Sending a 110 lb amp to the manufacturer for cleaning/calibration. Good idea? How to ship?

No shipping here.

   If possible, talk to them at t he factory, or the official USA service center , ask how long for the work to be done. 
  If not too long what is the best time to have the amp there for service/upgrades, etc etc. make a plan, and drive them there, get a vacation out of it if possible with the family.   Pick up after a week, or 2 weeks, if you have the time from work. 
   We know it’s not far, we drove my amp to Rockford, about 4 hours from us, stayed 4 days in a hotel, visited some things to see, wife did some shopping, etc. 
called us, drove 20 min, picked up, drove home that evening.      Amp safe and sound. 
  What gets us (me) nervous is the drive to the west coast if and when one of my monoblocs starts to act up, the drive to California to have both of them upgraded is not on my idea of fun drive, but we can visit my cousins on the way home, and will be a good story. 
    Will not ship anything except my preamp (lifetime warranty)

  had 2 receivers, 2 CD players, and 4 pairs of speakers arrive damaged, was really upset at the speakers, but we’ve learned our lesson, and will take a road trip if and when needed. 
  Are we a bit anal about this, could they be totally safe to and from shipping,..? Sure!
  Not taking the chance with my monoblocks in main system. 

    The Odyssey monoblocs are not too bad, only a 3+ hour drive to Indianapolis to the factory. 
    The price, and time it has taken me to save for what I have now will not be compromised. Will not take the chance of shipping damage, as try getting anything from fedex, ups, usps, 3rd party shipper, better off squeezing coal and waiting For a diamond to form. 

Only a 4 hour drive?

Aaahhhhh, that’s nothing.
We would leave early morn, catch breakfast, drop off the amp,
Lunch on the way home. Wait a week or what it takes, drive back and pick her up. That’s what I would do these days.
Grab a basket w food, stop along the way for lunch on way home, in a field, or park somewhere and have a nice lunch with the wife and kids, or just yourself. Yup, 4 hours away, don’t change shipping. Tell them to upgrade , replace any parts, or most aging parts, caps, transistors, relays, or whatever is needed.
a nice amp like that deserves a good overhaul, plus there should be an additional warranty after upgrade. I think,ost do a 1 year, but talk with them, and maybe you can extend that.........

hope it all works out.
enjoy the road trip. BTW, just took a look at your prized amp, wow,! What a amazing looking amp, the specs are wicked good!
  Something like that would never be shipped by us, too nice to ship such a beautiful and heavy amp.

  Congrats, she is a beauty!

Only 4 hrs each way. Nothing to save and update his beloved amplifier. !!

  Not looking forward to my trip to California at all!
hoping it’s many years from now, even with great chance of a successful ship trip, will be nice to get away with the family for a while. 
 Yeah, 4 hours is very much worth it!
leave early ,like 4 am. Will be ahead of all traffic ! Have breakfast as mentioned, until they pen, drop her off, ask questions, ask for a tour of your absolute favorite brand and amplifier etc etc. 

  keep us posted .....
.....will be nice to hear such a nice success story. 

Many amps, both stereo and mono, need manual adjustment of the bias.
    

He is making the correct decision. He will drive it there.
only 4 hrs away. 
   If my amps go, I have a 1,200 mile drive to Cali.