Community Forums

crewstx · 03-05-2014, 10:30 PM

I recently purchased a REESE R20 Titan fifth wheel hitch. In the owners manual it sais it was printed in China. I called REESE and found out that most of their fiver hitches are made in Mexico but the head for this one was made in China. The first Reese guy I talked with said they would not tell me where there stuff was made and that I should just trust the REESE name. A later call got the information for me. Had I known this before buying I would have probably gone with the Pullrite ISR or waited for the B&W RAM OEM both of which are completely USA.

**JohnRR** · 03-05-2014, 11:07 PM

Too bad but not exactly surprising.

CJBROWN · 03-05-2014, 11:08 PM

Everything is being made in china these days, even multi-thousand dollar yachts.
They are american companies with chinese labor. A lot of stuff is good, some of it bad. Don't judge the product by where it's made...unless it says Germany...then you know it's good. LOL.

njs42 · 03-06-2014, 04:32 AM

My Carhardtt hat which has STRENGTH IN AMERCA emblazoned on the front, to my surprise, made in Mexico. Nice quality hat does everything I want a hat to do.

Libero · 03-06-2014, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by njs42

My Carhardtt hat which has STRENGTH IN AMERCA emblazoned on the front, to my surprise, made in Mexico. Nice quality hat does everything I want a hat to do.

Cool. An interesting point however if one really thinks a bit deeper or from the broad perspective, actually Mexico is in "America" as being in one of the American continents, just as Germany is in Europe and China is in Asia etc.

I know it is a play on words but when we speak of Europeans we think of people from Europe, and Asians are people from Asia yet when we say Americans or use the term "America", most people think of USA.

The term "American Indian" refers to aboriginals in the Americas.

Go figure.

But made in China implies inferior most of the time to me, but perhaps it is not inferior all of the time and making an "American Flag" in "China" - and selling it in America AKA USA, somehow does not seem right to me.

Just stuff to think about. LoL

wildtoad · 03-06-2014, 05:53 AM

Recently Congress passed a bill requiring DOD buy only flags made in USA. But they said the rest of the government would still buy flags made elsewhere as the ones made here were too expensive.

I have to believe that with all our automation capabilities we ought to be able to sew a flag competitively.

Steve N Sal · 03-06-2014, 06:34 AM

I think we best get used to a LOT of things not being made in the States anymore. JMHO

A solution may be, if you have your receipt then send it back.

Roam America · 03-06-2014, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrgreenacres

Bob Villa had a tv program on using used shipping containers from communist red China and turning them into homes. What is the USA becoming?

I remember those episodes. Part of the issue was, probably still is, that the US imports a lot more than it exports. Thus the excess of shipping containers.

MuckSavage · 03-06-2014, 07:31 AM

I was disappointed when I went to Parris Island to watch my nephew graduate from USMC Boot Camp. I purchased a flag in the commisary, went beck to the CG & while hoisting it up the pole on my MH, I noticed a "Made in China" tag. What the He@#?

moisheh · 03-06-2014, 07:40 AM

Metal Fab in Mexico is nothing new. Hitch parts, headers and other steel components have been made in Mexico for more than 30 years. In some cases the parts are machined or formed in the USA and then welded in Mexico. But as Mexico has progressed they are able to engineer, form and do final production. Some manufacturers have their own plants in Mexico. QC is equal or better than in the USA. The Ford plant in Mexico has the highest QC rating of any Ford plant in N.A. Many of the electrical components in autos, appliances, airplanes and more are made in Mexico. The frame rails ( maybe even the whole frame) for FL RV chassis are made in Mexico. Dodge PU's with the Cummins are assembled in Mexico.

laj · 03-06-2014, 08:17 AM

does it really matter? if it works well, does what you want and need, and at a price you can live with I wouldn't worry about

pagosajoe · 03-06-2014, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laj

does it really matter? if it works well, does what you want and need, and at a price you can live with I wouldn't worry about

x2 !!

It's a global economy...

Brockx · 03-06-2014, 10:13 AM

It matters, we need the jobs in the USA.

I will not knowingly consume foods linked to China or Vietnam due to filth.

Prior to my retirement I ran a manufacturing facility that went heads-up with Chinese facilities in the same corporation, same product. Many components forced upon me were sub-standard. I returned then to central purchasing who sent them to my sister plants. Our quality was head and shoulders above the "C" and profitability was "Stellar" best in the division.

edit: Sorry for the rant, it's a hot button, at least WAL-MART is claiming a turn around plan on China content.

pagosajoe · 03-06-2014, 10:13 AM

And I retired after 26 years in the military, losing friends along the way. Good luck purchasing anything that is not made, in some part, from another country's labor or materials. During my time in service, as a direct representative of DOD to certain "communist countries", I worked on DOD's behalf to purchase items they made so as to endear their economy to the United States. It's amazing what an impact it can have on their ideology when we tell them we want to buy 500 washing machines (for example), and telling them we want it now, not in 5 years as part of their planned production program.

There comes a time to let it go...