How to package your engine/transmission

http://www.engineshipping.com

Finding a great company to move your item is one thing. Finding a company to do it right, cheap, and not NOT DAMAGE your item is a whole different story. Freight damage is a common occurrence when shipping any piece or item, but the engine industry sees more than it's fair share of freight damage. The main reason, IMPROPER PACKING! So today I will lay out the simple steps you should follow when preparing your engine to be shipped!

It's tough if you are the buyer and you have to count on you seller to package the product correctly. You are pretty much at their mercy with little or no control over how they decided to ship your new purchase to you. But, there are questions that you can and probably need to ask before it ships. While these questions won't insure an undamaged engine at delivery, they will help and lower the risk of your item having a problem.

EVERY ENGINE/TRANSMISSION THAT IS BEING SHIPPED MUST BE COMPLETELY DRAINED OF ANY AND ALL FLUIDS, INCLUDING WATER!!!!

First, make sure that your engine is secured to a pallet, or is crated prior to the truck driver arriving for pickup. And engine just resting on a pallet WILL rock, tip, tilt, and BREAK. So, just ask whomever you are dealing with at the pickup end to make sure it is secure. Next, find out if the engine is protected by shrink wrap, wood, cardboard, or anything else. While this is not a necessity and many engines are shipped without being cover, it does decrease your odds significantly of damage.

Finally, ask that the person handling the pick up end to place a shipping label with the ship to address on the shipment. Secure it to the engine via tape or whatever. ALSO have the shipper put DO NOT STACK sign on the engine. This will keep the truck company from loading anything on top of your engine and it generally insures that your engine will be in a "safer" part of the trailer with not a bunch of items that are stacked to the ceiling and can fall.

Now if you are in a position to package the engine yourself here are the basic rules of thumb to get your engine from Point A to Point B with the least amount of risk.

First and foremost secure the engine or transmission to a pallet. Use ratchet straps, tie downs, banding wire, or even rope. BUT make sure that engine can't rock, tilt or slide off of the pallet. If you can build a crate around and on top of the engine/transmission. This will not only prevent it from moving it will also protect it from other items falling or sliding into your engine/transmission.

Shrink wrap whenever possible. Shrink wrap, a garbage bag, plastic, even cardboard will protect the outside from any dings or dents but also, if there is even a drop of fluid in the engine/transmission this will help to catch it.

That is about it. Simple right? You'd be shocked at the amount of engines each month with receive that are damaged because the shipper did a terrible job at packaging the engine. Take the time to talk with the shipper, explain what needs to be done and impress upon him/her the importance of doing so based on the instructions you give. Or send them here and let them learn on there own.

On a related topic, when you receive an engine you MUST check every detail. Before you sign anything make sure to check the engine/transmission over thoroughly to verify that there is no damage. IF there is damage you can still receive the engine/transmission but make sure you write out the exact details of where the damage is on the delivery receipt before the driver leaves.

More on receiving freight to come but once you sign the delivery receipt you have absolutely NO grounds to claim damage later. This is vital to remember! Thanks for reading...check back soon for the next post!