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How to: Package and Ship Wheels

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35K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  raudi 
#1 · (Edited)
Recently I sold a set of wheels with no idea how I was going to ship them. I came across this DIY on bimmerforums, and thought I could share here.

Bucko2 said:
How to Package and Ship Wheels & Tires
1. Go to Home Depot

- Buy
2 Large Storage Boxes (1.29 each)
1 Tatar Packing Tape Dispenser (6.97)
1 Extra Roll of Packing Tape (3.37)
1 Razor Blade with 3 replaceable blades (1.98)

2. Lay box out flat



3. Cut box in half with razor blade



4. Open box



5. Lay wheel and tire on top of box, use razor blade and cut the excess material away



6. Tape this part to the face of the wheel with packing tape



7. Cut excess material into square partitions





8. Flip wheel over and secure with packing tape



9. Wrap tape around wheel and cardboard leaving little or no rubber exposed.




10. Check out ShipNex (for the most cost effective shipping rates)
ShipNex uses UPS for Standard Ground Shipping and FedEx for any Express Shipping.
By using ShipNex you are able to get wholesale shipping rates 40-50% less than retail rates.
(It's amazing how much you can save as a consumer cutting out the retailer part of the operation.)

11. Print shipping labels and attach it to the front of each wheel.
The shipping label will also denote the shipping provider FedEx or UPS.

12. Request pickup ~$6.00 or lug them down to your local retailer shipping location.Again ShipNex uses FedEx for Express Shipments & UPS for any Ground Shipments.

Notes:
ShipNex can offer the most cost effective solutions to your shipping needs, because of the wholesale rates available and contracts they hold with FedEx & UPS.

When I compared prices to ship a set of wheels & tires (18 x 8.5 w/ 235/35/18 tyres ~210lbs)
I was quoted $416 via UPS, $376 via USPS, $308 via FedEx, and $206 via ShipNex to
ship from the West Coast to the East Coast.

2 Large boxes from Home Depot offer enough material to cover (4) wheels up to 20'' front and back.

How to Ship Wheels:

1. Go to Home Depot

-Buy
2 Large Storage Boxes (1.29)
2 Medium Storage Boxes (1.18)
1 Tatar Packing Tape Dispenser (6.97)
1 Razor Blade with 3 replaceable blades (1.98)

2. Open box and securely tape the bottom



3. Cut a medium sized storage box in half



4. Place wheel on top of cardboard and cut excess material away



5. Cover the face and the back of the wheel with cardboard



6. Secure with packing tape (no need to go overboard with tape here)



7. Place an old towel, blanket, or pillow on the bottom of the box



8. Place wheel inside of box



9. Place the 2nd wheel on top of the first and use excess cardboard for added protection around the edges of the wheels



10. With any extra space on top stuff it with newspaper, a beach or bath towel, an old pillow, a blanket or anything that will keep the wheels from shifting around too much in transit.



11. Secure box and label which way is up



10. Check out ShipNex (for the most cost effective shipping rates)

11. Enter dimensions and weight, select package instead of freight

12. Print shipping labels and attach them to the top of the box.

13. Request pickup ~$6.00 or lug them down to your local UPS shop for Ground Shipments or FedEx for Express Shipments. ShipNex holds contracts with these companies and allows their customers to get the wholesale rates.

Notes:
A large size storage box will fit 2 rims up to a 18x14 size, extra large boxes will be
needed for anything bigger.

How to Ship Tires

Simply Print Shipping label from ShipNex (for the most cost effective shipping rates)

Use packing tape to attach the label.

Notes:
In some cases it may be more cost effective to attach 2 tires to one another and print
one shipping label for 2 tires vs. individually shipping each tire.

It is perfectly fine to leave rubber exposed for shipping.

Now you know how to ship wheels and tires safely and effectively! Happy Motoring :)[/center]
 
#4 ·
I'm not sure how to edit my first post, though it looks like the author added a few steps in the DIY:

Bucko2 said:
I think most of us on here will find these DIY write ups useful for providing cost effective shipping for wheels, wheels with tires & tires.

How to Package & Ship Wheels w/ Tires​

Shipping wheels with tires can be costly if you don***8217;t choose the right shipping provider & you pay someone else to package them.

Shopping List

  1. 2 Medium Size Storage Boxes (Home Depot has these for $.69 each)
  2. 50 Sheets of Dish Foam (Home Depot has a roll for $6.97)
  3. 1000 Feet Stretch Wrap (Home Depot has this for $4.97, 1000ft is the smallest size)
  4. Packing Tape (Home Depot has this for $3.37 for a large roll, you only need 3ft of tape for 4 wheels)
  5. 1 Razor Blade with 3 replaceable blades ($1.98 @ Home Depot)



Step 1

Lay Medium Sized box out flat
Cut Box in Half​



Step 2

Open up box after cutting in half
Lay cleaned wheel on top
Cut excess material away​



Step 3

Place at least 2 sheets of dish foam on face of wheel
Tape dish foam to tire so it doesn't move around​



Step 4

Secure large circular piece of cardboard over dish wrap to the face of the wheel.
Cut excess material into partitions that will be used for back of wheel.​



Step 5

Use packing tape to secure partitions in place​



Step 6

Use 100% recyclable packing wrap to wrap the wheels and tires in any motion (Rocking the wheel back and forth works well)
The tighter the packing wrap, the more secure & protected the wheel will be in transit​



Step 7

Repeat 4 times
Check out ShipNex Worldwide Express for the most cost effective shipping rates.
Print shipping labels from ShipNex
Attach to wheels & tires (not pictured)
Request pick up for ~ $6, or take down to local UPS store​



Step 8

Share with others, avoid high shipping costs from store front retailers & use ShipNex!​

Notes:

ShipNex can offer the most cost effective solutions to your shipping needs, because of the wholesale rates available and contracts they hold with FedEx & UPS. ShipNex uses FedEx for Express Shipments & UPS for any Ground Shipments.
When I compared prices to ship a set of wheels & tires (18 x 8.5 w/ 235/35/18 tyres ~210lbs) I was quoted $416 via UPS, $376 via USPS, $308 via FedEx, and $206 via ShipNex to ship from the West Coast to the East Coast.​

How to Package & Ship Wheels w/o Tires​

Without a tire to protect the rim, special care is needed when packaging and shipping.

Shopping List

  1. 2 Medium Size Storage Boxes: For wheels up to 17 x 8 ($1.12 each @ Home Depot)
  2. Large Size Storage Boxes: For wheels larger than 17x8 ($1.32 each @ Home Depot)
  3. 50 Sheets of Dish Foam (Home Depot has a roll for $6.97)
  4. 1000ft Stretch Wrap- Optional (Home Depot has this for $4.97, 1000ft is the smallest size)
  5. Packing Tape (Home Depot has this for $3.37 for a large roll, you only need 3ft of tape for 4 wheels)
  6. 1 Razor Blade with 3 replaceable blades ($1.98 @ Home Depot)



Step 2

Build box by pulling each opposing corner out, so that the flaps secure themselves.
Generously apply packing tape going both directions.​





Step 3

Lay medium size box out flat.
Cut box in half.​





Step 4

Open one of the halves and cut that in half.
Lay the wheel on top of the box and cut the excess material away.​





Step 5

Use Dish Packing Foam or bubble wrap around the wheel to protect the lips and face of the wheel.​







Step 6

Attach cardboard squares to the face and the back of the wheel.​





Step 7

Place both wheels in box face to face. (this makes it easier to carry & safer for transport)​



Step 8

Secure with packing tape when the box is half closed.
Complete taping with the box completely closed​





Step 9

Wrap Stretch Wrap around the corners of the box.
Go across the top and bottom in an "X" pattern covering the tape.​





Step 10

Check out ShipNex Worldwide Express for the most cost effective shipping rates.
Print shipping labels from ShipNex
Attach to boxes (not pictured)
Request pick up for ~ $6, or take down to local UPS store​

How to Package & Ship Tires​

Shipping tires doesn't require a box- it's as simple as printing & attaching a label from ShipNex Worldwide Express![/INDENT].





Hope this helps anyone shipping their wheels with or without tires!
 
#5 ·
I just used NEX for my tires. Great! Thanks for this post.

Price was $50, vs $80 for UPS ground. And, it actually goes through UPS - the shipping label was a UPS ground shipping/tracking label.
 
#10 ·
Good info on this thread. Thank you. I used ShipNex as suggested and it worked like a charm to ship a set of 4 tire/wheels. They even picked up at my home. Thanks again, the info is still all up to date.
 
#11 ·
Great write up thanks. I actually get corp discounts through fed ex and have been able to save a few forum members a couple of bucks on shipping. Prices i've seen ave ranged from approx $35-$60 per wheel. If anyone needs assitance or wants to price quote via any shipping service don't hesitate to PM me. Just need dimensions, weight, and from/to zip codes
 
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