What we typed
Aluminum radiator for a 2014 Jeep Wrangler
Vehicle fitment is the detail doing the work: a Wrangler radiator has known dimensions, where the lone word radiator could mean anything from a motorcycle core to a truck unit.
Auto parts
How much does it cost to ship a radiator?
A radiator packs to roughly 36 × 24 × 8 inches at 10–20 lb. Dimensional weight typically exceeds actual weight, and the soft aluminum fin core makes it one of the most damage-prone auto parts to ship. Rate your actual carton against your actual ZIPs before listing the part; flat guesses miss on both the box math and the lane.
Live parcel ratesFreight review pathTracking included
One radiator, one real rate
Worked through below: a 33 × 22 × 5 in flat carton at 15 lb, priced $31.24 by UPS Ground between Louisville and Sioux Falls.
A real quote: Aluminum radiator for a 2014 Jeep Wrangler
The whole input for this section was the line “Aluminum radiator for a 2014 Jeep Wrangler” and a Louisville, KY 40202 to Sioux Falls, SD 57104 route, entered on 2026-07-24. What the calculator sent back appears below without any touch-ups.
Packed box it returned
33 × 22 × 5 in
84 × 56 × 13 cm
Packed weight 15 lb (7 kg).
Route
Louisville, KY 40202
to Sioux Falls, SD 57104
A genuine midwest lane rated in real time. Move the destination a zone closer and the price gives more ground than any repacking would.
A wide flat box beats a light part: 33 × 22 × 5 ÷ 139 yields about 26.1 lb dimensional against just 15 lb on the scale, so the table below charges for footprint, not aluminum. Any face you can slim brings the billed weight down with it.
| Carrier | Service | Price | Estimated transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPS | Ground | $31.24 | 3-4 business days |
| FedEx | Smart Post | $33.53 | 4-5 business days |
| FedEx | Ground | $39.03 | 4-5 business days |
| UPS | 3Day Select | $47.17 | 3-4 business days |
Each row already contains everything you would pay, SMKlog's slice included; the checkout figure is the final one. UPS Ground was cheapest when this ran, at $31.24. None of it is fixed: carriers rewrite their tables constantly and lanes differ, so take the table as one worked case and request today's rate on your own pair of codes.
Typical packed size
A flat 36 × 24 × 8 in carton, give or take. Drained dry, ports capped, core sandwiched in rigid sheet, and packed so the plastic end tanks bear any load instead of the fins.
Packed weight
Light at 10–20 lb, but the footprint bills heavier: carriers take the greater of scale and dimensional weight, and a wide flat box computes high. Keep the carton lean and measure it sealed.
Where the money goes
Footprint, lane, and service class. This carton ran Louisville to Sioux Falls for anywhere from $31.24 to $47.17 depending on the carrier and speed chosen, and a shorter lane would undercut all four rows. Averages mislead on spreads like that, so the calculator works from your actual route.
Shipping a radiator: common questions
What box size do I need to ship a radiator?
Roughly 36 × 24 × 8 in for the finished box. Drain the unit dry, cap every port, and sandwich the core between rigid sheets of cardboard or foam. When you box it, arrange things so the tanks, the sturdy plastic ends, carry any load; the fins must never take weight.
How much does a radiator weigh packed for shipping?
Between 10–20 lb boxed, usually. Since carriers take whichever is higher, real weight or the dimensional result (length × width × height over the carrier divisor), give the finished package a proper weigh and measure before you quote; too-low estimates get billed back through post-delivery adjustments.
How do I keep radiator fins from getting crushed?
Protect both faces of the core with rigid sheet, ring the perimeter with padding, and use a box tight enough that the radiator cannot rattle. Fins fold at the lightest touch, and a core that looks damaged loses its resale value even if it still cools perfectly.
Does a used radiator need draining?
Completely, yes. Leftover coolant will seep, stain the carton, and get the parcel flagged in transit. Empty the core, empty the transmission-cooler circuit if the unit has one, and finish by capping or taping every port.
How much does it cost to ship a radiator?
Mostly the box. Radiators pack flat but wide, around 36x24x8 in, and that footprint works out to a 50 lb dimensional weight versus roughly 15 lb of actual metal; the greater of the two is always the billed one, so 50 lb it is. From there the zone count and the ground-or-expedited decision finish the price. The SMKlog calculator will run your exact route and carton against live USPS, UPS, and FedEx tables.
What is the cheapest way to ship a radiator?
Ground service from UPS or FedEx; large flat cartons route best there, and a box this size draws dimensional billing at USPS as well, so the small-parcel lane offers nothing. The savings live in tight boxing: a snug double-wall carton lined with thin rigid padding beats a big box of loose fill, and each inch removed subtracts from the billed weight. Labels bought online at commercial rates generally undercut counter pricing by 20-40%.