Part's RANT! USA not Manufacturing???

[The70RT]

I checked on some Bendix drums a couple years ago but never got'em. Made in the USA for 69.00. I decided to wait. Checked last week and are 18.00? Yeah now made in China. I asked what other brand do you have? Raybestos 65.00 made in the USA. I said ok send them. Got them, they had big letters printed on the outside CHINA. Sent them back. Said ok I will get Wagner and ordered them and got'em today. Opened them and they are different but are the same number. Box shows made in the USA on one and China on the other...wtf  Now I have to order another and see which one comes in. Wagner is a subsidy of Federal-Mogul / National. I figured I might as well check my wheel & axle bearings and seals since they are Federal-Mogul & National. Boxes all show USA, Canada & Mexico. Front bearings have no origin on them. Seals show USA. Rear Bearings show Japan. Seals show Mexico. Looks like we are slowly succumbing to the foreign market more and more. Thanks for listening.

[BMOTOXSTAR]

I know what you mean.
Cheap ain't good and good ain't cheap.
That China crap sucks. Mexico ain't bad parts  but them Chinese....
I needed a voltage regulator for my Charger and the only ones the local parts store could get are the Asian ones.

[Shakey]

I've read countless threads on this and other sites where the poster and numerous others rant about high prices of parts - hence all the goods made in China.

Then there are the others that show off what they bought at Wal-Mart for next to nothing, proud of their purchases - hence all the goods made in China.

The only ones to blame are the North American consumers.  It's a shame as to what we've done to ourselves isn't it!   

[bull]

What is made in the USA anymore besides humans? I bought a Ingersoll-Rand impact gun the other day and it says it's Assembled in the USA. Is that the same as made in the USA?

[BMOTOXSTAR]

I've read countless threads on this and other sites where the poster and numerous others rant about high prices of parts - hence all the goods made in China.

Then there are the others that show off what they bought at Wal-Mart for next to nothing, proud of their purchases - hence all the goods made in China.

The only ones to blame are the North American consumers.  It's a shame as to what we've done to ourselves isn't it!   

I have to agree.
The thing I do not understand is what makes everything from China junk. Why do they use lead in toys and toothbrushes, poor quality, etc...Was it the cheap high quantity of goods needed...?
Then you look at a Asian country like Japan and they create some of the best technology in the world. 
Most other countries, when you think about it, make some quality products.

[Chatt69chgr]

You are lucky you found the Wagner made in the USA.  They quit making them here over a year ago.  That's old stock. 
The problem with the parts places is that people who buy parts for the most part are folks that are looking to keep the car running for another year or so and are looking for the cheapest price----and thats from overseas.  You just about have to go to every place and see what they have and go from there.  I ordered two of the Wagner drums in a few months ago because the people at O'Reillys were too lazy at the Nashville distribution location to go out and look at the box to see where the drums were made.  Had to order them in and then tell the parts guy, sorry.  Don't want 'em.  He was genuinely surprised----made the comment that everything comes from China now.  I told him I just wanted them for spares.  And if they were Chinese, I would just wait and buy them when and if I needed them.  Of course, what will eventually happen is that they will quit making parts for our car altogether.  Not sure what we will do then.  Probably won't happen for a few more years but it's coming. 

[The70RT]

I ordered another but my luck it will be the chinese one. Advance had Brimbo I think for like 85.00.

[hemi-hampton]

Just bought a little .50 cent plastic clip for lower door cladding on mini van from GM Dealership & very surprised to now see these packages now saying made in JAPAN instead of Mexico or Canada. Seems like it would cost more to ship overseas then what it's worth? And they wonder why they are going out of Business? LEON.

[Mike DC]

There's a small manufacturing town in the Chinese countryside that actually changed its name to "Usa."

[BrianShaughnessy]

I had a similar problem with rear brake drums last year.    From what I learned,  I had purchased my car with chinese drums on the back already. 

I needed a replacement for a side so I got an actual Made in USA Bendix.   So then I decided to get the other side also to match  the next week - out of stock.   I special ordered a Bendix at a higher price from Advance and when it showed up it was still chinese.

FYI.  Unless you find an old NOS,  there are NO brake drums made in the US anymore.   They're most all chinese cores.   Bendix & Raybestos closed down awhile back.   
Brembo is mexican IIRC.


Some chinese cores aren't bad...  the rotorpros slotted/vented disks I got seem pretty good.    But I got some autozone rotors for my GTA awhile back and I had to take them off and get them turned cause they warped.   

[The70RT]

I had a similar problem with rear brake drums last year.    From what I learned,  I had purchased my car with chinese drums on the back already. 

I needed a replacement for a side so I got an actual Made in USA Bendix.   So then I decided to get the other side also to match  the next week - out of stock.   I special ordered a Bendix at a higher price from Advance and when it showed up it was still chinese.

FYI.  Unless you find an old NOS,  there are NO brake drums made in the US anymore.   They're most all chinese cores.   Bendix & Raybestos closed down awhile back.   
Brembo is mexican IIRC.


Some chinese cores aren't bad...  the rotorpros slotted/vented disks I got seem pretty good.    But I got some autozone rotors for my GTA awhile back and I had to take them off and get them turned cause they warped.   

Oh boy....thanks for the info. I got some Raybestos rotors myself. They were like 75 each Wagner's are like 225 each....but why pay that if they are chinese now   

[BrianShaughnessy]

I had a similar problem with rear brake drums last year.    From what I learned,  I had purchased my car with chinese drums on the back already. 

I needed a replacement for a side so I got an actual Made in USA Bendix.   So then I decided to get the other side also to match  the next week - out of stock.   I special ordered a Bendix at a higher price from Advance and when it showed up it was still chinese.

FYI.  Unless you find an old NOS,  there are NO brake drums made in the US anymore.   They're most all chinese cores.   Bendix & Raybestos closed down awhile back.   
Brembo is mexican IIRC.


Some chinese cores aren't bad...  the rotorpros slotted/vented disks I got seem pretty good.    But I got some autozone rotors for my GTA awhile back and I had to take them off and get them turned cause they warped.   

Oh boy....thanks for the info. I got some Raybestos rotors myself. They were like 75 each Wagner's are like 225 each....but why pay that if they are chinese now   

Looking at your pic above of the 2 drums...    drum with a lip that fits around the axle hub and the balance weight on the left is chinese.    No lip drum on the right is USA.

[Mike DC]

Whatever you do, just get two of something.  I wouldn't want mismatched drums from side-to-side. 

Even if you got two different drums turned down until they both mic'd out at the same size when you installed them, there would be different wear rates on the metal for sure. 

[NorwayCharger]

There's a small manufacturing town in the Chinese countryside that actually changed its name to "Usa."

http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/usa.asp

[SFRT]

I manufacture stuff in the US, Japan, China and the Phillipines:

in vinyl, abs plastic, fiberglass and metal

experience over last 8 years:

US: everyones an 'artist' and usually go way over price and deadline from first qoutes. Quality is so-so. Pricing: extremely high will not honor
defective product. always a huge pain in the ass.

Japan: insane desire to please customer, communication problems, prompt manufacture, high quality. Pricing: Most expensive. will honor defective product.

China: all business, will cut corners to increase profit margin whenever possible, must stay on top of them at all times, good comms. quality
OK to good. Pricing: was great, getting higher. sometimes will honor defective product.

Phillipines. Very fast development time, good to extremely good quality, good comms, payment and shipping problems always blow schedules, price: best. will not honor defective product.

[Brock Samson]

 That's interesting...
I heard a program on NPR about the problems with the chinese toys and food, it was noted that Europe's standards are much higher then in the USA so the Chinese can't sell they're crappy stuff there, so they send it all to the U.S.

[The70RT]

I ended up getting another chinese drum  I went ahead and traded the USA one in. I couldn't see letting a 75 dollar drum sitting around and maybe never getting a match since this is the only mopar I have.

[BrianShaughnessy]

I ended uip getting another chinese drum  I went ahead and traded the USA one in. I couldn't see letting a 75 dollar drum sitting around and maybe never getting a match since this is the only mopar I have.

If you had the 11" finned drums I'd be asking where the heck it went back to 

[CFMopar]

In the end we have to blame ourselves... The big 3 are in trouble and they are begging for hand outs but union employees are refusing more concessions.... They want money to protect their jobs but at the same time don't want to take a hit in their own wallets.

I used to work in a union auto parts factory where we made $25.75 an hour. 90% of the employees didn't work like they were earning $25.75 and hour. People faked injuries, hid, slept and generally fucked the dog. 

I'm sure it doesn't help that there is an unfair import/export ratio but do you honestly think that people in crowded Tokyo want to drive an srt-8 Challenger anyways???

The big three have done alot wrong and now its biting them in the ass. It's amazing that all the foreign car companies can keep unions out of the plants but the big 3 cant. Plus you don't hear of disgruntled Honda assembly workers very often like you do from the big 3....