Disassembled PC shipping tips and advice!

Hey guys I'm just wondering if anyone with experience could lend some advice or just an opinion.

If I need to disassemble and pack PC parts individually for shipping is there anything special I should know or do? I was thinking I would just try to pack the parts in their original box with the cardboard/foam and add some extra bubble wrap? I would keep the CPU in the Mobo as a no brainer right? I was planning to send everything except the case and just get a new one there.

This would be shipped via a shipping company in larger boxes with other general goods of mine.

Reasoning behind this, if I do this I will get free insurance that will cover theft or fire on all of the goods, If I want specific insurance on the PC for any kinds of damage other than theft and fire they are asking $1000 extra and with a 6700k build (no GPUs) costing around $1500 I just don't see the worth on a 4770k 970 SLI build since even if a full claim was made i would probably still be losing out massively.

Am I correct in belief that there is a far better chance for something to break when shipping the PC fully built, parts mostly concerned about would be the SLI 970s and the Corsair h100i liquid pump/tubes etc. I know the tubes are strong and sealed tight but if they somehow leaked weeks after I received the build I would be left with no coverage.

This is Air shipping so I don't know if there's any extra considerations to do. Will be packing in the next few days so anything relevant would be appreciated.

I would think that pulling apart and packaging separate would be safer for sure. Put everything you can in anti-static bags as well if you can. Though not likely an issue, putting the H100 in a bag b4 boxing might be smart too.. just in case it gets kinked or pressure changes have some really adverse effect (though very unlikely).

the only way i could see trying to ship a fully configured pc would be packing the inside with something that doesnt cause static when it moves around and will stay tightly packed and not expand/contract with pressure/temp differences.

Personally, I don't see much of a chance of something being damaged in shipping. Sounds like you are having a mover do this (as opposed to USPS or FEDEX or UPS). If you had a large and heavy air cooler mounted to the motherboard I would have different advice but in your case everything bolted to the mobo and the case is light weight. I can't see anything damaging the system if you pack it in the original box with styrofoam offsets. It would take something like a forklift puncture to do damage and that is not how they are going to handle the boxes I would imagine.

You might find that upsetting the water cooling system by moving the case in different positions during shipping might introduce air bubbles into the system that take a few hours of running to dissipate once you get it setup again on the other end of the move. So I wouldn't stress the CPU hard at first.

psionic98 said:

I would think that pulling apart and packaging separate would be safer for sure. Put everything you can in anti-static bags as well if you can. Though not likely an issue, putting the H100 in a bag b4 boxing might be smart too.. just in case it gets kinked or pressure changes have some really adverse effect (though very unlikely).

the only way i could see trying to ship a fully configured pc would be packing the inside with something that doesnt cause static when it moves around and will stay tightly packed and not expand/contract with pressure/temp differences.

Click to expand...

Good looking out on the Antistatic bag, now that i think about it half of the hardware came in one. I got ones for both GPUs just not sure if the motherboard came in one which i dont have anymore for either PC.

If i cant find a Antistatic Bag big enough for the Mobo and PSU is there anyother suggestions or tips? I read somewhere about being able to combine smaller antistatic bags as sheets to cover but can not longer find the link. Im shipping Tuesday so i have today and Monday to find something.