How do you ship a windshield?

I need a couple of windshields shipped from LA to St. Louis.

Does anybody here know how to package and ship a windwhield cross country?

Has anybody bought one and knows what the packing looked like o we can copy it?

Or can anybody headed to Bonneville take them there, where BenD can bring them to me?

Thanks all,
Glenn

 

I looked into this a while back and came to the conclusion unless you go and get it, you don't. You can try an auto gl*** shop for the boxes they ship gl*** in, but a wraparound won't fit into something like that. You sure don't want FedEx or UPS to beat one around in shipping, though. Which means palletizing them or crating them and going truck freight.

 

First thing is FORGET about UPS, now go find a big box, local body shop works well for me. Then get some ridged styrofoam, used stuff is fine and most times free. Few trash bags with styrofoan peanuts packed on both sides them fill the open voids with expandable foam.

 

I would not even try. I guess you could build a padded wood frame/crate but I think the chances of it arriving intact are slim to none. I had a pinball machine backgl*** shipped to me. It was packed very well, triple boxed and all. It arrived in a million small pieces.

 

Very carefully!

Got the windshield for my 71 Ford conv. delivered a while back. Found a place that had 4, Ford, N.O.S. ones, 2 tinted, and 2 non tinted. Several hundred miles from me so they sent it out truck freight. Windshield was $125.00, and freight was $100.00.

They shipped out the 1st one in just a box! No packing at all....yea that did'nt work.

I opened the box on the truck when it arrived cause I had no confidence that it would make it, and sure enough it was busted right down the center. I was pretty pissed cause now there was only one of the non tinted left and I knew it would not make it in one piece.

Call up the gl*** co., and they sent out the last one they had. 2nd one had a few little foam blocks wedged around it in the box. I still cant believe it survived.

The bigger the box the better! I would crate it if at all possiable, if it has to be in a box you better reinforce with wood, and then add as much styrofoam (sp?) and peanuts as you can, and dont worry about over packing!

 

The airline I worked for would only accept windshields in factory wood(NO cardboard) containers. Saw thousands shipped and hardly ever a problem. Go to a body shop or auto gl*** shop and they will probably give you one. Don't know if Continental Airlines services the market you're in but they do a good job The folks at United and American are pissed right now, might want to avoid them. Delta and USAir both **** too. Shipping over the road can be OK but they handle big heavy stuff, more chances of your windshield being damaged.

 

When I bought a new windshield for my truck it was shipped Yellow Frieght in a wooden crate. The windshield got there just fine until the guy loading it into my truck at the shipping yard broke it with the forks on the fork lift.... I was so pissed I was going on a road trip the following weekend, that was canceled. Make sure you inspect it well before you accept it from any shipper.