Hi all,
I am having a friend ship a set of wheels with tires to me.
What is the best/cheapest method of boxing and shipping.
They will be going about 500 miles.
Can you fit 2 in a box?? or one box each?? Where can you get boxes to fit??
How do you pack to ensure the shipping monkeys dont scratch or damage??
I am in no hurry so guess ups or fedex ground is the cheapest??
How much does a 17" wheel with a tire weigh??
Ive noticed on ebay most wheel/tire set shipping charges are about $25/35 per wheel.
Any advice would be appreciated!!!!!!!!

 

Buy boxes at uhaul , they are mostly double thick cardboard. Buy a box as square as the diameter of the tire. (about 24 to 26 inner dia) . Doesnt matter if too high bescause the F & R are different width so you can cut down the size after you pack everything in. Buy clear celophane tape and a hand grip despenser too. Use 2" or 3" which ever you like. I buy at Staples, its cheapest.
Buy sheet styrafoam and lay it flat on the bottom and top face of the wheel. You can use more cardboard but it costs more. The sides are protected by the tire so they dont need anything. Lay the tires down in the boxes and put SF on bottom and top face of wheel. Do all 4 boxes seperately. Cut the box down to match the height of each wheel. KEEP EVERYTHING TIGHT!!
Fronts will be about 50lb and rear about 55lb. And fedx ground will be cheapest.

 

I just want to emphasize the "keep everything tight" comment. I just got a set via UPS a couple weeks ago. The rears fight tightly in the box, no issues at all. But the fronts didn't fit as well. By the time the boxes got to me they had started to come open (due to the constant movement of the contents) and the wheels were almost boxless.

 

I had a set of Fikse's shipped to me were the face and back of the wheel was padded with styrofoam and and then covered with cardboard, the fronts were then strapped together and the rears were shipped separate, of course my rears are a 295/30-18.

Pete

 

You used to be able to ship things by bus. It was quite inexpensive though you have to go pick them up.