the case somehow coming-up missing a cover or ? in transit.

UPS and FedEx Ground will accomodate items up-to 150lbs.
 
Re: How to ship a large case?

Rob Spence said:
I need to ship an ATA case. It is about 150lbs

Suggestion for how to ship it?

Should I take the wheels off and pack them inside?

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone
Click to expand...

Shipping companies generally generally seem to prefer the wheels. Putting the item on a pallet added to the cost for ground / sea shipping, because dimensions would increase. (This is for >18U rack cases) But the wheels made it easy for the truck drivers to move the items around inside. And forking through wheels isn't too hard. I guess it really depends on who you're shipping through, these are just my personal experiences.

For large international shipments I recommend UPS Supply Chain Solutions. Domestically, you might do better with a smaller freight company. UPS and FedEx ground / air have always been outside of my price range for large items.

For the lids, shrinkwrap the entire case to hold those on, and keep any labels clear from getting ripped off.

For consoles (and empty console cases), I found the same for both sea and air shipping. Upright on wheels was preferred over a large, or multiple pallets. Make it clear when booking the shipment that wheels should be locked, and insure the shipment just in case! Any time I've shipped cases on wheels, they've arrived with shrinkwrap around the casters to lock them.
 
Re: How to ship a large case?

David Karol said:
Shipping companies generally generally seem to prefer the wheels.


But the wheels made it easy for the truck drivers to move the items around inside.
Click to expand...
I'll suggest that if the shipping company "prefers the wheels" enough to either reduce the shipping cost for caster equipped cases, or require the cases be equipped with casters to take the shipment, then leave the wheels on.

Admittedly, the truck drivers (and dock warehousemen) may "prefer the wheels", but to what benefit of the shipper or receiver? I have shipped and received a few cases (and speaker cabinets) that were caster equipped, only to discover that some of these caster equipped cases were free-ranging in the back of a cargo trailer for some or possibly all of the journey (and that was pretty ugly).

If shipping a >500lb board in a case (for example)... yes, having the case caster equipped will likely be a big plus. And chances are if said board in the case (on casters) is left to free-range in the back of a cargo trailer... it will only free-range till it likely soon-on does a face-plant.
 
Re: How to ship a large case?

W. Mark Hellinger said:
I'll suggest that if the shipping company "prefers the wheels" enough to either reduce the shipping cost for caster equipped cases, or require the cases be equipped with casters to take the shipment, then leave the wheels on.

Admittedly, the truck drivers (and dock warehousemen) may "prefer the wheels", but to what benefit of the shipper or receiver? I have shipped and received a few cases (and speaker cabinets) that were caster equipped, only to discover that some of these caster equipped cases were free-ranging in the back of a cargo trailer for some or possibly all of the journey (and that was pretty ugly).

If shipping a >500lb board in a case (for example)... yes, having the case caster equipped will likely be a big plus. And chances are if said board in the case (on casters) is left to free-range in the back of a cargo trailer... it will only free-range till it likely soon-on does a face-plant.
Click to expand...

I agree. I have never seen any LTL forwarder that wanted anything on wheels, as their handling systems depend upon items that cannot move on their own. Their trucks seldom have strapping systems, their docks aren't always level, and their transfer warehouses depend upon shipments being moved by a single human on a forklift. None of that is friendly to a wheeled shipment, and vice versa.

I have seen truck drivers having to nail 2x4s to their truck floor to contain rolling items. They obviously didn't prefer it.
 
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