When you ship your products as LTL (less-than-truckload), you will need to assign your shipment a freight class number. The freight class number is a standard code published by the National Motor Freight and Traffic Association which allows carriers to quickly identify qualities of the shipment and assist with transportation logistics.
Automotive parts come in a variety of shapes, sizes and weight. Because of this, the freight class for parts can range from 50-500. Here, we list some common automotive parts and their associated freight class codes. Generally, the lower the freight class code, the cheaper the shipment will be.
Density is identified by dimension and weight of your shipment. An automotive part, like fuel systems, can have varying freight class codes based on the part's density.
Does your shipment require any special handling? Parts like transmissions must be packaged in a crate or industrial box and that can affect the freight class code for the automotive part.
Liability is defined by the value of your shipment and its likeliness to be stolen or damaged. High valued parts such as hoods, fenders or bumpers can increase its freight class number.
Is your product difficult to stow or transport? Heavier or hazardous goods, such as car body parts, can increase its freight class, increasing your cost to ship.
For many NMFC codes there isn’t just one single class that is applied. Often, NMFC numbers have multiple "sub-classes", which are almost always based on the density of the shipment. In the instance where your NMFC number has multiple sub classes, it's best to contact an expert, like Koho, to help identify which subclass to use.
18520
150, 200
This NMFC applies to any car or truck door as well as rear decks and tailgates. The density will determine which class to use.
127640
70, 110, 200
The density will determine which subclass your fuel system falls under.
168140
50
Must be tires used for an automobile.
18285
250
This can be combined with other auto body parts as they run at the same class and NMFC.
18285
250
This can be combined with other auto body parts as they run at the same class and NMFC.
18285
250
This can be combined with other auto body parts as they run at the same class and NMFC.
19940
85
Must be packaged in a crate or industrial box.
120800
85, 100, 125, 150
How the engine is packaged makes a difference, for the best rates mounting to a pallet or within a crate is recommended. Pay attention to the density as this will determine if its class 85, 100, 125 or 150.
Packaging is extremely important when shipping automotive parts as their shapes can vastly vary. Use a crate or reinforced packaging on a pallet to avoid any potential damage.
Used and new automotive parts can be tempting to ship at the lowest price based on density, but other factors can lead to automotive parts having higher classes than what their density calculation indicates. Knowing your commodity NMFC is crucial to avoid reclassifications.
