It's easy to underestimate the requirements for packaging heavy items like transmissions, cylinder heads and final drives. Unfortunately these are expensive items and there are real consequences to the owner when an empty box with a hole in the side arrives at my shop.

The classic box-within-a-box.	Contents tightly secured within the inner box.

This package is basically perfect. The transmission is clean and wrapped in plastic so that any oil that leaks out won't stain the box. Many shippers will not deliver a box that's leaking fluid.

The wrapped transmission is tightly packed into the inner box. The reason you see so much packing on one side is that the mounting flange is much longer than the body; the flange is under the fives sheets of pink material.

The inner box is securely packed into the outer box. The reason two boxes are used is that the extra wall provides support for the inner packaging. Sharp blows top the package bear on the inner wall, which is cushioned against the outer wall by the second layer of packing material. Additionally, if the outer box gets torn the contents are still fully contained.

 

This is what we want to avoid.	Even with two boxes, the contents must be immobilized so they don't strike the wall of the box.

It's very important to immobilize the contents in their packaging. Styrofoam peanuts and paper are not that useful, as the object will migrate through. The best way to pack items like final drives and cylinder heads is to wrap in bubble-wrap and tape it like a football. That should go into a box, which is preferably wrapped in another layer of packaging and put into another box.

You have to assume that your package will be thrown. If you don't feel comfortable throwing the package down your driveway, it's not packaged well enough.

 

Packing