Getting a new 40' shipping container need advise!

Stimw · Jan 11, 2010

I've worked on them, in them, drove them down the road, picked up and delivered them with a 48' Landall trailer, moved them with a 15,000lb. forklift and a four high stack packer. Oh, and I own a 20'er!
They are strong enough to place with blocking at the corners. The doors can "rack" if not close to level. You don't want dead level, water can stand on the roof. The packers pick them up with the 4 corner pockets only. You can use logs under some of them to roll them, depends on the crossmembers, some stick down past the side rails. They actually move around pretty easy even though the 40'ers weigh a little ove 10,000lbs. You don't want a reefer, they are narrower inside with the insluation and you DON'T WANT ONE WITH FIBERGLASS SIDES!!! The caulking always leaks and the wood center rots big time.
They are secure right back to the doors. They sell a "C" lock/clamp that goes around the lock rods on both doors but a sledge hammer can bend the rods toward the center and it can be removed. The best bet is bolt a lock assembly to each door solidly and have a padlock inside a piece of pipe when it closes. The only way to open one of these is with a key or torch!

JB4310 · Jan 11, 2010

I've got a twenty footer, I just leveled and raised the ground with road base. Expect all kinds of critters to make the underside of that thing there home

I've got a wood chuck living under mine that had a liter last year.

Around here the 40 footers are only a tiny bit more expensive than the 20's. seems more people want the 20 footers. For the 40 footer try and get the midway door, tend to pack stuff in the back of the longer ones and have trouble getting to it.
I ran 3 foot deep pallet racking down 1 side, floor to ceiling.

The closer to the ports you are the cheaper the price obviously, I paid $2400 for mine that looked almost new at the time.
Oh yeah, they do get hot!

JB.

Wis Bang · Jan 12, 2010

04honda said:
Well the cheapest new(one trip)standard 40' I have found so far would be coming from cincinnati. It is a gray one and it would cost $3900+800 shipping= $4700. I really woould like to have a high cube but they are hard around here to find new. Another place close to me sell used 40' standard for $2500 and $2800 for a high cube!

Most containers are not 'one trip' units. They are leased to the various steamship companies for 5 years. I worked for an intermodal motor carrier and have been involved in the claims for stolen units. They are valued by the remaining depreciation yet the insurance comes up w/ ACV [actual cash value] and $3,900 is the value of one a few years old...

They are frequently stolen; we had one recovered after 10 months. The insurance had paid it off and we decided not to buy it for the salvage value so it was sent to a junkyard. The chassis was only a year old and was worth 3x more than the box.

Super Cubes · Feb 11, 2010

I sell containers and I'd recommend that you use cut up wood for blocking. A previous person suggested cutting up an 8"x8", which is exactly what I'd recommend. Once the container is relatively level, you can test the doors. As you load the container, it may shift a little further. If you're having problems with the doors, I'd recommend getting a car jack out for the problem corner and reblocking that corner.

If you want to move it around, you can drag it, but like a previous poster, make sure you don't snag the cross-members on anything or that will compromise the integrity of the box.

I also agree - skip the refrigerated/insulated containers. They are far more hassle than they are worth and if you ever want to modify the container, it will be a complete headache. Oh, and you get to pay about 4 times as much for a refrigerated container than you do for a regular one.

Once you get your container, if you want to add in venting (or windows, doors, etc), I have kits for installing those yourself. They have a frame designed to fit in the corrugation of containers and are easy to install.

As far as pricing goes, it really depends on what part of the country you are in and how far you are from the nearest city with containers. But as a general rule, the new 40's are well over $4000, but a good, used 40' or 40' high cube run around $2000 plus delivery. (Note, if you're in the Mountain time zone, those numbers are completely different.)