Shipping heads
 

Getting ready to ship heads for updates and was wondering if you found it cheaper to ship both boxes tied together or ship them individually? A follow up what's your experience with ups and FedEx these days. Really want to get them off before things get crazy with holidays.

Re: Shipping heads
 

I hate Fed Ex!

I use UPS and normally make one shipment with two boxes.

Either way, buy insurance.....

Re: Shipping heads
 

GUMP is SPOT ON …don’t pinch pennies on the insurance. Angelo D. can tell you about horror stories shipping torque converters

Re: Shipping heads
 

If you are shipping cast iron heads, due to their weight, ship them separately.

If they are aluminum, you can ship them together, however, make sure you use fiber shipping tape or a plastic shipping band to hold them together. Too many stories of cylinder heads taped together and the person only receiving one cylinder head. As others stated, make sure to insure the heads for the actual replacement costs.

Re: Shipping heads
 

UPS/Insurance?
We ship expensive instruments across the country since 1977; UPS will fight you every step of the way in order to not pay an insurance claim...usually the bottom line it was "not packed properly"

Re: Shipping heads
 

Double wall boxes and using hard insulation foam and/or a double wall box with an inner cardboard box and a few cans of 'great stuff' spray foam between the layers. As UPS plays rugby and/or chucks the box around, the heavy item sliding around inside has more often been what causes the box to fail in my experience. Good fiber tape is a min recommendation as well. While I worked for 10yrs as a design engineer and then prod/quality mgr for a Harley transmission aftermarket company, I had to design packaging and source boxes. UPS would pay out on the insurance, but ONLY if you had it packaged amazing and meeting their high standards for shipping. Just remember you care about those heads more than anyone else. CYA and package them in separate boxes to drop from above your head and have no damage.

Re: Shipping heads
 

Take them to a UPS Store and pay them to package them and insure them for replacement costs. They will deny all claims if you wrap them yourself!

Re: Shipping heads
 

Jeremy, thats a big city option only. Zanesvilles Fedex and UPS has no such options. If I wanted to drive a couple hours to Columbus they have the shipping/boxing capabilities.

Re: Shipping heads
 

After shipping thousands of heads I know this, I too HATE FED EX, and ship UPS in separate boxes. CLEARLY mark each box, "One of TWO" and TWO OF TWO"

Re: Shipping heads
 

Thanks all for the responses. Not an option for ups to pack. I think I'm going to ship them individually as they are cast 520 s. Easier to box and wrap and hopefully if one is lost maybe the other will make it to heads up. Yes, I definitely care more about them than anyone else for sure. I bubble wrapped them inside double layer Dart head shipping boxes. Tried stacking them and thought about shipping together, but don't want to raise any more issues to prevent ups from paying on insurance claim if something happens. Fiber tape a good idea and will definitely pay for insurance.

Re: Shipping heads
 

Almost forgot a very important part. ONLY use a UPS terminal. Do NOT use a UPS store.

Anyplace other than a terminal will easily cost 20 to 40% more. Google your closest terminal/ And never let anyone pack your stuff. Always pack it yourself

Re: Shipping heads
 

I’m thankful that Spier Racing Heads is about 2 miles from me!

Re: Shipping heads
 

I have used both UPS terminals and UPS shipping stores----the only time I ever shipped something over $150 AND DID NOT INSURE IT it got lost ---it got lost in the 35 minutes from the time I dropped it off until the last UPS pick up of the day---the UPS driver picked it up BUT it never got to the UPS terminal 3 miles away go figure--- I screamed bloody murder for 4 months and submitted a list and invoices for the stuff and finally UPS settled but tried to say it was not packed properly etc.--- I now ship ANYTHING to any address MUST BE SIGNED by person ordering item NO BODY ELSE can sign for it!!!!!!!!- If the guy is not there come back another time-----The DRIVER cannot leave it at the door, have any body else sign for it etc. only the person whose name is on the package can accept it---FED 387

Re: Shipping heads
 

Ship together if possible. I shipped a set individually and 1 head arrived 8 days before the second head. Lucky it arrived or I was going to have to ship the old head and get a new casting and send it to be matched to the old head.

Re: Shipping heads
 

2X what Bruce said. The UPS store will charge you more for the convince to ship from one of those stores. Now the UPS hub is only 15 minutes from my hose. The UPS store is 5 minutes away. To ship the same package with shipping quote within minutes for each other. The UPS hub was $75.00 cheaper. I was shipping out a full dash for a Gen 3 Camaro.