I'm looking to buy a t5 from someone but I want to get a quote on shipping it from chicago area to Philadelphia. Anyone have any suggestions? Also, how would you pack that up and what size/weight would it be so i get can get a few quotes? Thanks for the help

 

I've shipped a couple T5's.

I use a box of 3" wood screws, my drill, lumber, and cardboard.

If you can find a box that's 10 or 12" wide (just enough to house the trans.) it makes things a bit easier.

The way I do them is lay a couple 2x4's parallel to each other flat on the ground. Wider than the trans. by a bit, narrow enough to fit in a box if you have one. Lay short planks sideways over those 2x4s & put them together with wood screws. I like to put a board just in front of the main case, and one in the back that supports the tailhousing.

Once that's together, set the trans. down and build verticals. At each corner, put a 2x4 high enough so it's about 2" over the trans. Once those are screwed to the 2 bottom boards, build structure over the top of the trans. to hold it firmly to the bottom boards. Your creativity will help here.

At that point, you should be able to pick up any one board of the crate and hold the crate upside down, and the trans be held in place without moving around much at all. Also, if you planned it right, you can slide the crate into the cardboard box and you're ready to rock, other than trimming the cardboard for height & length. You could also staple cardboard to the 2x4 structure.

It's ~85lbs crated but don't quote me

 

How did you use to ship the trannies? How much do you think it would weight with everything i would be using for my auto to manual swap?

Thanks for the box description. Is it better to put the wood box inside a cardboard one or just leave it the wood box?

 

FedEx Ground. I would definitely recommend 2 boxes because with pedals, flywheel, bellhousing, etc. it's going to be a pain to box up as one item. Personally, if I was shipping you a T5 setup, I'd tell you I refused to send it as one box.

I don't know what their policies are on open crates. I've never tried. Less hassle to have it enclosed, likely.

 

That sounds like a lot of trouble to go through, but it may cut down on shipping costs.

I've always seen things like this set down on a pallet and strapped tightly to it, a shipping label tapped to it and sent on it's way.

I am trying to find out how much frieght is for my 700r4 with converter, no-fluid (fluid must be drained always). I put up a post in the feedback forum, I heard of ABF frieght and unifrieght. I got a quote for a 175 pound (rough guess) transmission, to be sent to Atlanta from Chesepeke,VA the qoute was for $98, this was based on a drop-off and pick-up at the terminal.

Does anyone have any input on how much a 700r4 wieghs? I can pick this beast up...but not for long, I'm guessing it's well over 150 pounds, but it's just a guess, i don't want to over charge or undercharge for shipping.


all of the loose stuff would be better off in a regular box, unless it could be put in with the large box described in the first post. No need to take up more space on the frieght truck if it can be shipped separately.

 

I have also shipped a T5, I built a all wooden box. The box had crossmembers inside, 2 crossmembers sandwiched the tailshaft. 2 crossmembers near the bolt holes on input shaft side. Large lag screws were used throug the bolt holes to hold the tranny to the crossmembers. I dont remember the shipping weight but it shipped Ups ground

 

I know when G Force sent me mine, shipping weight is around 85 Lbs.

They shipped it in a cardboard box believe it or not!! They used the expandable foam stuff. Basically they shot foam in the box 1/2 way up, laid plastic over that, and set the trans in when it was partially dry, and sprayed more of that stuff on top.

So it was "entombed" in the stuff. then they just made sure the box wouldn't fly open with reinforced tape. You could have dropped it out of the truck and it probably would'nt have broke!!

I have my old trans in it now!! Great tranny storage box!

EDIT: Just noticed you want to ship an auto - I was talking T-5...

 

The 700R4 will have to go truck freight. That's how I shipped mine. I didn't pay for it, but I saw the bill, and it was like $300.

You can ship the trans in a heavy duty cardboard bax and just pack the hell out of it. Use a lot of foam. Home depot sells this cheap insulation foam that I use for packing all the time. I shipped a Muncie this way and the guy who bought it said that it arrived jsut the way it had left. I'm sure the T5 can go UPS. The total weight with packaging is probably only 75-80 pounds.

I'd use a seperate box for the bellhousing, clutch, flywheel, and pedals.

 

I shipped off my T5 the same way.
UPS will box it up and use that foam packaging stuff, it's little plastic pags with the expanding foam, unfold it, massage it and it starts to expand.

I also used 2 boxes, one for the Tranny and one for everything else, flywheel, clutch, pedals, shifter, bellhousing, etc....

Here is a little shipping tip:
Sometimes using more than one box will be cheaper to ship.
UPS charges anywhere from $2.00- $3.50+ per pound over 70lbs, so if you are shipping 2 iron cylinder heads, use 2 boxes since both heads in one box wiegh 100lbs.
This happened to me, both heads in one box was $65 or so to ship, putting them in separate boxes, it was $16/box for a total of $32.