Well I ship alot of lightbars, full size and short here is my history. Fed Ex is nonexistant here where I live closes shipper with them is 45 miles from me and their drop box will not accept a 52" long box, for some reason I just can't cram it in there LOL. UPS is cheaper on most bars than USPS but if they break it, 99% of the time it's your fault not theirs, exp. shipped a jetsonic to Cali customer called in about 10 and didn't have their bar tracked it and it was still 80 miles from me, called searched and hunted and they called and said it's coming back and damaged. The box and the email said it was my fault for improper shipping, got the box and it had a freaken set of tire tracks on it!! I couldn't believe that foam and cardboard couldn't hold up a UPS truck, so dissapointed. USPS has a higher rate most times not always and even though i'm afraid to say "I have never had a lightbar damaged by USPS, boy am I asking for it or what?
I have used some different types of shipping materials but here is what I like best, carpet padding around the bar twice, you can usually get it free if you go to an install guy and tell him you'll take all the scraps and used pieces he can give you around 3 to 4 foot long and longer, they don't have to pay to dispose of it and it works great, we have also been using our shredded paperwork to fill voids and shipped some in slightly larger than needed boxes and overloading them with shreaded paper and it has worked well also. I usually make my own boxes from the local furniture store I get the biggest boxes they have roll the bar up in it twice and cut fold and tape up the ends you get 8 layers of carboard on the ends that way and that's where most bars get broke, unless of course UPS tires to change the oil in the truck using your bar for a ramp LOL. Just my 2 cents have a great and blessed week everyone!!