Opinions on freight damage...

Got my fuse yesturday and ABF stood the crate on end causing some damage to the F-776. This is the outside bottom skin under the wing attach area.

This skin is bent on the area that overhangs the fuse and I think this is where the wing root faring attaches on the bottom to the fuse.

There is not a kink and I think I can straighten it out somewhat but I doubt it will be perfect again.

Do you guys think this will show and does the wing root faring strip cover this up?

I am trying to decide if it is worth going thru all the pain of doing a freight claim.

I would call Vans and ask them to claim it and send a replacement skin.

-Jeff

RV_7A said:

I would call Vans and ask them to claim it and send a replacement skin.

-Jeff

Click to expand...

I just when through this with FEDX freight. I think the lift driver wanted to know if the crate was done so he stuck a fork in it

You can get Van's to ship out replacements without any out of pocket to you until your claim is settled with the shipper. Just call.

call vans

it isnt a problem. they'll send you a new one and charge the shipper. i had something messed up on all kits except emp and finish.
1 spar (yes the main wing spar) still useable but anodizing sctrached off.
2 longerons
1 skin like you have pictured
and maybe something else but i dont recall

Considering how well Vans marks everthing as being "High dollar aircraft parts" the shipper is aware of what the game is from square one. Call Vans and make a claim against the shipper, there is no reason you should have to deal with sub prime parts. Your job is already hard enough.

"???" not a good idea on shipping crates

I really wish Van would not put "$$$ Aircraft Parts" on the boxes. That just tends to get the shipping guys excited.

Tracy.

All they need to do is stamp:

"Law Offices of Schaefer, Schaefer and Brooks, New York, NY"

on the boxes. I promise you they will arrive on time and in perfect condition.

So my F-776 got a slight bend in the middle of one side that will overhang the wing rootwhile I as asking a friend to help me flip the canoe over, what should I do about this? Is it a big deal?

My wing crates came with damage, but I had the driver sign my bill of laden form stating that the box was damaged. When I call ABF they initially were defensive on the claim until I told them about the drivers signature. There were no further questions, they told me to send them the total of the parts that needed to be replaced. If there is every any signs of damage to any box or crate have the driver sign the paperwork.

To add to this thread, I've waited weeks for my '12 wings. Con-way delivered them today, and sure enough, the crate with spars was damage. Opened the box to find part of the right spar flange bent. Driver called his boss and agreed to leave everything else and take spar with him. Everything documented on the shipping forms. Can't understand why with dollar signs and fragile all over the crates, they still seem to manhandle them. My tailcone crate came damaged also, but no damage to the parts.

Go down to the terminal and pick your parts up there sometime. You will see very quickly how they get damaged. Imagine 50 semis waiting to get unloaded and boxes transferred to smaller trucks for delivery to residences. The fork lift guys aren't reading what is written on the boxes...they are moving them from truck to truck....as fast as a forklift can be made to move, tires squealing and horns blasting.

I pick everything up at the terminal for three reasons. One less truck transfer to damage my goods, I don't have to wait all day for a truck to arrive, and if the box is damaged I can simply walk away from it...not signed for means its not mine yet.

FWIW

ABF is the acronym for "Arkansas Best Freight." I don't think they want anyone to know.

When I had the race car trailer manufacturing business, we had so many shipments damaged by them, under shipping instructions my purchase orders used to read "any shipper except ABF."

YMMV. I have too many bad memories to ever give them another chance. They were also horrible at settling claims - sometimes taking more than 6 months!

Larry Tompkins
544WB -6A
W52 Battle Ground, WA

$$$$ Signs on Crates

The markings Van's paints on the crates do little. My business has over $200k per year in outbound freight charges to our customers. I use them all, from FedEx to ODFL to Conway, to Southeastern. ALL of my palletized shipments are marked with similar nomenclature. I have tons of damages. My reps at the freight companies have candidly told me I'm wasting time and money by plastering "glass..fragile..." etc. I've seen these terminals at the freight companies more than I'd like to admit. It is ALL about turn around time. Period. Get the freight off of trailer A, and move it amongst the terminal as fast as possible to the next trailer heading to the next destination city/terminal. These folks are literally spinning tires and driving fork lifts like they stole them. I can assure you that little freight markings get read during this process. It's different with the delivery drivers. They take more care, typically. But the delivery driver can't undo what the NASCAR forklift guys have already done downstream, across the country. Sad but true. The freight biz is ALL about the quickest time from any point A to any point B. I spend a lot of time monthly, filling out claim forms. It's just part of the process, unfortunately.

When I ordered my fuselage kit back in '09, I had wanted to use Roadway since they delivered my wing kit in pristine condition. I talked to "the lady" at Van's about using Roadway again and she advised me against it as Roadway was not one of their regular shippers. (She couldn't explain how Vans' chose Roadway for my wing kit.) She suggested ABF. I told her I had read stories of people who were dissatisfied due to ABF damages, etc. She said they may have issues, but ABF was always good about responding to claims whenever they arise. I wound up using an VAF advertiser instead. The fuse kit arrived in great condition, but I probably would not use them again.

Conway damaged some of my fuse parts, after the claim, they sent me a check for pennies on the dollar, they only pay so much per pound? what the....aluminum is lite. they did not pay me for what I paid for the parts, I am still dealing with this since Jan.

I had an issue with ABF with my QB wing kit... not damage, but pricing.

Vans knows pretty well what the rate will be to various locations since they ship so much. In my case, Aurora, OR to Seattle is about $190.

I had my shipment sent to the factory a buddy of mine runs for ease of unloading with a forklift. Vans asked ABF to call me before delivery for the exact amount to make a COD check out to for the shipping fee. Well, they never called, dropped off the shipment and billed my buddy's company almost $600! 3 times the typical amount.

When I called ABF, they matter-of-factly told me that they'd re-weighed the shipment in transit and adjust the weight and pricing up. They must have had one of their heavyweight employees standing on the scale, since it was far more than the actual weight of the shipment (double checked by my buddy and confirmed by Vans' weight guide).

I told ABF over the phone that I'd just have Vans deal with them. The ABF guy said it won't matter, it's done. I said "Yeah, right. I'm still having Vans deal with you." I knew Vans carries some weight with them since they ship so much.

I spoke with the wonderful gals at Vans and they did, in fact, take over the issue and handled it. Very happy with Vans. Not so much with ABF.