Tools Now Made in Viet Nam
 

I have been searching around for a Ball Joint installer/press. the Bahm tool that is the one that fits into a Vice and then the steer knuckle fits into it so the BJ can be pressed in, runs some where between $280 to almost $400 for the same tool.

There is another tool the JTC 1849 which is a 18" or so long 2" round pipe that pushed the BJ into the knuckle by using a hydraulic press. I see this tool on E-bay for around $99+.
Mercedes Benz W213/W126/W220 Ball Joint Installer Tool | eBay

This E-Bay add has the same picture of the tool and miss lable of the models as the other 2 sites.
"mercedes benz W213/W126/W220 Ball Joint etc....." what is a W213?

Most of these tools have been made in Taiwan for the most part, and now China is manufacturing a lot of them. Taiwan seems to have made a higher quality tool than what I have seen come out of China.

I did a bunch of searching for this JTC 1849 tool on Google and did find it in a few places. here is one site in Taiwan. check the address at the bottom of the site.
BALL JOINT INSTALLER - Products, JTC Auto Tools

Then searching along found it here in Vietnam. Kingtech Engeineering Corporation, Viet Nam. so is China/Taiwan out sourcing to Viet Nam like a lot of countries do? check the address at the bottom of the site.
: : KING TECH : :

So if this is the case, then do you suppose that now the cheap Chinese parts we cringe about putting on our cars could now be coming from Viet Nam? out sourced from China, and then stuck in a genuine German made box, with a label like Febi, Myele, Lemforder, or the coveted high priced Blue Star. probably so. :eek:


I first saw this JTC 1849 tool in this thread that Bodyart27 did back in 2007 on rebuilding the front end.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/179284-write-up-ball-joints-lower-control-arm-bushings-tool-review-pics.html

So from this thread it go me to looking around for this tool.

Charlie

If they are the same or better quality I would prefer stuff to come from someplace like Viet Nam than China.

I believe we are headed for an eventual way with China.

Vietnam and India are now the new China when it comes to cheap tools

Yep, pretty soon Chinese workers will get fed up and want to get paid more. So naturally production cost are going to rise which means let's move to another country to exploit the workers!



.

When I had my tool rental business, I had a 12" wood chipper. The blades I bought from the local dealer were made in Vietnam, and this is probably ten years ago. I started buying the made in USA blades directly from the manufacturer, so that in the event of a catastrophic failure, the machine would be using all OEM parts from a liability standpoint.

Their quality seemed to be good, but I never did a head-to-head comparison.

People in Communist countries becoming slaves to Capitalist because the Communist States control the prices of Goods within their own States and keep the Profit for the State (well for who ever is controlling the State).

By controlling prices in the State they can allow a modest increase in the living conditions of their People without having to turn over as much of the profit to the people in Wages and so on; that they would in the US or Europe.

Or is the above a Capitalist Dream?

Charlie,
You guys left that much good quality Detroit iron lying about over there, maybe they are just recycling some of it !! ;):D:D

I've got 79 missions of dropping iron over there. Maybe thats our own iron coming home again!

Highly likely.

Don't leave out Africa. The Chinese are buying up anything they can get in Africa like mad, right now.

Africa is going to be to China, what China is to North America.

Where this game of musical chairs ends is beyond me.

I bought my timing chain press from JTC Auto Tools. It is a great tool, at a great price. There is a dealer (store) about 75 miles from my place, and they have an excellent stock of good quality tools. I would not hesitate to buy specialty tools from them.....Rich

When I was in the Navy back in 64, I was on an old WWII Destroyer, and we did our share of coating their hill sides with lead. :rocketwho


Well this whole thing will come full circle and one of the players will be out sourcing back to us.

Charlie

Ironically, I'm sitting in the exec lounge at the intercontinental in HCMC / Saigon tonight, enjoying a nice glass of wine and a Dominican cigar. Spent the day in factories owned by Taiwanese, who have parallel plants in China. The wage advantage Vietnam offers is mitigated by the workers right to strike, and the low skill level. Last week, while in Shanghai, I marveled at how many business were replacing skilled workers with automated machines. They mostly use our recycled steel, but the workmanship is improving. Not trying to argue a side, just an impression from the past 10 days!

Is this the Store in El Monte CA?

Yes sir.
Edit: Actually, I think it is the City of Industry.