Sorry to post this and its not really a question about hot rods, but sorta is. I have to ship some 68 lb. cylinder heads (2 of them more than likely in separate packaging) from Pittsburgh, PA to Florida. DHL will not package if I ship ground which I am to help with costs so I have to provide my own packaging...what's the best way??? A box would not be strong enough on its own for the cast iron head which probably will not fit snug in any box I have anyways. I can wrap the head in bubble wrap but the boxes would need some beefing up to hold these puppies. Anyone ever ship cast iron across the US before? Thanks for any ideas. Sincerely, The desperate to sell parts for a Hot Rod, guy
I've mostly shipped this type of stuff in plywood & firing strip crates put together with staples & wood screws. Big stuff like engine blocks would be strapped to a palet and I'm talking crimped steel strapping too. The cast will break if some clutz drops it off a forklift from 3 feet up or more so pad it well. Double wall cardboard boxes will work if you can find them or find a box that will fit perfectly inside another one might do the trick.
I shipped a flathead crank, I just double boxed it with some boxes from a local body shop they are 2ply cardboard. Maybe that'll help?
Find a local shipping store that does the foam packaging in place type stuff. They mix up a fast expanding liquid that they'll spray into trashbags that are placed around the heads. This stuff expands and then hardens around your items. Makes them almost drop proof from something like 5-10 feet.
For stuff like that I hit the local appliance store. They toss fringe boxes every day. Nice heavy double thickness cardboard. Make a box to fit the head. Bubble wrap is a waste of time with something this heavy. If you have access plastic or steel banding, hot glue, or lastly the widest fiberglass reinforced strapping tape you can find. Wood crate is always an alternative but the wood gets heavy fast.
I have shipped two sets to Minnesota and one set to Texas from Ca.---took a long piece of cardboard and rolled the heads over about 5 times, cut the ends to close and taped with heavy fiberglass reinforced tape---no issues and no problems.
Go check out the local hot-rod shop. They should have boxes that Dart heads come in. We get them shipped in all the time. We just keep the boxes for re-shipping. They are indestructible very tough we send out heads in them ups all the time>>>>.
Use an old fan belt wrapped around the head for a handle. The delivery guy is less likely to drop it if he has a good handle.
I put a few layers of heavy duty cardboard underneath, bagged the heads, and put yellow expanding spray foam on top to take up the space...worked fine. I think you're already onto this, but...it turned out cheaper for me to ship two packages to the same address than one big package. (And it's not just twice the single box rate, they give you a discount...) I shipped two crankshafts with the 'roll it up in cardboard and tape the heck out of it' method, that worked fine too. Be kind to the shippers...write a warning about it being heavy on the outside of the box. Makes for fewer bad suprises.
Pack 'em in a wooden box and ship them by Greyhound. The only thing is, the package will need to bedropped off and picked up at a bus station. Greyhound will be cheaper and in some cases, faster.
Thanks for the responses guys! Appreciate it. I will look into the tape the hell out of it method with cardboard and the foam one looks like something to look into. The local speed shop one with head boxes for resending can work..there are a few shops around here. Never thought of Greyhound, but he seems to need it delivered to his shop. Thanks guys
I sent two Packard V8 heads from Ca. To Montana in cardboard boxes that they had to be pushed into. UPS. Were assembled heads so I put on some old rocker boxes. Worked OK.
duct tape , cardboard, duct tape cardboard,duct tape, duct tape, and your good to go. i ship a lot of lathe parts beds and legs like this with no problems. DHL is the only way togo. they are the cheapest for heavy goods. good luck Daye
I ship heads bolted in a wooden Box (mind you these are L6 head total ship weight is 75lbs) Via UPS never had any problems.
DITTO what EnginePro said. I always save the boxes I get from Dart, and I've used them to ship heads. They are made of the heavier corrugated and built very strong. Any engine shop should have some.
I have used the spray foam method and a plastic bag it works great keeps the heads from slaming arround in the box cuz that is what trashes the cardboard. I have even shipped complete center sections for Olds rearends like this and it works flawlessly. Good luck
Ditto the heavy cardboard box and spray foam, just be sure to wrap the head with a plastic bag and just spray a little foam in the box at a time. ...a little here a little there until you fill it up. Some of the canned foam expands as much as 10 times its initial size and needs some place to go..... clean out the nozzle with CRC brake cleaner between jobs.
I had a couple shipped to me. They were in heavy duty cardboard boxes. The gasket surface was covered with about an inch of dense type cardboard and that was strapped to the heads and then slid inside heavy gauge boxes with no movement in the boxes. I couldnt believe they did so well in shipping but I have never had anything in cardboard like that.
Thanks again you guys! I think the foam and cardboard box idea is best and also the local machine shop for Dart boxes. I can see those both working very well.
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