Big items ship by LTL freight. This guide explains what that means on delivery day, why the cart asks four delivery questions, and what to do before you sign for the crate.
What ships by freight
- Items over about 100 lb ship by LTL freight, on a pallet. LTL means your crate shares a truck with other shipments.
- Smaller items ship by parcel carrier.
- Orders leave the warehouse in 1-2 business days; for freight orders, that starts when you confirm your delivery plan. Freight usually takes 3-7 business days in transit after it ships. These are estimates, not guarantees. Rural addresses and call-ahead appointments can add a few days.
- Your order ships directly from a US warehouse of one of our suppliers.
- Shipping is free on every order to an address in the contiguous US, for freight and parcel items alike. We do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, other US territories, or APO/FPO addresses.
- We do not deliver to PO boxes.
Curbside delivery
LTL freight is curbside delivery. The truck stops where a semi can stop and turn around.
The driver does not bring freight into a building, up a long driveway, or across a field. If your gate, road or driveway is hard for a semi, tell the driver in the delivery notes in the cart (for example a gate code, a narrow gravel road or a steep drive).
Liftgate or forks
How the crate comes off the truck depends on what you have on site:
- Forklift or tractor forks: you unload the crate yourself and the driver skips the liftgate. Pallet forks on a skid steer or loader count.
- Loading dock: the truck backs up to it. A loading dock is a raised platform at truck-bed height. A garage or a ramp is not a loading dock.
- Neither: the driver uses a liftgate to lower the crate to the ground. From there you need two people or a machine to move it.
The four delivery questions in your cart
Freight orders answer four questions before checkout. Most failed freight deliveries trace back to one of these answers, so please answer carefully.
- Is the address residential or commercial? Farms, ranches and home shops count as residential for freight carriers. Choose commercial only for a business address that is staffed during business hours.
- Can you unload with a forklift or tractor forks? Answer yes only if the forks can lift the crate weight shown in the question.
- Is there a loading dock? Most homes and farms do not have one.
- Should the carrier call ahead to book a delivery window? We recommend it unless someone is always on site to sign.
You can also give the driver a different phone number than the one you use at checkout, and leave notes for the driver.
The two most common mistakes are saying a home has a loading dock, and choosing no call-ahead at a residential address. Wrong answers cause failed deliveries and re-delivery fees. If a delivery fails because of a wrong answer or a missed appointment, the carrier charges a re-delivery fee and may charge for storage. You pay these charges; we tell you the amount before we rebook the delivery.
Confirm your delivery plan
Right after checkout we email your delivery plan.
- Confirm it with one tap, or tell us what to fix.
- We hold shipping until you confirm.
- If we do not hear back within 24 hours, we call you.
You can change the address or your delivery answers until the order ships. Contact us and a person will update it.
Call-ahead and tracking
- If you asked for a call-ahead, the carrier calls you to book a delivery window.
- We email your freight tracking number once the carrier picks up the shipment. Freight tracking updates can lag by a day.
- If you have no tracking number 3 business days after checkout, or 3 business days after you confirm your delivery plan for a freight order, contact us and we will chase it.
Delivery day checklist
- Keep your phone on if you asked for a call-ahead.
- Have two people or a machine ready if there is no forklift, tractor forks or loading dock.
- Inspect the crate before you sign for it.
- Write any visible damage on the delivery receipt.
- Take photos of the crate and the item.
Damage claims are much harder without a note on the receipt.
If something is wrong
- Damaged or defective: items that arrive damaged or defective are covered. Note the damage on the delivery receipt, take photos and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our returns policy for details.
- Marked delivered but never arrived, or lost in transit: if you added Freight Protection at checkout, we ship a replacement. Freight Protection costs about 3.5% of the item price, and the exact amount shows in your cart before you pay. Report a missing or lost delivery within 15 days of the carrier's delivery date. Freight Protection is an optional service. It is not a warranty and not an insurance policy.
Contact us
- Email: info@farranmotors.com
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm Central Time, except US holidays