Best way to ship a motor?

What is the best way to pack and most reasonable shipping method for a motorcycle engine? They're not light and seem like they could be easily damaged.

Thanks!

 

Build a small wooden crate around the motor using wood screws and 2x4's to keep the motor upright and stationary. Wrap it in plastic (shippers wrap) and contact a ground transportation company.

 

I've crated and shipped a few, but we just got one the other day on a pallet.
It was sitting in an old car tire, and then strapped to the pallet.
Plastic around the motor and then a cardboard box cut to crap and taped around it.

Sounds ugly, I know, but that's how I'm shipping my next one.:up:

 

Sure wish you could pick these up at WalMart http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/2009/wsbk/miller/7/1.htm

 

do a search on this its been covered plenty......

But if you double up 2 rubbermaid tubs you can ship it greyhound, ups, or fedex at a reasonable price.

 

I always shipped them on a pallet, as mentioned above. I have seen them in the rubbermaid tubs and dont like that, too easy to damage, personally seen 3 damaged that way.

 

the best way is to crate it. and build your own crate for the engine. make sure to have some opening under the crate for fork lift.

 

yep pallet, old car tire, ratchet straps and some plastic rap works great. Go to www.freightquote.com for good shipping rates. Be sure to use terminal to terminal for even cheaper prices.

 

rubbermaid containers suck for shipping motors. Someone shipped me a motor in two rubbermaid containers a couple months ago. Both containers were broken to pieces, the clutch cover was scratched pretty good. My regular ups driver wasn't to happy cause it leaked oil in his truck. He made a point to mention he hates getting motors or heavy parts packaged like that, happens to him once every year or two.

 

I paid to have one crated & shipped. They actually didn't crate it, just strapped it to a pallett... it jumped off the pallett and rolled around the truck before it was delivered... pretty banged up. The shipping insurance covered it... PITA. Next time, I'll build the crate myself.

 

Put it inside of a large trash bag and get a heavy card board box large enough for the engine to go inside of with some room left over all the way around. Pick up about six or eight cans of great stuff foam (you might need more depending on the size of your box) from Home Depot or Lowe's. Spray one can evenly around on the bottom and let it dry over night. Drop the engine in on top of it the next day and then fill in the voids with the remaining foam. The great stuff will expand all around the engine and protect it on all four sides. The engine will not be able to move inside of the box at all, and the great stuff sticks to the box so it all becomes one solid piece. There's no way the engine can fall out of the box.

It's very secure and still light enough to ship UPS or Fed Ex ground. If you do it right the engine could easily withstand being dropped off of a forklift or the back of a truck.

You might spend $30 bucks on the foam, but it's really fast and easy. Much easier than building a crate and much more secure than strapping it to a pallet.

 

Buchannan Wheel and spoke did that foam with my wheels. Worked absolutely awesome. BTW they do awesome work too. Same goes for Vintage Brake.

 

Great suggestions. I like the foam method; simple and protects the motor well. Thanks!

 

This is by far NOT the cheapest way to ship a motor, but it was as solid as a brick house. I shipped it from the Washington D.C. Forward Air depot to San Diego Ca. for 180 bucks and about 15 dollars in materials. The motor left on Friday and was in the buyers hands on Monday.

 

Just a tip. I blow air through the coolant lines to make sure there is none left in the pump that will spill out and cause you headache or $$.

 

DSM79,

Looks perfect! I, too, need to ship a GSXR motor. Any chance you still have the shipping frame?

Thanks!
Holt

 

a crate would be the best way but i have heard of putting it in a cooler. and taping the lid shut and shipping it that way.

 

This thread has been dead for a while but I just had a great experience using Uship Freight to ship an RSV4 motor in a crate and an RSV4 frame in another crate. Shipment was from Maryland to Los Angeles and the total cost was about $300 for both crates together. The seller grabbed some lightweight crates from a medical supply company in a commercial park and did a really simple crate for each item. Screwed the corners together, stuffed the voids with cut up pieces of 2" foam board and ran a couple ratchet straps around each crate. He dropped them off at the freight terminal and 10 days later they were delivered to my friends business location that has a forklift. YRC was the shipper I selected through the Uship Freight website. 1 they were the cheapest and 2 they were a reasonable distance from the sellers location. I think it was about a 30 minute drive for him to get there. If you don't have a forklift on either end or don't do terminal to terminal (or a combination of these two options) it adds about $150 on each end for them to pick-up/drop-off with a lift gate truck.

 

https://www.fastenal.com/en/22/blue-lane-freight

Best rates I've seen for motors/large parts.

Find 2 pallets, chop 1 up to build a protective case around the motor. 2 ratchet straps to secure motor.
Drop it off at Fastenal. Buyer can then pay for shipping upon pickup of motor.
If I recall, it was $160 from San Diego to Phili.

 

Cool, good to put these options out there for other people