Freight Class 77.5
Class 77.5 sits between the dense and mid-density brackets (13.5–15 lb/ft³) and is typical for tires and bathroom fixtures.
What is freight class 77.5?
Freight class 77.5 is one of the 18 classes in the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC). It applies to LTL shipments whose density falls between 13.5 to under 15 lb/ft³. Density is weight ÷ volume, so a shipment lands in class 77.5 when it weighs that much for the space it occupies. Lower classes (denser freight) cost less to ship; higher classes (lighter, bulkier freight) cost more, because they use more trailer space per pound.
Class 77.5 freight description
Class 77.5 is the scale's only fractional class, and its existence tells you something: the stretch between class 70 and class 85 carries so much real-world freight that the NMFC needed an extra step inside it. The band runs 13.5 to just under 15 lb/ft³ — goods with genuine weight that ship with built-in hollows or padding: tires (a ring of dense rubber around empty center), boxed bathroom fixtures, cased hardware, rolls of wall and floor covering.
Freight here is one good decision away from class 70 and one careless one away from class 85. The band is only 1.5 lb/ft³ wide and its cheaper neighbor starts at 15 lb/ft³ — a threshold that a typical pallet in this range can cross by gaining forty or fifty pounds. Few places on the scale pay back a re-check of the load plan faster.
Class 77.5 worked examples
Density is weight ÷ volume (cubic feet = L × W × H in inches ÷ 1,728). Here is how real shipments land in — and fall out of — class 77.5:
Palletized packaged hardware — class 77.5
Cases of packaged hardware on a 48" × 40" pallet, 40" high, 640 lb.
48 × 40 × 40 = 76,800 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 44.4 ft³. Density = 640 lb ÷ 44.4 ft³.
14.4 lb/ft³ → inside 13.5–15 → class 77.5.
Rolled wall coverings, boxed upright — class 77.5
Cartons of covering rolls standing on a 48" × 40" pallet, 36" high, 560 lb.
48 × 40 × 36 = 69,120 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 40.0 ft³. Density = 560 lb ÷ 40.0 ft³.
14.0 lb/ft³ → class 77.5.
The hardware pallet, 40 lb heavier — class 70
The identical 44.4 ft³ pallet with gap-filling boxes of fasteners added, 680 lb total.
Density = 680 lb ÷ 44.4 ft³ = 15.3 lb/ft³ — over the 15 lb/ft³ line.
15.3 lb/ft³ → class 70. Forty pounds of freight you were shipping anyway, one class cheaper.
The 15 lb/ft³ line is close — reach for it
Load hollow goods to use their hollows. Tires stack in laced columns that put the next tire's shoulder into the last one's cavity; hardware cases pack tighter when heavy small-item boxes fill the gaps of large light ones; roll goods stand tighter vertically than they lie horizontally. Each trick adds weight to the same cube or removes cube from the same weight, and at 14-and-something lb/ft³ either one can tip the unit over 15 and into class 70.
When the shipment truly sits mid-band, make sure it stays there at the dock. Hollow and padded goods deform: a strapped stack that bulges an inch on each side, or a soft top carton that domes upward, inflates the measured cube and can push a quoted 14.0 under 13.5 — rebilled at class 85. Rigid corners, tight banding and honest quoted dimensions keep the carrier's scanner and your quote telling the same story.
Typical class 77.5 commodities
Goods that are commonly rated freight class 77.5 include:
- Tires and tubes
- Bathroom fixtures
- Packaged hardware
- Wall and floor coverings
These are typical examples. The exact class of any item depends on its NMFC item number and measured density — always confirm with your carrier or broker.
Commodity guides that overlap class 77.5:
Check if your shipment is class 77.5
Enter your dimensions and weight — if the density lands in 13.5 to under 15 lb/ft³, you’re in class 77.5.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
14.25
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
760
lb
13.5–15 lb/ft³ → Class 77.5
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Estimates only — verify freight class/NMFC and chargeable weight with your carrier.
How freight class is calculated (density scale)
Freight class is set by density = weight (lb) ÷ volume (ft³). Higher density → lower class → typically lower cost. Volume here is L × W × H × quantity.
| Density (lb/ft³) | Class |
|---|---|
| 50+ | 50 |
| 35 – 50 | 55 |
| 30 – 35 | 60 |
| 22.5 – 30 | 65 |
| 15 – 22.5 | 70 |
| 13.5 – 15 | 77.5 |
| 12 – 13.5 | 85 |
| 10.5 – 12 | 92.5 |
| 9 – 10.5 | 100 |
| 8 – 9 | 110 |
| 7 – 8 | 125 |
| 6 – 7 | 150 |
| 5 – 6 | 175 |
| 4 – 5 | 200 |
| 3 – 4 | 250 |
| 2 – 3 | 300 |
| 1 – 2 | 400 |
| 0 – 1 | 500 |
Frequently asked questions
What is freight class 77.5?
Freight class 77.5 is the NMFC class for shipments with a density of 13.5 to under 15 lb/ft³. Typical examples include tires and tubes, bathroom fixtures, packaged hardware.
What products are freight class 77.5?
Goods commonly rated class 77.5 include tires and tubes, bathroom fixtures, packaged hardware, wall and floor coverings. The actual class depends on the item's density and NMFC item number, so verify with your carrier.
How is freight class 77.5 determined?
Divide the shipment weight in pounds by its volume in cubic feet. A density of 13.5 to under 15 lb/ft³ maps to class 77.5 on the NMFC density scale. Use the calculator above to check your shipment.
Why is there a class 77.5 instead of a round number?
The NMFC scale needed a step between classes 70 and 85 because a large share of everyday freight measures in exactly that density stretch. Class 77.5 splits the gap: 13.5 to just under 15 lb/ft³.
What density is freight class 77.5?
13.5 to just under 15 pounds per cubic foot on the finished handling unit. At 15 or above the shipment rates class 70; below 13.5 it moves up to class 85.
What freight class are tires?
Tires commonly rate in the 77.5–100 range depending on how they're loaded — laced columns pack the hollow centers and measure denser than loose or flat-stacked tires. Measure the actual stack and confirm the NMFC item with your carrier.