How to Crate Up Axles for Shipping/Frieght? (1 Viewer)

[SimonInAustralia]

Has anyone received, or sent, a set of axles by frieght, and have photos of how it was crated up for shipping?


I am about to buy a set of complete Volvo C303 portal axles from the UK, and need to ship them by sea frieght from the UK to myself in Australia, as cheaply as possible.

The seller has no idea how to crate the axles up for shipment, so I would like to be able to provide some plans, or at least some photos, to give a paid carpenter in UK, at the sellers end, an idea of how to put a crate together that is suitable for shipping axles, and that will hopefully protect them well and get them to me safely.

Also, is there anything you do especially to secure the axles to/within the crate, to stop them moving around, or anything you should do to protect the axles from any other sort of damage, from the salty air on a long sea voyage for example.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[yycranger4x4]

Given the weight of most axles, I would make a 2x4 pallet style base so that the freight company can move it around easily. To secure it to the base, you can use steel or plastic banding. If you want to go to the extent, make a top for it out of 1x1 and 3/8" OSB or plywood. If you're going to put a top on it, be sure that it's sturdy, as when loaded in an aircraft/truck, it is likely to have smaller items stacked on top of it (I used to load aircraft for about 8 years).

Make it easy to open in case you're shipping it anywhere where a customs agency may find the need to open it.