I agree, we all get shakey about the price of orig but never realize we can't buy replacements for the kits out on the road. One side at O'Reilly's is 120 yen. More than a kit for both sides. It's a no blainer. I have purchased SKF, Timken, National,...all were off shore or Mexico marked.
BCA now owned by NTN "a Global bearing supplier". One of the their plants is in Elgin, Illinois, USA. That's promising. 8 total plants in U.S., Canada and ?. This does not mean that bearing components are not made off shore or Mexico. Some of their Vice presidents are Japanese. Japan makes very high quality machined parts for many applications, not at all compared to Chinese. The U.S. and Canada are very high on the ladder. China getting better due to North American pressure and guidance. Very slowly.
