Something to consider about the new Cats...

glmtnapex · Mar 16, 2011

I went to see the new Cats yesterday in Denver. And while I was driving there I had a thought...

Cat is probably gonna sell/Snow-Check quite a few sleds this year due to the chasis redesign... And as of right now, Cat gets their motors from Suzuki. Suzuki builds the Cat motors in Japan... And Japan is having some trouble right now with Earth Quake/Tsunami aftermath and potentially a serious Nuclear/Radiation problem to boot...

Is Cat going to have a problem filling all of these orders for their new sled because they can't get motors from Suzuki in Japan?

onepicknick · Mar 16, 2011

Are you sure about that check the motor out for us I heard Cat was going to start making their own motor not sure when though heard they had all the tooling and ready to go.

dragon12 · Mar 16, 2011

Valid concern.

glmtnapex · Mar 16, 2011

According to the info I read in Snowest mag, the new motor plant in the US won't be ready to build sled motors (it already builds ATV motors) until the 2014 model year, 2 years from now. 2 years would be a lot of time to make-up if they have problems getting motors from Japan.

knifedge · Mar 16, 2011

--All Suzuki manufacturing plants in Japan have ceased operation till March 21, at which time continuing opertions will be reassessed. Updates on the Suzuki website.

mountain_tamer · Mar 16, 2011

That is a very valid point.... hopefully they have a surplus of the 800HO motors on hand.
Is the 1100 4 stroke a suzuki motor or is it cats own motor?

glmtnapex · Mar 16, 2011

I'm pretty sure that the four-stroke/turbo is a Suzuki motor as well.

Where exactally is the plant that builds the Cat motors? Is it in North Japan where all the chaos is? Or further South?

madmax · Mar 16, 2011

I was sure the thumper was a cat built, US built motor. Guess I'll have to look and see what it says on the motor.

RACINSTATION · Mar 16, 2011

ALL SNOWMOBILE MOTORS ARE SUZUKI AT THIS TIME.

Crazyj614 · Mar 16, 2011

glmtnapex said:
I'm pretty sure that the four-stroke/turbo is a Suzuki motor as well.

Where exactally is the plant that builds the Cat motors? Is it in North Japan where all the chaos is? Or further South?

A majority of the damage was north, most of the industrial stuff was not as highly affected (it's not that far north) as the stuff you see on TV. Unfortunately that doesn't mean that personnel etc.. were not dramatically affected and thus even if the plants themselves are operationally sound, they will likely not be able to staff properly for some time, in leu of infrastructure damage, rescue and rebuild operations in those areas highly affected etc...

I am quite curious and intend on making some calls today, to see if the 4-stroke is Suzuki or otherwise. Obviously we can expect some delays if they don't already have a stockpile and are Suzuki made.

J

Spud · Mar 16, 2011

I think ALL of the CAT 4-strokes are built here in the USA!

zsnowshredder · Mar 16, 2011

I think Suzuki's builds their motors in Toyokawa, Japan. Here is a links to their website http://www.globalsuzuki.com/corp_info/headoffice/toyokawa.html

Here is a link to google maps location of that plant http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Hamamatsu,+Shizuoka,&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-ContextMenu&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7TSNA_enUS406US408&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Hamamatsu,+Shizuoka+Prefecture,+Japan&gl=us&ei=Q-uATfy0DvSx0QGk_eyHCQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CB8Q8gEwAA

Turbo11T · Mar 16, 2011

Looks like it is 300 miles or so south. Personally I would not worry about the motors at this time. And besides it is only $500 down, no payment till delivery.

glmtnapex · Mar 16, 2011

zsnowshredder said:
I think Suzuki's builds their motors in Toyokawa, Japan. Here is a links to their website http://www.globalsuzuki.com/corp_info/headoffice/toyokawa.html

Here is a link to google maps location of that plant http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Hamamatsu,+Shizuoka,&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-ContextMenu&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7TSNA_enUS406US408&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Hamamatsu,+Shizuoka+Prefecture,+Japan&gl=us&ei=Q-uATfy0DvSx0QGk_eyHCQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CB8Q8gEwAA

If that's the case, that location looks far enough South (and shielded by land from the Tsunami) to have not been damaged. However, as stated above in this post, the plant could have been completely unharmed, but if you do not have the people or the power to run it.... It's a big question right now, time will tell.

spoon · Mar 16, 2011

The power is probably the biggest concern for restarting operations but this may be an incentive to start operations in US sooner than planned. May not help us this year though and I can see Cat using this as an excuse if delivery dates are postphoned.

CATSLEDMAN1 · Mar 16, 2011

the little stuff

slow production in japan will hit some auto mfg and others. Not that Suzuki can't build motors, its all the electrical components that go into new Chevy trucks, and subaru's assembled in USA, and bearing etc etc. Nobody builds everything, you know suzuki outsources bearings, pistons, rings, nuts and bolts, electrical, so 1000 assembled 800 proclimbs in Minnesota with no ECU's, maybe they will come with prestolite boxes made in usa , and WALBRO or HOlley fuel injection..............oh boy, here we go, gone totally retro.

Turbo11T · Mar 16, 2011

I agree, I may be a chance for USA companies to step up. There are alot of poeple out of work here in the USA.

Lets Rip · Mar 16, 2011

Very Valid Point about Japan... Another FYI...The city of St. Cloud, MN is holding up the process of Cat building there new motor factory because of a TAX disagreement on the building. The building was suppose to be finished in early 2012 but they still hasn't broke ground yet.

Spud · Mar 16, 2011

curious, then who-where have the 4 strokes been produced the past few years that AC has claimed their own in the ATV-UTV's?

dunatyk · Mar 16, 2011

800 h.o crate motors are on backorder with no expected delivery date

Something to consider about the new Cats...

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