Shipping car parts – how to prepare?

Are you a car lover? Then, you probably want the best parts for your car. Sometimes, it is difficult to find the right parts at a decent price. That is why the Internet exists. You can find almost everything and anything on the worldwide net. In addition to buying car parts, you can also sell yours. Therefore, you need to send those parts to your buyers. The other situation is just sending car parts for some personal reasons. Whatever the case might be, you need to prepare those car parts. For this reason, here is a guide for you to follow when shipping car parts. You should consider shipping by LTL freight as this would save time, money, and reduce the level of stress since sending auto parts can be nerve-racking. Without further ado, here are all the tips. 

Shipping car parts – the golden rule 

The first things first, you have to respect the golden rule of shipping car parts. This means you have to always drain all fluid from your parts. There is no exception. Fluids, such as oil and water, get cause serious damage. In addition to this, oil is especially dangerous. Many shipping and moving companies will refuse to ship car parts filled with oil as the oil is seen as a hazardous material. It is flammable, which means drivers and other personnel can be in serious danger. Apart from this, if oil somehow leaks, it will cause damage to the packing material and to the other parcels as well. For this reason, make sure to always drain fluids. After all, your shipping company will check so do not try to skip this rule. 

Shipping engines 

The first part to prepare is an engine. Engines are quite heavy and they contain hazardous materials. As mentioned before, drain all the fluids. In addition to this, you cannot ship engines using USPS or similar courier services because of oil. For this reason, people usually use LTL freight. You can pack it in two ways. The first one is to use a crate. Get one crate that is in good shape. Next, use proper packing materials. One such would be engineered foam enclosures. Make sure your engine is properly secured. This means the engine should not move around in transit. This can cause damage to your part. 

Use a pallet for your engine 

The second way to ship your engine is to use a pallet. This option is more popular since it is cheaper. However, you will need more packing supplies to keep your engines safe. Otherwise, interstate movers will not transport it. Here is what you need to do. First, place the engine in the center of the pallet. You have to use ropes or straps to secure the part. Then, you have to protect your engine. You can use cardboard or moving blankets. In addition to this, you have to wrap the entire package, including the pallet, into shrink wrap. Leave one open access as carriers will check for fluids. 

Shipping car parts – transmissions 

You can also use a crate or a pallet to ship transmissions. Start by removing any parts that can be damaged during the transit. These would include side shift consoles and pack those sensitive parts separately. Make sure to wrap those parts into protective materials of your choice and seal the box. In addition to this, check for oil or grease. Remove any if necessary. Again, you have to respect this golden rule regarding car transport. If you choose to use the pallet, the packing process is almost the same. Place the transmission at the center. Secure it with bands, rope, or straps and wrap it first with cardboard or moving blanket, then with shrink wrap.  

What to do with the other parts 

Naturally, there are other car parts you can ship apart from the engine and transmissions. 

• Bumpers – they are quite large but surprisingly easy to ship. The biggest problem is finding a box to fit the bumpers in. Once you get one, just seal it. 
• Hoods – yet another large part, but still easy to ship. Just like bumpers, you should find the right-sized box. In addition to this, pay attention to corners as you have to protect those as well. 
• Grills – unlike the two parts above, grills are far more delicate. For this reason, you have to secure them properly with lots of padding. 
• Hubcaps – similar to the other parts on this list, you need to choose the right boxes. You should fill an empty space with cushioning. 
• Tires – you should use a separate box for each tire. Make sure that the box is strong enough since tires are heavy. 

Packing car parts 

Packing is the most important aspect of shipping car parts. Packaging will determine whether your parts will reach the destination in one piece without any damage. First, selecting a box is extremely important. You should always use single, double or triple-wall corrugated boxes. In addition to this, parts such as coil springs, shock absorbers, and pipes, you can put inside sturdy mailing tubes. In addition to this, fragile items should be double boxed. As for protective materials, for lighter parts, you can use air pillow bubble wrapping. On the other hand, use spray foam filler, engineered foam enclosure or foam-in-place for heavier parts. 

More tips to remember when shipping car parts

You should properly seal the package. Make sure to label your package. Be as specific as you can. In addition to this, you should tell your shipping company the next information. 

• The dimensions 
• The weight of your shipment 
• Pickup and delivery ZIP code 
• Delivery locations and other details about the pickup 
• Type and model of the car parts 

Lastly, you can track your package so ask for your tracking number. As you can see, these would be all the important tips for shipping car parts.