Toto Drake CST744S Manufacturer Differences MX vs USA

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Ripper3785

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Special ordered two CST744S-01 from Lowe's a couple weeks ago and picked them up a week later. Paid around $200 or so, was fine with that. Opened them up, liked how they looked and such and then reboxed them for upcoming remodel.

Walking through Lowe's this evening and notice a lowe's employee in plain clothes and two other plain clothes people around a stack of toilets. After putzing around, we realize that these are the same toilets(3 of them) we just ordered, a special order return marked down to $65. The group of folks took 2 of the toilets and we took the last one(still sealed in original packaging). Seemed like a smoking good deal that we could resell. All the part numbers and such matched up. Unboxed to inspect and something didn't seem the same as the first two so I got them both out side by side to compare. The two we previously picked up were made in Mexico and the one we picked up tonight was made in USA. Here are pictures of both. To my surprise, the Mexico made tank seems nicer. The internals look less cheap. The back of the USA tank has a big notch in the top lip. There is some random orange spray on the walls of the USA tank.

Would you say that there is no appreciable difference in the quality/performance of these two identical tanks?

Edit- Further, the bowls for the first two toilets were also made in Made in Mexico and the bowl for the one picked up tonight was made in China. Haven't had a chance to unpack and look at those side by side yet.
 

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Terry

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The tanks have the same flush valve. They should be very similar in performance. It's mainly the bowl and it's trapway.
TOTO uses several fill valves depending on who they are buying from. The are switching over to the new flush valve and I'm seeing more of them.

flush-tower-1.jpg



flush-tower-3.jpg



flush-tower-2.jpg
 
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Ripper3785

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Terry,

Thanks so much for your response and this forum. It's been immensely helpful as we get started on our remodel. I noticed that the green fill valve has an adjustment 'screw' on top and didn't notice one on the blue(though didn't look carefully). Any advantage to the cutout on the top of the tank on the US version? Less moisture buildup on the underside of the lid?(not sure why that would matter, I guess)

Thanks again.

The tanks have the same flush valve. They should be very similar in performance. It's mainly the bowl and it's trapway.
TOTO uses several fill valves depending on who they are buying from. The are switching over to the new flush valve and I'm seeing more of them.
 

Jadnashua

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Both of those valves can be adjusted for tank level, they operate in a different manner. The one with the screw adjusts the height, on the other, you remove a lock clip, turn about 1/8-turn, and slide it up or down, then lock it back in place. Normally, you'd never have to do that as they're supposed to be adjusted at the factory. The one with the screw, when it eventually wears out, you have to replace it. The other one, you pop the top off and remove the seal, then replace it for about $3, and it's as good as new. Toto is quite good about quality control and consistency, so bits made in one country fit fine. Many of the tanks have that notch. Don't really think there's any significant operational difference between them.
 

WJcandee

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There is an autoflush unit that involves(involved) running wires into the tank. That's what the notch was for. The newer tanks have eliminated the notch.

Toto tanks and bowls are made all over. They are all well-made. No two are exactly alike anyway, due to the fact that when you put something in a kiln, it changes dramatically in size, and all involve a certain amount of hand-work, although Totos stuff is more-uniform than most. Toto is extremely-consistent in the makeup of the clay it uses to make the toilets, as well as its quality control, and the uniformity from place to place is amazing (Mexico, US, Vietnam, South America, etc.).

PS That low price is an insane buy!!! The nitwits at the Big Box didn't realize that people would have snapped them up for $150 if they had just put them on the floor. They don't realize that the reason they don't sell more Toto is that you have to special order it. People want it, they just don't want to go through the brain damage of special-ordering it. The online sites sell a ton of Toto, because it's offered equivalently to the other brands and receives fabulous reviews.
 
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