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Poor package consequences!


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I rebuild VW transaxles, and often ship them back and forth.

These are 70 pound chunks of aluminum and steel, and the shipping carriers will fucking destroy them during transit.

 

I've got them beat though... there is a place about an hour away that sells styrofoam insulation. They buy it in "buns" that are like 16' x 8' x 4' blocks, they cut them with a hot wire cutter into sheets for metal buildings and barns and so on to insulate them.

 

The scraps are usually a couple inch thick slabs 3' x 4' in size that I buy. I completely fill the bed and back cab of a F150 truck for $30 and end up with a shit ton of this foam.

 

It has a crush rating of 1440 PSI, you can step on it, drive on it, and it won't completely crush.

It cuts like butter on a hot-wire cutter (piece of wire, string it tight, attach a cheap 12V battery charger to each end).

 

I cut the layers of foam used to pack the trans so each layer fits the object being packed perfectly. Stack them up until they cover the item, box it.

 

Here are a couple AR rifles packed up ready to ship out to the non-free State of CT where only pre bans are legal (partially bagged to keep any foam rubbed away during shipping out of the actions)...

 

j15s.jpg

 

The trick to shipping heavy items is to ensure it can't move around inside the box. If it can move, it'll go through the side of the box or get damaged or both. Keeping it packed tight stops the momentum and greatly helps prevent shipping damage.

 

For heavy stuff, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, etc. just won't cut it, they'll crush and deform and leave space so the item can move around.

I have had them shipped with pieces of heavy cardboard cut into scraps and just packed all around the trans and that works, as long as you pack it TIGHT.

 

Sorry to see your broken case, hopefully you have good luck getting the insurance to pay out but USPS is horrible to deal with.

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When I get the box open I just start laughing!!

 

 

I would say I'm surprised about that, but unfortunately I'm not.

People must think a couple millimeters of cardboard is a magical protection layer, because I'll get parts or trans shipped in like that if I'm not careful to remind them to pack it tight and not right against the sides of the boxing.

 

That thin Yamaha aluminum didn't stand a chance.... here is a pic of a lug on the VW 020 trans that was snapped off in shipping and this is high quality German-produced aluminum casting that is a couple inches in size, it isn't weak.

It's actually one of the lugs that are used to mount the trans to a trans stand for removing it from the car, but UPS, USPS, and FedEx will destroy it if given the chance.

I once had UPS deliver 5 trans to me one day, the driver was kicking the box to roll it end over end down the middle aisle of the truck. Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! That wasn't the worst of it either.... 2 of the 5 boxes were empty. UPS lost 2 VW transaxles in shipping. I told them if they ran across a couple 70 pound trans in the back of a truck or plane, it's probably mine.

They never turned up and I never paid UPS for the shipment. They turned me into a collection agency, I told the guy I would never pay and to sell the debt to the next collection agency. He didn't even try, he said OK and thanks and hung up and that was the last I heard of it. Pricks.

101811%20019s.jpg

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I would say I'm surprised about that, but unfortunately I'm not.

People must think a couple millimeters of cardboard is a magical protection layer, because I'll get parts or trans shipped in like that if I'm not careful to remind them to pack it tight and not right against the sides of the boxing.

 

 

 

Hey Bryan, didn't realize you were on here! I hear you on that, I do alot of 02J/02M/01E transmissions and it's downright crazy what some people think is enough packaging for a 100+ pound item. 

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I would say I'm surprised about that, but unfortunately I'm not.

People must think a couple millimeters of cardboard is a magical protection layer, because I'll get parts or trans shipped in like that if I'm not careful to remind them to pack it tight and not right against the sides of the boxing.

 

That thin Yamaha aluminum didn't stand a chance.... here is a pic of a lug on the VW 020 trans that was snapped off in shipping and this is high quality German-produced aluminum casting that is a couple inches in size, it isn't weak.

It's actually one of the lugs that are used to mount the trans to a trans stand for removing it from the car, but UPS, USPS, and FedEx will destroy it if given the chance.

I once had UPS deliver 5 trans to me one day, the driver was kicking the box to roll it end over end down the middle aisle of the truck. Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! That wasn't the worst of it either.... 2 of the 5 boxes were empty. UPS lost 2 VW transaxles in shipping. I told them if they ran across a couple 70 pound trans in the back of a truck or plane, it's probably mine.

They never turned up and I never paid UPS for the shipment. They turned me into a collection agency, I told the guy I would never pay and to sell the debt to the next collection agency. He didn't even try, he said OK and thanks and hung up and that was the last I heard of it. Pricks.

 

 

 

German aluminum is shit. like not a little bit either.

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Hey Bryan, didn't realize you were on here! I hear you on that, I do alot of 02J/02M/01E transmissions and it's downright crazy what some people think is enough packaging for a 100+ pound item.

I didn't realize there were VW guys on here! Good shit!

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