Rubicon JL Wheels made in China?

[Biscuit]

The ProComp wheels I've been using for over 20 years----

Are made in CHINA--I've never been happy about that, but I've also never had a wheel failure--

I have had many AMERICAN TIRE FAILURES--

W.E.

JIMBO

Comparing a Chinese wheel to an American tire? You must like red herring with your whine.

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[JIMBOX]

You probably don't know this, but----

They kinda go together !

W.E.

JIMBO

 

[K2500Z71]

Welcome to the global economy. If it were competitive to make them here, they would be. There probably is not much labor in the manufacture of a wheel but there are a lot of other factors that impact the cost... availability of raw materials, cost of energy (lower in China and it does take a bit to melt aluminum), cost of complying with environmental regulations (again, probably much lower in China), etc.

Cost does matter. These JLs have gotten stupid expensive. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact the the 2 door V6 manual Rubi I just ordered is costing me more than a brand new Corvette Stingray that I bought a few months ago.

 

[Armycop]

This won't ever change. The USA will never be a manufacturing leader anymore with the overseas competition. Our unions and wages have made it impossible to match the prices of imported products. Plus a lack of people wanting to do the jobs. China has billions of people who have socialized benefits so they can work for peanuts. In a couple years, China will be making cars and selling them here.

 

[K2500Z71]

This won't ever change. The USA will never be a manufacturing leader anymore with the overseas competition. Our unions and wages have made it impossible to match the prices of imported products. Plus a lack of people wanting to do the jobs. China has billions of people who have socialized benefits so they can work for peanuts. In a couple years, China will be making cars and selling them here.

They already are... the Buick Envision, Volvo XC60 and S80, Cadillac CT6 hybrid are all built in China and sold here. There may be a few others that I missed.

 

[The_Phew]

Anyone with more than a couple brain cells can go to community college and learn a skill that can't be outsourced to China (welding, nursing, heavy equipment operator, etc). I personally think it's irrelevant if government policies manage to prop up American manufacturing jobs for a couple more years until all those jobs become fully automated.

If you want higher wages, learn skills. Don't rely on protectionist policies to handhold you so you can earn inflated wages at an unskilled manufacturing job; that's just welfare by a different name.

 

[Muzzle of Bees]

It's called greed. Why pay an American worker when you can employ a slave. Also they create their other business called distribution from this.

 

[pjs1inc]

Are the regular rubicon rims made in China too? I am sooo happy I didn’t get these now.

Yes they are made in China, looked at mine and they too are stamped "China"

I'm an old school kinda of guy and love old American made muscle cars and other American made iconic vehicles like the Jeep. Jeep being an American iconic popular vehicle it really surprised me seeing the wheels stamped "China"

 

[eugene]

Yes they are.

 

[Wanderingwheelz]

This won't ever change. The USA will never be a manufacturing leader anymore with the overseas competition. Our unions and wages have made it impossible to match the prices of imported products. Plus a lack of people wanting to do the jobs. China has billions of people who have socialized benefits so they can work for peanuts. In a couple years, China will be making cars and selling them here.

That is exactly correct.

If America doesn’t get competitive real quick, the only thing we will be doing on the world stage is entertaining people two or three generations from now. Even our recent Presidents are as much entertainers as leaders.

 

[Armycop]

Yes they are made in China, looked at mine and they too are stamped "China"

I'm an old school kinda of guy and love old American made muscle cars and other American made iconic vehicles like the Jeep. Jeep being an American iconic popular vehicle it really surprised me seeing the wheels stamped "China"

Check the tags on most American "Levis" nowadays. China.

 

[Shooting or Jeeping]

Well, it seems you have every reason to go out and buy some new rims...

 

[WXman]

Starting with the JK, the Rubicon wheels became the same cast aluminum type of wheels that the Sport and Sahara used. Made in China also. They obviously wanted to save money on manufacturing and also needed to start thinking about CAFE requirements. Prior to the JK, the Rubicon actually got forged alloy wheels. They were very heavy at well over 30 lbs. each for a 16x8 wheel. But they held up well. Not sure who made them. Perhaps Alcoa.

Things starting getting "cheaper" when the mid-2000s rolled around because the automotive landscape started to go through big changes and struggles again. I suppose it happens.

Overall, the Wrangler is still one of the most American vehicles you can buy though. So I don't feel so bad. Seems like it's over 60% American made. The other parts that aren't U.S. are still from North America.

 

[Tommy T]

Give me break. It’s called a global economy, let it go.

Then I suggest you learn a couple of new skills,
Chinese and Mexican Languages

 

[Springtail]

This is nothing new. We live in a Global economy. Jeep is owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, an Italian company headquartered in London.

Last year the 2017 JK Wrangler was the most American-Made vehicle sold in America. The JL Wrangler is not even in the top 10 list this year because they are using more imported parts.

Parts of the JL are made in China and other places around the Globe. Some parts may be sourced from American companies but the parts are made elsewhere. The aluminum door hinges for example are made in China but sourced from a American company. FCA places the order to a American company. The American company has a Chinese company make the parts in China and resells to FCA. FCA invoices a American company for Chinese parts. Makes you wonder how much value or cost the American middle man adds?

Give me break. It’s called a global economy, let it go.

Exactly....it's not like the concept of foreign made parts being found on a "domestic" vehicle is anything new.

If you care about products being made in the USA....pay attention to who you vote into office.

Case in point: Lead acid batteries

Due to regulations set up by past Govt. administrations under the guise of protecting the environment....the processing of lead ore has all but ended in the united states. Instead the lead is mined here and then shipped to china (where they don't give a hoot about the environment) using a more damaging process to the environment, it is then processed there and turned into......yep, you got it......Lead acid Batteries. Then they are loaded up onto a petroleum spewing cargo ship and brought back to the USA to be put in your car/jeep/whatever.

So....the process of trying to "save the environment" ends up (or at least the facade the Govt wants us to believe)....

1) Killing the lead industry and battery making industry in the USA
2) Damaging the environment even more
3) Increasing the cost of batteries
4) Lining the pockets of crooked politicians (which was the ultimate goal anyway)

I doubt that the USA could fire up the production of lead acid batteries in a time of emergency/warfare if we wanted to....Personally, I see that as a threat to national security.

Some products cannot reasonably be made in the USA....I would love to make our MOLLE bags in the USA but we have been turned down by the few major manufacturers just because they don't want to be troubled with orders less than 10,000 units......sad but true. That and the cost would triple which would kill the marketability of the product anyway. Luckily, bags are a small part of our buisness.

For the record: All of our steel products are manufactured/powder coated/inspected and packed right here in Iowa by the people we love and are proud to help employ.

Doc

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