By the time we finish exporting what jobs we still have here we won't be able to afford to go to wal-marts

 

Amen

You get what you pay for folks, how much is your life (or the life of someone you love) worth?

 

The bad thing is many times we buy Chinese stuff and don't even realize it. I put on a set of Vision 19.5 wheels and Hurcules tires which are both from China and I didn't even know it until I had been running them for a while.

 

i wouldnt buy Westlake tires anyway. if it aint a brand of tire that i have seen before i aint buyin.

 

No defense of the Chinese, but my Goodyear Marathons blew out in a couple years. My Carlisles went a couple years before one let loose. My most recent purchase are some Maxxis trailer tires made in Thailand. This is on a 24ft enclosed car trailer weighing approx 8500 lb. My biggest "problem" is that living in the desert is hell on trailer tires. The first two brands mentioned were D rated. The Maxxis I have bought are "E" rated. I'll be installing them and start putting them to the test in a month or so.

 

I had to replace trailer tires for our stock trailer, I could of put 4 China ones on for less than $300.00, South American Tires @$380.00, USA Tires(not many choices either) over $600.00! Hate to say it but I couldn't really afford the USA tires and I refused the China ones soooo I went with the South American Radials that actually looked like a well built tire and the tire shop would warranty them, no warranty on the China ones. Just thought I would share my recent tire experience.

 

Unfortunately for me, I have been forced by cheap customers to sell predominately Chinese made products. I hate it and have almost quit over it a couple times. Those Chinese could care less if the stuff they make is any good! Would you care if you made $ .25 a day?

 

It's much as corporate america's fault as the chinese. You have to watch them like a hawk. If you want good quality products, you have to be there every day QC'ing the products. They can do it, only if you make them do it.

The company I work for makes a lot of products in China, and we have expat people that live there visit the factories every day checking for issues.

MikeyB

 

Just as an FYI- these tires are manufactured, or are owned, by a foreign company:
Firestone, Bridgestone, Michelin, BF Goodrich, General, Uniroyal, Yokohama, Continental, Dayton, Dunlop, Pirelli, Toyo & Armstrong.
The Chinese will eventually catch up when their QC meets US standards.

 

Shortly after getting my last Dodge 1500, the truck had Capitol tires on it.
THey looked great but after six months, I had one shred itself on the freeway.
Went to American Tires and they carried Capitol brand. had the one replaced.
Three weeks later same tire went south.
Got to looking at the tires and found they were made in Korea.
Got rid of all 5 and got american made installed.

 

If America pulled it's head out and started exporting more than we import, that might help too. Importing everything shouldn't be the answer. We need to be more self sufficient.

Think about it. If we had more jobs and better pay in result of more industrial, agricultural, and technological exports, we could better afford our own products. as a whole.

 

Kelley, I believe those are called "willpoppers" I got some carlisle on my trailer, so far so good. Even over loaded the trailer, 7000lb capacity trailer, had 9000lbs of cast iron on it....yeah, not to bright, but tires held up....for now.

Yeah, I agree, to many problems coming out of china and we're hooked. It's hard to find "American made" anymore, heck I'd even settle for "Japanese made" at least they have quality products as well.

 

No first hand knowledge but was once told that Cooper tire is the only American owned and made tire company left.

 

I bought a '93 Dakota about 4 years ago (152k/miles) and it had a fresh set of 15" YKS A/T tires on it. The truck has 170+k on it now and the tires are still showing little wear, run smooth and quiet with excellent traction on ice, snow and dirt. We made a trip to the east coast in this truck in '04 and encountered snow and ice most of the way in both directions (I-80 was closed thru Indiana for 3 days) with no problems. There's a lot of Chinese junk out there these days but THIS set of tires ain't one of them! Would I put some on my Ram? NO! My 2¢.

 

Not really sure who gave this information, but Goodyear, Continental, Pirelli, Yokohama, etc...are MADE IN AMERICA at American plants. In a global economy, technology is shared worldwide, but products themselves can still be made in America. China is known for stealing technology and then making inferior products. But yet, we continue to buy their products....remember elections are coming soon.