How to (fairly) easily ship a Commando engine

I've done this a time or two, but never photographed the sequence, so here you go.

Shipping a single crate with a 200# engine in it costs more than shipping two heavy duty plastic totes.

(this assumes you have removed the engine assembly from the frame, perhaps with a sawzall or torch?)



First (and don't forget), drain all fluids. Never mind the puddle stain on my driveway because I didn't plug the tach drive hole before relocating the engine assembly from one garage bay to the other...

Next, drain the primary and remove the cover.



Look, Ma! No locktab washer! Remove the pressure spring retaining ring by "unscrewing" it with a screwdriver and getting out of the way just in time as it pops off, or drive 64 miles (round trip) and fetch your spring compressor tool to remove it with. I saved the trip and didn't get injured.

Next, drive 64 miles (round trip) to fetch your puller, or drive 1/2 mile and borrow one from O'Reilley's.

Pull the drive sprocket and your job is almost 1/3 over.



You have to remove the bloody adjuster bits, or the transmission can't rotate enough to come out of it's cradle.



Bazinga.



I removed the kickstart lever & shifter, and also the primary standoff stud.

Remove the oil pump manifold so it doesn't get tweaked.
Of course, note carbs were already off (the parts of them that were left, were junk)



I used a 32x20x15 tub from Lowe's, made a nice thick "bed of loosely folded cardboard boxes, and packed the sides with rolled tubes of cardboard. I put and extra bed of cardboard under the cylinder & head. I happened to have the leftover chunks from a mower deck tire that got chopped up by bigger mower (so THAT'S where that missing wheel ended up!), so I used one of the chunks taped to the crank nose to protect it.



That's 135# all done with tub #1.

Tub #2 was much easier, a nice cardboard bed & surround for the transmission, a simpler bed for the cradle, and packed the clutch within the cradle cavity. Inner primary case with alternator stator, placed with the mainshaft thru it's proper opening.



Primary outer cover wrapped in cardboard, all small parts and hardware in a little box, more cardboard stuffed here and there.



Lastly, didn't need to drill too many holes in the lid's edges, these tubs have some already. Zip tied everything shut nicely.



Off to FedEx. Ground shipping Texas to Virginia was under $300 (I have an online account. Showing up to the desk "raw", it'll probably cost more)

Oh, yes, second crate was 70#, 25x17x12 tote.

Those two figures were with no carbs, and front iso mount included.

I had guessed 200# before I started, and got pretty dang close!

Another reason I believe a single crate would cost more to ship is because it would have to be a much heavier crate.

You'd need about 32x22x28 @ 205# of contents, plus the weight of the crate (I'd figure around 30# of lumber or 15# of steel frame with plywood walls)

grandpaul said:

Oh, yes, second crate was 70#, 25x17x12 tote.

Those two figures were with no carbs, and front iso mount included.

I had guessed 200# before I started, and got pretty dang close!

Another reason I believe a single crate would cost more to ship is because it would have to be a much heavier crate.

You'd need about 32x22x28 @ 205# of contents, plus the weight (I'd figure around 30# of lumber or 15# of steel frame with plywood walls)

Click to expand...

in 2005 , I did the same thing starting near Detroit, back to UK, via flight with British Airways, which had a 65 kg baggage allowance: so with my girlfriend too, we had enough at the the end of the holiday to include the motor etc.
All checked in at the airport, when the PA announced please come to the desk. It was politely explained that due to cleaning some of the grease off the cases with solvent- based stuff, it failed the sniffer test and wouldn’t be loaded... The same thing happens when pilots buy strimmers that have been test-run at the factory to take home.... Old grease would have been fine...
Luckily, the seller , Ken Hosford, came and collected boxes and I paid to have them shipped later.

I was visiting the US on business, and I bought 2 Boranni rims and had them sent to my customer in Colorado Springs. Flying out from Denver, I wanted to get (packed in cardboard) wrapped onto my suitcase, so that it would be one item. The checkin people would not accept it, saying that the security inspection would have to cut the wrapping open to inspect, so I had to pay $100 to get them sent as a separate item :-( The rims were not as cheap as I had hoped!

I used UPS to ship my motor and gearbox to Greg M for a rebuild earlier this year. I used two heavy-duty boxes I got from Home Depot that I lined with 1/4" plywood and styrofoam sheets and a 3/4" plywood base with eye bolts so I could use tie-down straps. Arrows and "TOP" on the box showing how to handle it. I believe I paid around $250 with $5,000 of insurance.

On pickup, the UPS guy rolled the boxes to the side door rather the rear door that has a ramp. Watching this, I started asking him what his plan was but before I could get all the words out, he attempted to dead lift the larger box with the motor inside. He got it up, stumbled back, but was able to push/toss it in through the side door. I could hear it hit the floor and tumble a bit. His response was that the rear was already full. I was twisted until it arrived at Greg's house, thankfully undamaged, but don't underestimate the carelessness of a shipper, even UPS. Once Greg was done rebuilding the motor/gearbox I elected to drive the 10 hours each way to pick it up.

On a related note, I've shipped a number of motorcycle parts this year through "PirateShip". They are a broker for UPS and the USPS and offer significant discounts to what I could get directly. You fill out a shipping form online and get the carrier's normal shipping label in return. Pickup/drop-offs/transit/tracking are the same as going direct (except extra insurance handled differently). I've had uneventful experiences since using them.