Shipping a generator

[Amphicar770]

Hi All,

Am in PA and just bought a Honda EB12D generator from Nevada. It is a self contained "silent diesel" style on wheels, weighs in at 750 lbs.

The challenge I now face is getting it transported. I thought being on wheels would make it simple and have listed it on uship. Turns out that all of the LTL carriers require it to be on a pallet. The person I got it from has neither the equipment or supplies to put it on a pallet.

At this point I am probably just going to have to hope someone sees it on uship who can roll it into the back of a car trailer, u-haul, or similar that is going across country. I do not think any transporters will pallet it at pickup.

Just wondering if anyone had any suggestions or ideas I had not considered?

Thanks.

 

[LEVE]

When I lived in Wisconsin I would ask a the owner of the local hardware store I frequented if I could have stuff shipped to his address via freight cartage. He had a forklift and a means to load/unload palletized freight. I paid him a reasonable fee for his efforts. The shipment went out with his regular pick-ups.

It was a win-win for both of us. When I needed something shipped to me, I'd suggest this to the seller and most often this worked.

 

[machine_punk]

Check into Grayhound Bus. They have a freight service (as long as it fits in the cargo area under a bus.) Relatively inexpensive. My dad used to ship stuff that way all the time. Works well for relatively small, heavy items (like engine blocks and generators). You'll be able to pick it up at your local bus terminal.

Kev

 

[RVDan]

Try Craigslist in the city the generator is at to find a handyman who is willing to go over and put it on a pallet for you. There are plenty of people here who advertise handyman services, odd jobs, moving etc. I would assume there are there too.

Or wait for a Ushipper

 

[Jsf721]

You can buy a pallet for about 7.50 for. 4x4 and tie it down with some ratcheting straps so that it stays secure. I would ask the seller to nail 2x4 in from and behind the wheels for added security. Most common carriers offer lift gate service so the will pallet jack it onto the life gate and take it to the terminal for transfer onto a cores country truck or it mark move terminal to terminal. You can pay )extra 50 bucks in NY) for a tail gate delivery and they will drop it in you driveway. I hope I am not breaking any rules but I gave used a company called freight quote for my business and it works well. Ask for Doug. I am not affiliated with them but have used them before.

Good luck. Short of finding someone coming your way this is a great option.

Hi All,

Am in PA and just bought a Honda EB12D generator from Nevada. It is a self contained "silent diesel" style on wheels, weighs in at 750 lbs.

The challenge I now face is getting it transported. I thought being on wheels would make it simple and have listed it on uship. Turns out that all of the LTL carriers require it to be on a pallet. The person I got it from has neither the equipment or supplies to put it on a pallet.

At this point I am probably just going to have to hope someone sees it on uship who can roll it into the back of a car trailer, u-haul, or similar that is going across country. I do not think any transporters will pallet it at pickup.

Just wondering if anyone had any suggestions or ideas I had not considered?

Thanks.

 

[dgreen1069]

You can buy a pallet for about 7.50 for. 4x4 and tie it down with some ratcheting straps so that it stays secure. I would ask the seller to nail 2x4 in from and behind the wheels for added security. Most common carriers offer lift gate service so the will pallet jack it onto the life gate and take it to the terminal for transfer onto a cores country truck or it mark move terminal to terminal. You can pay )extra 50 bucks in NY) for a tail gate delivery and they will drop it in you driveway. I hope I am not breaking any rules but I gave used a company called freight quote for my business and it works well. Ask for Doug. I am not affiliated with them but have used them before.

Good luck. Short of finding someone coming your way this is a great option.

I had to ship a boat generator twice last year. This is exactly how I did it. Placed it on a pallet and strapped it down. I then bought a roll of what is basically Saran wrap and wrapped the whole thing for added protection. It cost me around $300 to have it shipped from Va. to Fl. Yours may be a bit more since it weighs quite a bit more than mine. Good luck!

 

[zurud]

I shipped an engine couple years ago at ups freight. I brought the engine in my car and dropped it off at ups freight terminal. I helped the ups guy put it on the pallet. Call the freight company and ask them.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

look for a Pack and Ship or UPS store in the town you're shipping from. They'll take care of it for you. I hope you got a killer deal on the generator.

 

[zulu226]

Road trip to Vegas this time of year is not a bad idea. Go and get it.

 

[Amphicar770]

Thanks for the ideas.

Probably would not fit under the greyhound and it is almost 800 lbs.

Road trip might be fun but at almost 6k miles round trip, that is a lot of time and fuel. Maybe if I were much younger!

I think I will give it a week before I pursue options to have it crated or put on pallet. Ideally, someone has space in their trailer or moving truck and just straps it in the back, transports it door to door.

I should have done my homework first. I've shipped a bunch of cars very cheap so thought this would be easy and inexpensive. Ah well, lesson learned.

Thanks again.

 

[brownbagg]

if you take it to one of the freight company like yellow freight they will strap it to a pallet and ship it.

 

[some zilch]

how does someone "not have the equipment or supplies" to put a wheeled object on a pallet? push it up on the pallet, strap it with a few cheap harbor freight ratchet straps.....i fail to see the issue

 

[jake00]

how does someone "not have the equipment or supplies" to put a wheeled object on a pallet? push it up on the pallet, strap it with a few cheap harbor freight ratchet straps.....i fail to see the issue

That's what I was thinking, maybe they're in a wheelchair

 

[brewchief]

how does someone "not have the equipment or supplies" to put a wheeled object on a pallet? push it up on the pallet, strap it with a few cheap harbor freight ratchet straps.....i fail to see the issue

It weighs 750#, you'd have to either lift one end at a time or build a ramp to get it on a pallet.

The seller may not have the ability to go get a pallet, might only have a small car.

If I was to sell something "as is where is" and then the buyer wanted me to run around to prep it for shipping I would either charge a fee or tell the buyer to figure it out themselves quickly or they will be charged a storage fee.

Once it's on a pallet it will need a liftgate truck and pallet jack to load it, I would expect an extra fee for residential pick up.

 

[some zilch]

That's what I was thinking, maybe they're in a wheelchair

ok, i see that one. so unless there is some unforseen handicap the seller has, i still guess i dont see how someone who feels the need to own a 750lb diesel generator cant put the thing on a pallet.

 

[demoman]

This is simple. I ship pallet items all the time through Fastenal the nut and bolt place. They are all over the US. They do not advertise the service but go to the local store and check it out. It is called third party shipping. Some stores have not done it before but trust me they want your money to ship and it is cheap. If you do not have an account it is very simple to set one up. The only drawback is it will only ship store to store so the seller will have to drop it off at their local store and you pick it up at yours. It is half the price of a LTL freight co.They will put it on a pallet for a very small fee. Hope this helps

 

[Amphicar770]

It weighs 750#, you'd have to either lift one end at a time or build a ramp to get it on a pallet.

The seller may not have the ability to go get a pallet, might only have a small car.

If I was to sell something "as is where is" and then the buyer wanted me to run around to prep it for shipping I would either charge a fee or tell the buyer to figure it out themselves quickly or they will be charged a storage fee.

Once it's on a pallet it will need a liftgate truck and pallet jack to load it, I would expect an extra fee for residential pick up.

That may be ideal. Hopefully seller can get it to a Fastenal store. Thanks for the idea.

 

[demoman]

Remember, You are going to have to line up the shipment not the seller. If he goes in there to just drop it off it is a no go. PM me if you need a phone number to their shipping specialist.
Brad

 

[Amphicar770]

Thanks for the ideas. Being patient paid off. I found someone on uShip who will "blanket wrap" ship it at a fairly reasonable price. Never imagined it would be easier (and in some cases cheaper) to transport a car than a generator. I'll chalk it up as a new lesson learned!