Navigating Lead Times: 5 Scenarios for Sourcing OEM Steering Components
For cab engineers and purchasing buyers, unpredictable supply chains and extended overseas lead times can completely derail an off-highway equipment build. When sourcing OEM steering columns and e-steering components, you need a manufacturing partner who provides transparent timelines, fast prototyping, and direct communication.
BSM North America specializes exclusively in off-highway steering applications. Because our engineers handle everything in-house at our Burnsville, Minnesota, facility, our localized manufacturing process eliminates the delays associated with overseas suppliers.
Here’s exactly what you can expect when sourcing OEM steering components through our team, broken down by five common sourcing scenarios.
How BSM North America Offers Shorter Lead Times
Before diving into specific scenarios, it helps to understand how BSM consistently beats competitor lead times — often turning what takes others several months into a matter of weeks.
Doing Everything In-House
Every component is truly made in America, from CNC machining and welding to secondary processes like painting and assembly. BSM controls its own manufacturing destiny, meaning our team isn't waiting on delayed shipments from outside vendors.
Offering Direct Access to Engineers
Our customers enjoy same-day or next-day responses directly from our engineering team. You don't have to wait days for a middleman or sales rep to relay technical questions!
Accommodating Low-Volume Manufacturing (No MOQs)
BSM does not require minimum order quantities, allowing us to be highly flexible and jump into production for custom, low-volume off-highway builds immediately.
5 Sourcing Scenarios & Expected Lead Times
We’re proud to be an American manufacturer with nationwide reach! Whether you know the exact part you need or require a fully custom steer-by-wire system engineered from scratch, here’s how our engineering team at BSM North America quotes and delivers.
1. You Know the Finished Product You Want
The Scenario: You are familiar with our product lines and have a specific BSM North America standard part number ready to go.
2. You Need Minor Tweaks to an Existing Design
The Scenario: You want to use one of our existing off-highway steering columns but need specific modifications to fit your cab design — such as a longer overall length, a different lower end, or an adjusted pivot location.
3. You Want Our Version of a Competitor’s Steering Column
The Scenario: You have a steering column from a competitor (like Cobo or Coram) but want to source an American-made equivalent with better reliability and faster shipping.
4. You Need Help Selecting a Standard Product
The Scenario: You are not deeply familiar with our catalog and need an expert to help you select the right fixed-tilt, floor-tilt, or heavy-duty steering column based on your machine's constraints.
5. You Need a Fully Customized Solution (Prototypes)
The Scenario: You require a completely custom solution, such as integrating advanced e-steer adapters for a steer-by-wire autonomous vehicle.
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Expected Lead Time: Our team will collaborate directly with your cab engineers, often providing free engineering hours to map out the perfect solution. Once designed, custom prototypes are typically delivered in just 2 to 3 weeks. In highly urgent scenarios, we have even turned around custom products from start to finish in a single week.
The BSM Quoting & Production Process
Transparency is key to our process. After a custom part has been fully designed and assigned a part number, it is fully quoted for pricing and lead time. Our team shares the final CAD models and drawings with your team to lock in the design.
While design changes are still allowable in most cases, this process ensures you have a precise, documented expectation of when your steering components will arrive.
Consult an Engineer About Your OEM Needs Today
Stop waiting months for steering components. Whether you need a standard off-highway steering wheel or a highly complex custom console, BSM North America has the agility and expertise to get it done fast.
Our Minnesota-based company prioritizes advanced manufacturing techniques for sustainable production and is ready to design a fully custom solution for your unique needs!
Call us at 952-890-8146 to provide a part number for an immediate quote, or talk to an engineer today to discuss your custom off-highway steering application.
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