Why Tokicos go on backorder

[shojuan]

Well apart from my hypothesis that Tokico just won't build up a stockpile of struts for our cars here's what I found out while talking to Chris at shox.com (remember, shox.com is ASI and they've been around for something like 17 years. Lol, I bought Eibachs and KYB's from them for my Camry when I lived in San Diego in the early 90's):

Tokico uses no less than 17 vendors to make the strut housings for our cars. If any one of those vendors doesn't come through then production comes to a temporary halt. This was the reason for the great 1.5 year backorder a little while back.

Here's an even scarier bit of trivia. Tokico used to actually buy Gabriel struts for the Taurus and gut them, then put in their own insert and finish the strut housing. I'm sure they were just fine, but Gabriel isn't synonymous with quality in my book. I wouldn't sleep at night if I knew my SHO was sitting on some blue painted Red Ryders, lol! Give me the Tokico built, comes from 17 vendors housings anyday, lol!!!

 

[Mike Kopstain]

I have a business account with ASI and talked to them yesterday. Tokicos are not currently on backorder. I ordered a set very recently.

 

[Bizzy]

Know what's even more scary than that Rick? There is "rumor" that Tokico is going to halt altogether the production of struts for our cars. It is said from very reliable sources that they will repair problem struts but they won't be replacing them.

 

[Yamaha V6]

ummm, it's a HOUSING Rick. The large backorder a year or two ago was because Gabriel (being a competitor of Tokico's, essentially) was putting the thumbscrews to the Big T with their shipping delays on the housings. (At least that's what I was told back then).

Unless Tokico is manufacturing every component in-house, there is very little control over quality, really, and you now have 17x the likelihood of a problem shutting down production, instead of a single vendor. This is a double-edged sword.

At my day job, we had a customer who was splitting a large, 18-separate module order across 3 vendors, "to ensure delivery of product" reportedly in case any vendor went under during the hard economic times, since this was a military program (part of the SIRFC countermeasures program for the Apache & Blackhawk, I believe). So, instead of having each vendor provide complete 1/3x 18-piece sets, no, they gave complete module order, 6 module each sub-sets to the 3 vendors. Now, instead of having 2/3 of the choppers equipped should one vendor go under, they have the situation as an all-or-nothing. If one goes under, all of the end product is useless. If a vendor's deliver slips, all of the end product is held up. Duh.

Anyway, there's not a lot that Gabriel would have frigged up on an open housing with no moving parts, except delivery perhaps.

 

[shojuan]

Mikeys_Taurus:
I have a business account with ASI and talked to them yesterday. Tokicos are not currently on backorder. I ordered a set very recently.

I didn't say they were on backorder, sorry if I gave that impression. I was referring to the backorders of yore. Especially the great 1.5 years backorder that some of the old timers are oh so familiar with.

I ordered my Tokicos from ASI/Shox.com yesterday. I just said screw it and paid a bit extra from shox.com because the vendor in Milpitas I was going to use, Pacific Tire, couldn't get them through any of their sources (cheaper sources). Perhaps it's the same problem Power Garage has. They've got an occasional opening to buy from a distributor who gives them a good deal, perhaps against the wishes of Tokico, I don't know. All I know is that the cheap vendors I tried to get a deal through came up dry so I spent extra and went with the vendor's vendor, ASI (shox.com). I just want to get this done. It ain't gonna be the Summer of George until my suspension is tight.

 

[shojuan]

Yamaha V6:
Anyway, there's not a lot that Gabriel would have frigged up on an open housing with no moving parts, except delivery perhaps.

Yeah, yeah. Of course you're right. Just have images of those awful Red Ryder's that are on the rear of the corolla all-trac wagon that sits motionless in my driveway.

None of this matters. My Tokicos are on their way. It's going to be the Summer of George I tell you! lol

Beth, that rumour has popped up so many times, I really can't believe it. Too many times "reputable sources" have cried wolf on this one.

 

[LaTechSHO]

Bizzy:
Know what's even more scary than that Rick? There is "rumor" that Tokico is going to halt altogether the production of struts for our cars. It is said from very reliable sources that they will repair problem struts but they won't be replacing them.

reliable as they may be... the only source that i will trust on that issue is tokico themselves... and when I spoke with tokico around a month ago.... mike santa cruz, who is their sales manager assured me they ARE NOT going to be discontinued anytime in the forseeable future. thats insurance enough for me

Louis

 

[Guy Newton]

Has anybody tried autocarparts.com? I found them yesterday doing a google search. They have Tokico's for $220 a pair + $13. shipping.