Comparative Costs of Shipping An Axle Housing

[El Viento]

Good day fellow enthusiasts ! ! ! I wanted to drop a quick note regarding Shipping Costs (and options) for an 8.75 Housing in case others were curious......your mileage might vary, especially when it comes to distance...I've also learned that shipping TO a Business addy can help with rates somewhat......here we go.....

I am shipping an axle housing from SouthWestern Colorado (smaller rural area) to Moser Engineering in Portland, Indiana....a total distance of 1,414 Miles....I wanted quotes from UPS, FEDEX, and USPS....In searching for these quotes I learned of a shipping option named Pirate Shipping which basically allows you to print your own shipping labels and pay for them without having to go to a drop off location-and it is said that they can save you money. Here's my experience...

The quote is for an Irregular Shaped item, which weighs 43.5 Pounds, and whose measurements are listed at 63" L, 12" W, and 12" H.....

Via Pirate Shipping, UPS Ground was the least expensive at $70.15 USD and USPS Ground was quoted at $231.33 (I'm not sure why the USPS quote is so high on Pirate Shipping)

Via UPS direct, that same exact order was quoted at $145.02.....so, it looks like Pirate certainly saved quite a few pennies.......(75 bucks worth of pennies).

When quoting directly through USPS, the same order showed as $124.80 total and with a Click and Save option (?) for only $113.59

Hopefully this'll help another in budgeting or figuring out the most cost effective method of shipping something like an Axle Housing to Moser.

I shipped it exactly as it sits on the Blue Car.....

EDIT: I went to drop off the Axle and UPS has a policy that they won't accept an item wrapped in Duct Tape as it can snag on equipment as the item moves through their system.....so the solution was to have the whole package wrapped in clear shipping tape.....so they charged an additional $4.00 USD for taping....just so you know.....keep in mind for future reference.....

 

[go-fish]

I had a housing shipped from @coloradohill in Denver area to me ear OKC for $56, iirc. It, that was like two years ago and rates have gone up. Sounds like you’re right on target.

 

[Locomotion]

USPS doesn't like to handle big items so that may be why they would charge so much for a housing. I guess it would be a problem hauling it around in their little trucks. But USPS does have good prices on smaller lighter stuff and you get the best deal by registering an account & using Click-N-Ship, which appears that Pirate Ship can't beat. (Size & weight limits apply.) You just gotta input the data for best price & eventually you'll know the break points for size/weight combos.

I just did ship a 904 trans for $121.56 insured @ 130 lbs via Pirate Ship/UPS from Florida to Oklahoma.I constructed a spaced 2 layer 18x18 plywood base to bolt the bellhousing to. That just fit in Home Depot large & medium moving boxes that were combined for the height - 36" I think. (Size & weight limits apply.) This was only my second time using them and I still can't get over how they can beat UPS while still using their labels and shipping. No notifications yet that I did anything wrong.

I hope whoever came up with "Pirate Ship" got a big bonus. I can't imagine a catchier name & theme for marketing..

 

[El Viento]

Ahhhh, thanks for the Click and Ship info' on smaller packages ! ! ! I call that a Stockton to Malone Assist ! ! !

 

[Desoto291hemi]

I received my 8 3/4 housing in a long narrow box,,,,,fit perfectly .
Arrived just fine .
I can’t remember what I paid at the moment ,,,but it was reasonably priced .
I’ll try to find out later .

Tommy

 

[Locomotion]

Finding a suitable box can be a problem for small through large items. Knowing when the shelves get stocked at your local grocery store and having connections at big businesses or schools can provide a source for a variety of sizes & shapes and sometimes packing material. Just you can't go too small on some boxes because the label won't fit. But sometimes you can wrap the label around it as long as it doesn't overlap on itself. In those cases it helps to carefully position it so the bar code is split length-wise over a corner so it can be read from 2 sides.

I don't recall noticing an option to shrink the label like I saw on USPS self-service machines inside.

I forgot I had pics of my 904 trans. shipment. Not sure if a 727 would fit (weight & size) because the 904 was tight on the 17.75" plywood base and I had to turn the trans on the plywood just a bit.

 

[El Viento]

That's great Locomotion ! ! ! The more ideas that work-the better ! ! In terms of shrinking an address label, right after you click Orint-there should be an option that allows you to go into your Printer settings to adjust the size as well as fitment of copied items, and just recently I noticed on our printer+there's a way to paste multiple shipping labels on 1 sheet of paper....

 

[RAT ROD AL]

I have been using Pirate Shipping for quite a few years. Definitely saves on shipping. The trick to the whole deal is packaging.
I have become quite the box maker.
My wife Theresa takes care of all our shipping quote and labeling and says some times a 2nd check gets a different price. For some unknown reason.

 

[RAT ROD AL]

I used to have a local Marine Hardware store close by, Their dumpster was a goldmine of shipping boxes, paper and stuffing. And a Sporting Goods store for long boxe for fishing poles. But I moved. Sure miss diving Their dumpsters !!!

 

[Locomotion]

That's great Locomotion ! ! ! The more ideas that work-the better ! ! In terms of shrinking an address label, right after you click Orint-there should be an option that allows you to go into your Printer settings to adjust the size as well as fitment of copied items, and just recently I noticed on our printer+there's a way to paste multiple shipping labels on 1 sheet of paper....

I wouldn't recommend shrinking the shipping label if the option isn't part of the shipper's print program. It may affect the scanability going through the system and possibly get lost. From what I remember, the USPS self-service machine rearranged & prioritized what went on their smaller label.

 

[El Viento]

Locomotion, I thank you immensely for that Stockton to Malone assist ! ! ! Will not do that down the road ......so here's the follow up....
I received an Invoice from Moser for the Axle Housing and it's shipping cost to return it....
Now remember, I paid $70.15 to ship it there plus 4 beans in Tape fee....

To ship back the Housing, lighter as she is with having like 6.25 of axle housing removed from her, was $130.00 via FEDEX.....no napkin to take home from that dinner either.....hahahahaha.....oh but their Welds are AMAZING......Look for that another thread, curious about what I feel was a TOTAL HOOK UP on Moser Engineering's part ....seriously .....