Freight Class 85
Class 85 covers crated machinery and heavier appliances at 12 to just under 15 lb/ft³ on the 2025 NMFC scale — moderately dense goods that need some handling care.
What is class 85 freight?
Class 85 covers freight that weighs 12 to just under 15 pounds per cubic foot on the NMFC scale used since July 19, 2025. It is where heavy items often end up once a crate adds empty space around them: crated machines, transmissions on skids, cast-iron stoves. On a 48 × 40 × 48 in pallet (53.3 ft³), that means about 640 to 800 lb. Under 12 lb/ft³ it rises to class 92.5; at 15 or more it drops to class 70.
Class 85 freight description
Class 85 is the machinery-in-a-crate class. At 12 to just under 15 lb/ft³ — a band that widened on July 19, 2025, when NMFC Docket 2025-1 folded the old 77.5 step into it — the freight itself is genuinely heavy — transmissions, engine assemblies, cast-iron stoves, industrial equipment — but it ships inside crates, on skids, with blocking and bracing that add volume faster than they add weight. A bare transmission might rate class 70 by its own density; the same unit boxed in a protective crate with clearance on every side frequently measures out at 85.
That crating trade-off is the defining decision at this class. Protection is usually worth it — machinery damage claims dwarf the rate difference — but oversized crates are pure cost. A crate with three inches of unused clearance on each face can add 20–30% to the measured volume of a mid-sized machine, and every added cubic foot pulls density down toward the next, more expensive class.
Class 85 worked examples
Three shipments measured at their outside size. The last one shows why the crate, not the machine, often sets the class.
Crated industrial machine — class 85
A machine in a 48" × 40" × 40" crate on its skid, 560 lb all-in.
48 × 40 × 40 = 76,800 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 44.4 ft³. Density = 560 lb ÷ 44.4 ft³.
12.6 lb/ft³ → inside 12–15 → class 85.
Transmission on a skid — class 85
A rebuilt transmission boxed on a 36" × 36" skid, 24" high, 230 lb.
36 × 36 × 24 = 31,104 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 18.0 ft³. Density = 230 lb ÷ 18.0 ft³.
12.8 lb/ft³ → class 85.
The same machine, crate built 8 inches lower — class 70
The same 560 lb machine in a crate cut to 48" × 40" × 32" — the clearance it did not need removed.
48 × 40 × 32 = 61,440 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 35.6 ft³. Density = 560 lb ÷ 35.6 ft³ = 15.8 lb/ft³ — over the 15 lb/ft³ line.
15.8 lb/ft³ → class 70. Eight inches of empty crate was costing a full class step.
Crate smart, rate lower
Build or order crates to the machine, not to stock dimensions. Skids sized to the base (rather than a full pallet under a narrow machine), internal blocking instead of oversized voids, and laying compact heavy components beside the machine inside the same crate all raise the unit's density. The goal isn't to cheat the scale — it's to stop paying freight on empty crate.
Two boundaries matter here. Just above sits class 70, which starts at 15 lb/ft³: a tighter crate or packed weight that clears that line drops the shipment a full class step and saves real money on machinery lanes. Just below, at under 12 lb/ft³, the shipment climbs to class 92.5. Since crated machinery routinely measures near these lines, run the actual crate dimensions — outside edge to outside edge, skid included — through the calculator below before booking, and re-run it whenever the crate design changes.
What ships as class 85
Items that often measure into class 85 when crated or put on a skid. Density or a specific NMFC listing decides the final class:
- Crated machinery
- Cast-iron stoves
- Transmissions and clutches
- Engine assemblies
Related commodity guides:
Is your shipment class 85?
Enter the crate or pallet size and its full weight. A result from 12 to just under 15 lb/ft³ is class 85.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
13.5
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
720
lb
12–15 lb/ft³ → Class 85
NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025)
Pre-July-2025 table: class 77.5. Use it only if your carrier contract still prices on the old table.
Free PDF includes a watermark. Pro removes it & adds your brand.
Estimates only — verify freight class/NMFC and chargeable weight with your carrier.
Uses the 13-tier NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1). See the full freight class chart.
Frequently asked questions
What is class 85 freight?
Freight that measures 12 to under 15 lb/ft³ on the current NMFC scale. Crated machinery, transmissions on skids and cast-iron goods often land here. It costs more to ship than class 70 and less than class 92.5.
Why does my machinery rate class 85 when it's so heavy?
Because class follows the density of the whole handling unit — crate, skid and void space included. Heavy machinery in a roomy crate measures far less dense than the machine itself, and the class is set on what the carrier measures at the dock.
What density is freight class 85?
12 to just under 15 pounds per cubic foot on the current NMFC scale (Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025). Measure the crate's outside dimensions (skid included), convert to cubic feet (÷ 1,728 from cubic inches), and divide the total weight by that volume.
Is class 85 cheaper than class 92.5?
Yes — rates step up with every class, so 85 prices below 92.5 and 100 on the same lane. If your crated freight is measuring just under 12 lb/ft³, a tighter crate or added packed weight that lifts it over the line pays for itself.