Questions on How to Ship Wheels

[namdc3]

I was wondering the best/easiest/cheapest way to ship T wheels within the USA. I am interested both in shipping wheels to Stutzman for rebuild and in selling some other wheels/rims and potentially shipping to the buyer(s). I’d be interested to hear others’ good and bad experiences, what carriers they used, how they packaged them, etc.

[MichaelPawelek]

I would contact the wheel right and ask which method was used that the wheels arrived to them in the best shape.

[Mike Fortney]

I sent mine UPS and they sent it back UPS

[Kevin Pharis]

I use double wall corrugated boxes packed with expanding foam corners to suspend the wheels inside the box. Painters plastic and spray foam can be used, but remember that the spray foam will not cure if encapsulated in plastic (don’t ask me how I know). If heavy items work loose inside the box... it’s almost guaranteed they will get out! Don’t just worry about foreign object damage, consider that the most likely damage will be caused by the box getting dropped from as high as 3-4 feet. Protect the hub snout also, possibly a PVC/ABS pipe cap taped to the hub so it doesn’t get loose if it were to poke thru the box.

UPS has handled about 50 wheels for me without fault so far. Average one way price in the lower 48 is about $60 each wheel these days

[DHort]

Stutzman does not need your spokes and he does not clean your hubs or felloes. If you send him dirty hubs, you will get dirty hubs back. Why pay to ship a compete wheel.

Take the wheel apart, clean up your hubs and felloes. Paint them now if you want. Ship these to him with 1-2 spokes to make it easier for him to measure.

He will ship the completed wheels back to you, 2 in a box.

[Steve Jelf]

I only needed three wheels, so I made a box to hold three completed wheels and sent the metal parts to Noah Stutzman in it. I supplied all the metal parts except the tubing he installed for the valve stem holes. The box was made of particle board and 1 x 4 boards. I believe I sent it by Fedex and he returned it by UPS. No problems either way, but I think Fedex cost less. The gray primer was a big mistake. After the wheels were painted you could see the least little nick or scratch (as from mounting tires) from twenty feet away. If I have any more wheels made I'll use black primer or a primerless black paint.

[speedytinc]

You might look into grey hound. In the past they carried this kind of package cheaper than a traditional carrier like ups. Terminal to terminal drop off & pick up.

[Oldav8tor]

I do the same as Kevin. I have two boxes I use for that purpose and have successfully shipped a few wheels to Stutzman using them. Finding a source of corrugated cardboard boxes of the right dimensions may be a challenge. I found out that UPS is the cheapest for me, especially if I take the box to one of the actual UPS centers, not a contract store. It usually costs between $35 and $40 to ship one wheel.

[John kuehn]

When your shipping bulky objects like wheels or etc. it’s a rule of thumb to ALWAYS secure the parts sturdily so they won’t move inside your container. This is a must. Yes I know shippers can sometimes be rough when shipping and moving freight BUT it’s up to you to box or crate the items correctly and not the shipper.
When I had a set of wheels redone by Johnson’s wood wheels in Oklahoma the wood box container he shipped them in was super sturdy and really nice. The wheels were very nicely done and balanced.
They were shipped by UPS at the time and arrived OK.

[Jugster]

If you're shipping a single wheel to Noah Stutzman (I sent mine one at a time), you need little more than a cardboard box and some bubble-wrap. It doesn't really matter if your wooden spokes get damaged enroute because they're all going to be replaced anyway. The solid rim and heavy metal hub are rather unlikely to be damaged, assuming the box isn't dropped from an airplane. And of course, Noah will know how to ship the wheel back to you in such a way as to ensure its safe arrival. Keep his box for the next time you need to send him a wheel. He does wonderful work for a very reasonable price.

[namdc3]

Thanks for all of the ideas.

[TRDxB2]

Thanks for all of the ideas.

I thought I do the math. I have accounts with all three.
Usually better to condense the heavy smaller items in one shipment and the large lighter in its own. I used the repecive shippers online shipment calculators. Extra charges for additional insurance over their respective defaults. I have shipped wire wheels before, the total for 2 to a box was a lot less than shipping 4 and much less if a pallet was needed.
--
Shipping the hubs in a USPS Large Priority Mailing box (box is free at the post office and you need there's for this cost) $21.50 (might be more tomorrow). The rims shipped separately with - can get a box 24 x 24 and cut it down should work and is available most Home Improvement or Office supply stores for about $5. Shipping it USPS Priority mail from KCity to Ohio calculated at $45.85
So Total not counting the box $67.35 + more insurance
Did UPS & FedEX below - you could but a box with the hubs in it inside the rim box and ship for the same amount 50 lbs is their cut off for the box size before the price jumps. I weighed a rim an 7lbs did not do the hub. FedEX provides a higher insurance default.
If it were me, because of splitting the weight (less changes of broken box), I would do USPS