krustyballer16 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 So some of you guys have seen I've had problems with my hitches getting bent or the baggie of bolts getting ripped off and lost... I'm trying to figure out the best way to ship them so everything makes it the customer in one piece, undamaged. Right now I ship the hitches, bumpers and sliders without "packaging". The baggie of bolts is wrapped and taped in place, pretty securely. And the the steel part is isn't wrapped or boxed. Weighing between 50-150 pounds... UPS can't give me a clear answer on how to package them to be covered by their process. Which pretty much means UPS will never be liable for damege. And FedEx says it has to be in a box. But a hitch, I think, will just break out of a box. Even if packed tightly. People just throw this stuff around. Both ups and FedEx said a fragile sticker wouldn't do anything. I have boxes on the way to try but we'll see. Still more awkward than the bare hitch so it's still going to get thrown around. So if anybody has any suggestions on this jet me know. It could save your products from getting damaged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krustyballer16 Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 Latest damage. Coming all the way back from Calgary, Alberta Canadialand The plate is bent outward, which would take a lot of force. And it blows my mind that it's bent outward and not inward like it was dropped like others have been... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Unless it got dropped in a way it would catch an edge of something. That's nuts though. It really sucks that it would show up damaged cause I know how much shipping to Calgary would cost. As far as actual packaging goes, the only way you can really stop it from busting out of a box is by making sure it doesn't move around at all. Failing that, you'd also want something to distribute the load around any corners or edges, or at least to reinforce the box. For packaging I've seen rolled and/or layered corrugated cardboard to wedge things into place, I've also seen cheap foam inserts in cheap off-shore tools in unbranded boxes. You could always go with a wooden crate, but I can't see that not adding a huge amount to the shipping cost. The other thing to consider is that these boxes will inevitably end up at the bottom of a stack which means that the box will get crushed if there's nothing reinforcing the middle. If you've got boxes coming, I suppose you've talked to a box manufacturer to see what they would recommend doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 are they using a cement mixer as the delivery vehicle? :eek: custom wood frame around it then wrapped in cardboard so it looks like a box :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krustyballer16 Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 I thought about bolting a 2x4 or 4x4 between the plates and trying that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC Tom Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 are they using a cement mixer as the delivery vehicle? :eek: custom wood frame around it then wrapped in cardboard so it looks like a box :D Sounds like a joke, but the wood frame is legit. I do some finishing and packing work for a local furniture builder. We had to stop using UPS because they broke many, many pieces and trying to get compensation was like trying to stick a wet noodle in a dog's butt! We use FedEx now with much better results. Basically, it's not the delivery drivers, it's the warehouse clowns and their forklifts you have to worry about. (any MJ owners who drive a forklift are excluded :thumbsup: ) Odd shaped packages are begging to be damaged. We box/crate everything! You could look into White Glove Delivery or ship Freight on a small palette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnj92131 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 About 5 years ago, I sold a hitch and shipped it by FedEx. Getting FedEx to accept the package was a BIG problem. I repacked the hitch 3 different times, 3 different ways. The person at the counter kept saying it was not good enough. Last time, she got a supervisor to look at it. He took it. I used 2 sand bags to go on each end of the hitch so they overlapped in the middle. Covered the sandbags with packing tape completely. Next I used rolled cardboard to completely cover the hitch at least twice. Wrapped that completely with 2.5 inch packing tape. Lastly I stretch wrapped the heck out of the entire package and added another roll of 2.5 inch wide tape all over again. That was what it finally took to get the supervisor to accept the package. WAY TOO MUCH time spent on packing!! The 2 X 4 packaging is an excellent and inexpensive idea. You will still need to box the hitch, simply to keep it from "catching" on their automated packaging equipment. A nice, flat rectangle box will not attract any special attention. Wrap the outside box with fiber tape to keep the box from being totally shredded. As for your nuts, bolts, and spacers - bag them, tape the bag to the hitch inside the box and you should be good. Might be a good idea to put some 2 inch thick rigid styrafoam inside the box between the hitch plates to keep the box in shape during shipping. NCTom is 100% correct about odd shaped packages! Hope this helps. But nothing will protect it 100% from a forklift. A "Fragile" label only means "SMASH with Care" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinkrun Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Ever try grey hound express you would have to ship at a depot and pick up at a depot it goes under the belly of the buss. I have used them a few times way cheaper and no issues here yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krustyballer16 Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 Ever try grey hound express you would have to ship at a depot and pick up at a depot it goes under the belly of the buss. I have used them a few times way cheaper and no issues here yet.There's no greyhound local... and prob not not local for most customers. All seem like good suggestions. I'll try packing the crap out of a box. I'll 2x4 the plates, wrap in cardboard and tape and clear wrap then maybe use 1x4s to fill up the slack in the box then tape the hell out of the outside. Take pictures every time. The sliders are much larger and I guess would just have to be wrapped in cardboard and tape... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siopposition Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 My sliders came to me great with the 2x4 inbetween. Like I had said. The 2x4 shifted about an 1" 1/2 outward but still provided direct protection to the clamps. For the hitches, but about sticking the nuts and bolts inside the receiver and taping them in there? I also like the idea of bolting from the outside to a piece of 2x4 inbetween the hitch frame mounts. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnj92131 Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 My sliders came to me great with the 2x4 inbetween. Like I had said. The 2x4 shifted about an 1" 1/2 outward but still provided direct protection to the clamps. For the hitches, but about sticking the nuts and bolts inside the receiver and taping them in there? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk Darn good spot for the hardware!! Maybe add some cardboard scraps to fill the space? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzimm Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 The only thing I could think of is bolt a 2x4 across those brackets to keep them from getting bent and if you want to protect the surface of the hitch just bend cardboard around it and tape the crap out of it. Won't be pretty but will limit damage. Bracing the brackets should be your first priority it seems. It wouldn't add much weight either so shipping should be the same or very close to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 So some of you guys have seen I've had problems with my hitches getting bent or the baggie of bolts getting ripped off and lost... I'm trying to figure out the best way to ship them so everything makes it the customer in one piece, undamaged. Right now I ship the hitches, bumpers and sliders without "packaging". The baggie of bolts is wrapped and taped in place, pretty securely. And the the steel part is isn't wrapped or boxed. Weighing between 50-150 pounds... UPS can't give me a clear answer on how to package them to be covered by their process. Which pretty much means UPS will never be liable for damege. And FedEx says it has to be in a box. But a hitch, I think, will just break out of a box. Even if packed tightly. People just throw this stuff around. Both ups and FedEx said a fragile sticker wouldn't do anything. I have boxes on the way to try but we'll see. Still more awkward than the bare hitch so it's still going to get thrown around. So if anybody has any suggestions on this jet me know. It could save your products from getting damaged. I spent 6 months as a forklift operator at an OD dist hub, the hardest and $#!&iest job I ever had. Your hitch may see as many as 6 vans before it reaches it's destination, loaded and reloaded, hub to hub. Freight gets damaged all the time, loads shift and operators F-up. Make up a crate/box out of 1x8 and 7/16 OSB if you want to guarantee safe delivery. Will add $30 to cost and take 15 minutes of time......if your buyer wants to pay the freight. Otherwise, strap it to a pallet, it is then 'freight' and freight fees apply. Or, do as you do and do not guarantee safe delivery, disclaimer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Latest damage. Coming all the way back from Calgary, Alberta Canadialand The plate is bent outward, which would take a lot of force. And it blows my mind that it's bent outward and not inward like it was dropped like others have been... I'll suggest it one more time........... Weld in a gusset, if it bent that bad being dropped or caught up in shifting freight........imagine what a side load will do when pulling a trailer or being jerked out of a ditch (pulled). With a gusset in place, that would not have bent, or, at least not as badly, nothing that a little mallet would not have straightened out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krustyballer16 Posted April 1, 2017 Author Share Posted April 1, 2017 Latest damage. Coming all the way back from Calgary, Alberta Canadialand The plate is bent outward, which would take a lot of force. And it blows my mind that it's bent outward and not inward like it was dropped like others have been... I'll suggest it one more time........... Weld in a gusset, if it bent that bad being dropped or caught up in shifting freight........imagine want a side load will do when pulling a trailer. With a gusset in place, that would not have bent, or, at least not as badly, nothing that a little mallet would not have straightened out. It would just get bent where the gusset stops. And a gusset can't be put in there. Pulling a trailer and dropping it are two totally different things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Latest damage. Coming all the way back from Calgary, Alberta Canadialand The plate is bent outward, which would take a lot of force. And it blows my mind that it's bent outward and not inward like it was dropped like others have been... I'll suggest it one more time........... Weld in a gusset, if it bent that bad being dropped or caught up in shifting freight........imagine want a side load will do when pulling a trailer. With a gusset in place, that would not have bent, or, at least not as badly, nothing that a little mallet would not have straightened out. It would just get bent where the gusset stops. And a gusset can't be put in there. Pulling a trailer and dropping it are two totally different things. OK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Krustyballer's hitch is designed basically the same as the other ones that used to be commercially available. They don't have gussets because there is no space for them, and they aren't terribly rigid until bolted to the frame. At work we use expanding foam to pack odd shaped items. Basically wrap the item in plastic, throw it in a box, add foam around it until it takes up the void space. Okay, there's a little more to it, but it's costly, so not a great option. I'd add some strategic pieces of wood to them and wedge them into a box. If it can't move around in the box, and the mount ends are blocked so they won't punch through the sides of the box, I don't see it causing any issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krustyballer16 Posted April 1, 2017 Author Share Posted April 1, 2017 Krustyballer's hitch is designed basically the same as the other ones that used to be commercially available. They don't have gussets because there is no space for them, and they aren't terribly rigid until bolted to the frame. At work we use expanding foam to pack odd shaped items. Basically wrap the item in plastic, throw it in a box, add foam around it until it takes up the void space. Okay, there's a little more to it, but it's costly, so not a great option. I'd add some strategic pieces of wood to them and wedge them into a box. If it can't move around in the box, and the mount ends are blocked so they won't punch through the sides of the box, I don't see it causing any issues. Thanks. And I bought a 4x8 "fatigue" mat to cut up and wrap the mount ends with and stuff inside a box. That is probably cheaper than actual packing material. And probably better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzimm Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 Latest damage. Coming all the way back from Calgary, Alberta Canadialand The plate is bent outward, which would take a lot of force. And it blows my mind that it's bent outward and not inward like it was dropped like others have been... I'll suggest it one more time........... Weld in a gusset, if it bent that bad being dropped or caught up in shifting freight........imagine what a side load will do when pulling a trailer or being jerked out of a ditch (pulled). With a gusset in place, that would not have bent, or, at least not as badly, nothing that a little mallet would not have straightened out. This is a good point but you also have to realize that about 1/3 of that bracket will be pressed up against the frame so that part won't really have a chance at bending. A gusset of some kind wouldn't hurt though. Krustyballer will have the best knowledge on the feasibility of adding one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krustyballer16 Posted April 2, 2017 Author Share Posted April 2, 2017 Latest damage. Coming all the way back from Calgary, Alberta Canadialand The plate is bent outward, which would take a lot of force. And it blows my mind that it's bent outward and not inward like it was dropped like others have been... I'll suggest it one more time........... Weld in a gusset, if it bent that bad being dropped or caught up in shifting freight........imagine what a side load will do when pulling a trailer or being jerked out of a ditch (pulled). With a gusset in place, that would not have bent, or, at least not as badly, nothing that a little mallet would not have straightened out. This is a good point but you also have to realize that about 1/3 of that bracket will be pressed up against the frame so that part won't really have a chance at bending. A gusset of some kind wouldn't hurt though. Krustyballer will have the best knowledge on the feasibility of adding one.I will not be adding a gusset to these. While it's bolted on it shouldn't ever move like that so no need. Customer can add if they feel the need. But if there's that much concern then they probably won't buy from me anyways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnj92131 Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 Guys, the damage in the above picture was done by an industrial forklift and the hitch plate being between a fixed object while the forklift operator pushed a pallet into place as far as he could. Likely, the operator stopped pushing when his pallet started cracking. The forklift operator had no clue the hitch was caught, he/she just knew the pallet was not where it should be. Most of the time a "gentle" push will move things into the proper place. No amount of additional steel gussets would stop this kind of forklift damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hypoid Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 I thought about bolting a 2x4 or 4x4 between the plates and trying that... are they using a cement mixer as the delivery vehicle? :eek: custom wood frame around it then wrapped in cardboard so it looks like a box :D Sounds like a joke, but the wood frame is legit. I do some finishing and packing work for a local furniture builder. We had to stop using UPS because they broke many, many pieces and trying to get compensation was like trying to stick a wet noodle in a dog's butt! We use FedEx now with much better results. Basically, it's not the delivery drivers, it's the warehouse clowns and their forklifts you have to worry about. (any MJ owners who drive a forklift are excluded :thumbsup: ) Odd shaped packages are begging to be damaged. We box/crate everything! You could look into White Glove Delivery or ship Freight on a small palette. I would crate the hitches, with something between the plates as you suggested. The added cost is minimal compared to shipping something twice, having a disappointed customer, and damaged merchandise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krustyballer16 Posted April 3, 2017 Author Share Posted April 3, 2017 This is inside here...2x4 across the mounting plates. Some bubble wrap in there. Fatigue mat pieces on the mounting plates then a log box I had laying around, clear wrap, more cardboard boxes on the ends and 2 rolls of tape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnj92131 Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 Looks like an old Harbor Freight box. Good job on that hitch box. Should avoid 98% of the damage (or more). Is it going to Canada? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krustyballer16 Posted April 3, 2017 Author Share Posted April 3, 2017 Looks like an old Harbor Freight box. Good job on that hitch box. Should avoid 98% of the damage (or more). Is it going to Canada? It's the box my harbor freight shop press came in lol. And it's actually the hidden winch rear bumper I've been working on. It's going to Kansas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now