NOTE: Many of the photos differ from the the description, as I was using materials I had on hand.
Purchase 2 12x12x40 lamp boxes from U-Haul
Assemble one box leaving the top open
Use fiber reinforced tape on all edges and along and across the bottom
Cut two plywood squares to fit into the 12x12 box
(this is to keep the axle studs from piercing through the box)
Put one square in the bottom on the box
(You could cut a piece of foam and place it in the bottom below the plywood)
Place the housing into the the box roughly centered
Cut 6 strips of cardboard about 10 to 11 inches wide and about 55 inches long
(1" ridged foam will work for this too)
Slide 3 strips on the brake line side and 3 strips on the spring perch side of the housing
(This is to protect the center hump of the housing)
Get some 2 inch ridged foam insulation and cut 2 pieces about 10 inches wide and 55 inches long
(this is to protect the front and back of the housing)
Get a piece of 1/8" plywood and cut it about 10 inches x 55 inches
(this is to prevent the 3rd member studs from piercing the foam)
(cardboard #4 has the strip of plywood behind it, I was using what I had on hand)
Slide it in on the flat side of the housing
Slide one of the 2inch Ridged foam pieces between the plywood and the box
Place the other between the round part of the housing and the box
Magenta = 2" foam
Blue = Plywood
Red = Cardboard
Place the other square piece of plywood on top of the housing
Measure down from the top plywood to the underside of the flaps of the bottom box
Cut the second box to that length
temporarily assemble the cut down box and slide it down over the housing and the flaps
Tape the two boxes together
You can open the top, temporarily remove the square of plywood and pour packing peanuts into the box and housing for extra protection and to make the box stiffer.
Use extra tape to tape around the box about every foot of it's length
Use extra tape around the joint between the two boxes
Use extra tape on the top and the bottom
You can also add some foam to the top and bottom (housing axel flange ends) if you choose but it will make the overall box longer
Lastly you might want to add a couple of carry straps to make the delivery drivers life a bit easier.
Here is the box after having gone from CO to its destination and back with a housing in it. Looks like it could go another round with FedEx
The finished box measures 56" x 12" x12"
The A-Body Housing weighs about 40 lbs
And the shipping ready box and housing weighs about 50 lbs
FedEx Charged $75.84 to ship the empty box (~12lbs) about 1000 miles
(create an account online or you will be paying FedEx retail pricing)
and $82.64 for the return trip with the housing in it.
Purchase 2 12x12x40 lamp boxes from U-Haul
Assemble one box leaving the top open
Use fiber reinforced tape on all edges and along and across the bottom
Cut two plywood squares to fit into the 12x12 box
(this is to keep the axle studs from piercing through the box)
Put one square in the bottom on the box
(You could cut a piece of foam and place it in the bottom below the plywood)
Place the housing into the the box roughly centered
Cut 6 strips of cardboard about 10 to 11 inches wide and about 55 inches long
(1" ridged foam will work for this too)
Slide 3 strips on the brake line side and 3 strips on the spring perch side of the housing
(This is to protect the center hump of the housing)
Get some 2 inch ridged foam insulation and cut 2 pieces about 10 inches wide and 55 inches long
(this is to protect the front and back of the housing)
Get a piece of 1/8" plywood and cut it about 10 inches x 55 inches
(this is to prevent the 3rd member studs from piercing the foam)
(cardboard #4 has the strip of plywood behind it, I was using what I had on hand)
Slide it in on the flat side of the housing
Slide one of the 2inch Ridged foam pieces between the plywood and the box
Place the other between the round part of the housing and the box
Magenta = 2" foam
Blue = Plywood
Red = Cardboard
Place the other square piece of plywood on top of the housing
Measure down from the top plywood to the underside of the flaps of the bottom box
Cut the second box to that length
temporarily assemble the cut down box and slide it down over the housing and the flaps
Tape the two boxes together
You can open the top, temporarily remove the square of plywood and pour packing peanuts into the box and housing for extra protection and to make the box stiffer.
Use extra tape to tape around the box about every foot of it's length
Use extra tape around the joint between the two boxes
Use extra tape on the top and the bottom
You can also add some foam to the top and bottom (housing axel flange ends) if you choose but it will make the overall box longer
Lastly you might want to add a couple of carry straps to make the delivery drivers life a bit easier.
Here is the box after having gone from CO to its destination and back with a housing in it. Looks like it could go another round with FedEx
The finished box measures 56" x 12" x12"
The A-Body Housing weighs about 40 lbs
And the shipping ready box and housing weighs about 50 lbs
FedEx Charged $75.84 to ship the empty box (~12lbs) about 1000 miles
(create an account online or you will be paying FedEx retail pricing)
and $82.64 for the return trip with the housing in it.
