Shipping Big Items

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dartnabout

dartnabout

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
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I was reading cudacrazy67's thread for a 340 he has for sale, and found he has the same problem I have had. People far away want your items but shipping is outrageous. Since we have members spread across the land I wonder what it would take to put together a way to get a big item across the land. I know that the whole thing would be complicated but hey if I was headed South I would throw the thing on the truck or a trailer for some gas money. Not to make a profit but a help. I do travel to Mississippi on occasion and fuel in my truck is about $300 one way. Throw me some cash to deliver and it helps me and helps you. Make sense? Maybe this was done already here and I am not aware of it.
 
I have hauled cars and parts many times. One trip from Florida to Virginia, Hauled a car from my area of Florida, to Macon Ga, and some sheet metal to eastern Va. Picked up the car I was buying in Va, drove to North Carolina, picked up some other parts that were transported to the racetrack from Minesota, and picked up an engine at a friends house a coulple of hours from the track, to deliver to Florida. I saved some people money and I was able to have my gas covered in full.

I have a trip coming up the end of Feb, From north central Florida to Pigeon Forge Tn. and back. I can transport items. My route is flexable. Pickup truck and open car trailer ("A" body sized cars only) if necessary.
 
There is a "fabo transportation thread" on here somewhere, but havent seen it "revived" in a while.
 
Some people don't know about shipping big heavy items via trucklines.. Most of you reading this right now are already thinking "he aint got a clue", and "he must have money to throw away".. Well quite the contrary on both, however I do have a few years in shipping materials.. Let me explain; if you work for a company that has normal inbounds and outbounds everyday, and they have no problem of you shipping a big bulky item with normal materials they ship. For example, an oversized item (a hood) or overweight (like an engine). And as long as you crate or box your item, and you pay the freight bill/cost back to your company. You're ahead of the game. If your company allows you to use their primary carrier at the rates quoted to them based on the volume your company does, that's your first and best option, and you might be surprised at the cost, most people don't have a clue..(sound familiar..above).
Next option from your company to a member here is Dock to Dock. In other words you ship your item from the truck terminal Dock (as the seller) to the receiving Dock of the member (buyer) and they pick it up at the terminal. Again if your company will allow you to use their rates it's gonna be cheap. And if they don't, on a Dock to Dock you'll see it's still pretty inexpensive. Your only paying for transport cost, not delivery and pick-up cost. Some of the bigger named freight haulers like, ConWay, R & L, SIAH, Holland, Pitt Ohio are pretty well known and have terminals across the U.S. So before you throw your hands up and say "I wished they lived closer". Check with your company, call a couple of terminals and ask what there rate is dock to dock, with a mention this is not a "Hot Tail Gate Rush", just a normal ship and receive... And you can negotiate some too..
Hope this gives a little insight to those who feel that they have no way to get items they need..

19 Again..
 
X2 dock to dock is the only way to ship large items resonably.
Package it up on a pallet / crate that can be picked up with a fork lift this the best way to ship large items.
 
Yup a co-worker had a zero turn shipped dock to dock from Cali to Mich for 300 dollars a few years ago.
 
One thing you may want to investigate is whether a company in your area will allow you to bring an item there to be picked up, and ask them what company they receive and ship from. I have done business with many companies in my area that have no interest in Mopar stuff at all, but might allow me to drop off a skidded item and do all the legwork and just have it picked up there during normal business hours.

I know with most carriers that the fee is totally based on how much the driver has to do. If the truck needs to be a drop-lift gate, it's another large chunk of cash. If the driver has to get out and pallet jack the item through your gravel driveway, another large fee. If they can just pull up to a dock and roll it right in and drop it off at another dock at or near it's destination, that is the cheapest way to freight an item. If they have a terminal near it's origin and destination, thats the absolute cheapest way to go.

You gotta factor the cost of freight into your price and decide whether you need the item that bad. When I had those $50.00 motors up for grabs, even if you had to pay another $150.00 to have it freighted, you still would be ahead, especially if you can't find items near you!! Yea, shippings a pain, but you gotta buck down and pay the price sometimes!! Just do a little research and you can usually do it on the cheep!! JMO, Geof
 
I just got a trunk lid shipped from Georgia to Oklahoma for less than $100.00 through Greyhound. Three days and it was here at the bus station. They can handle a pretty large item. I am sure they are weight limits so you would need to check that out for yourself.
 
I know of someone who had there motor shipped thru Fed Ex Freight. From PA to AZ it was reasonable. If you look on EBAY sellers are shipping motors for a couple of hundred dollars...
 
I had a complete Dana 60 shipped from CA to Houston for around $170, terminal to terminal.

My fave is when you have some big item and buyers want you to get a truck freight quote for them. Get off your lazy rear and find a quote yourself, especially when the ad says no shipping or pick up only... people on here would have an internet connection... RIGHT? :) Call forward air, or any truck line with an estimated weight and see what you find out. And, if I have taken the time to get a quote, the response every time... oh that's too much...
 
I hear ya cracked, most people don't realize just what a quote for freighting an object entails. First you need to have the item strapped to a skid, then have some kind of idea on what it all weighs, or take it to a scale large enough to weigh a heavy item. Then you call around and find them the best rate, usually with no business account or even a foot in the door, only to be blown off completely or have them back out on the deal because in the end it's too much to pay!!

Ahh, the benefits of selling!! Geof
 
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