How to Package Components

MAKE SURE YOUR COMPONENTS ARRIVE UNDAMAGED!  

WRAP YOUR SHOCK:

  • Keep them away from the top, bottom or sides of the box. 
  • If you have two shocks in one box, keep them away from each other.
  • Use bubble wrap if you have it or wrap your shock in a couple sheets of cardboard.
  • Create space between the walls of the box and your shock with more cardboard or balled up newspaper. You want at least two inches of space between the component and the walls of the box.

IF YOUR SHOCK IS LEAKING:

  • Put it in a plastic trash bag so the oil does not foul and weaken the box.

PROTECT YOUR ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS:

  • If your shock has electrical connectors, make sure they are not resting under the shock or fork
  • Push them inside the shock spring coil and make sure any plastic covers or integrated splash guards are facing up and are well protected.

SHIPPING FORKS:

  • Forks are best shipped in a rifle case or similar container.
  • Cardboard boxes will also suffice, if the components are well packaged as described above.

SHAKE YOUR BOX & ASK YOURSELF QUESTIONS!

  • After you're done, pick up the box and shake it, nothing should move around inside the box. You don't want your components to become projectiles or rams that ultimately break through the side of the box.
  • UPS states that your components should survive a three-foot drop. After you're done packing them, are you comfortable holding the box in front of you three feet off the ground and dropping it? If so, good job!
  • Now ask yourself if the components will survive if you kick the box across the floor.  :) 

SHIPPING LABEL: 

  • Put the shipping label on the top of the box. If you put it on the side of the box, the box will get flipped over so the label is pointing up.

SHIPPING CARRIERS:  

  • Please ship via UPS if possible. We love Priority Mail for smaller and lighter items, but please do not use Priority Mail for your suspension components.
  • FedEx is also good but they deliver to us later in the day so you will lose one day of shop-time by using FedEx.

INSURE YOUR COMPONENTS!:

  • Insure your components for the amount you would want UPS to reimburse you if they contact you to inform you that they have lost your box. It’s extremely uncommon but it can happen.

WHAT to NOT DO!

  • DO NOT use STYROFOAM PEANUTS. The worst damage we've seen is when shocks were just dropped into a box with styrofoam peanuts. Peanuts don't work with heavy objects plus they are a mess to deal with.

  • DO NOT use a PLYWOOD BOX.  We have seen more damage with homemade plywood boxes once the shocks get loose and slam into the plywood. We also believe that UPS is harder on plywood boxes because they are heavy and less comfortable for the driver to handle.

  • DO NOT let the UPS STORE PACKAGE IT FOR YOU - if you can help it!  We’ve been generally disappointed in their packaging jobs, often just dropping the shock in a box and filling it with styrofoam peanuts. Insist that they wrap your shock in bubble wrap and not use peanuts.

RETURN SHIPPING BOX:

We cannot guarantee that we will hold onto your shipping box while your component is being refurbished. We reserve the right to re-use your box or provide a new box for return shipping of your component.

Here’s why:

  • We get lots of incoming boxes every day. It would be impossible for us to keep every customer’s box for return shipping.
  • The return packaging must meet our standards. We want to make sure your cherished component makes it back to you damage free.
  • We have  a lot of experience shipping components and many of the boxes we receive from our customers are too small for adequate protection.
  • Many carriers will deny a damage claim if they deem that a box was being used a second time and that it did not have the structural integrity to  hold up to a second round of shipping duty.
  • The above does not apply to professional flight cases, gun cases for forks and so on. We will always return these with your components.

    NOTE: This does not apply to professional flight cases, gun cases for forks and so on. We will always return these with your components.