Dozer Opinions

   / Dozer Opinions #1  

todd92

Silver Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Messages
124
Location
Hunterdon County, NJ
Tractor
Case Farmall 75A, Kioti NX5510HST, Kioti CK3510SEHC, Farmall M, MF GC2310 TLB
I'm looking for a dozer to build and maintain a MX track on my farm. I've narrowed down the size to a Cat D5/JD 650/Case 750/Komatsu D39, all no LGP. I might go one size smaller if the machine is so much better than what I find in the size I'm looking at. I'm looking at 2003-2007 with about 3000 hours or so, trying to stay below 40K. I've at least learned how to evaluate a U/C so far...

Among these models and years, are any preferred or to be avoided? Is a cab desirable or not?
 
   / Dozer Opinions #2  
No experience with anything that new. Dad had a D4D and 941B that were 70 models. Good units still running the neighbor purchased several years ago. Cat parts and service are easier around here to get especially for the older units. As new as you are looking at I would think any of those units would be fine. I would look at what the local grading folks are using in your area.
 
   / Dozer Opinions #3  
I just rebuilt and rebushed a jd550 dozer with pat blade. I would not want anything smaller to move a large amount of dirt. ONE thing to note is that 350-450-550 dozers shared alot of parts so finding replacement parts should be easy. I believe the 550 were all wet brake machines but the 350-450 were not until later (maybe d or e series.). I would concentrate on brands that have a dealer nearby in case you have to get parts from them. Be aware that the H-L-R jd transmissions were known to break mounts and cracked bell housings. As you probably have found out undercarriage condition is everything with a dozer.

One really nice feature of the case dozers before hydro was the ability to pivot by splitting the track directions with the two handles between your knees.

I hope you have something to pair with the dozer though, they do not move material long distance very well for jumps!

We all love pics btw!
 
   / Dozer Opinions #4  
B4 purchasing hire a local dozer mechanic, (freelance one if lucky) and have an unbiased opinion as dozer repairs can get VERY costly.
ex; under carriage O/H could cost U more than the initial cost on used equipment.
The cost of a few hrs labor could save U tons of $$'s and frustration.

Just my 2 cents!
 
   / Dozer Opinions #5  
Yes, find a local heavy mechanic and pay him. I'd easily pay $250 for a qualified opinion. He can tell you what stuff costs to fix.
 
   / Dozer Opinions #6  
I have a Case 1550 dozer and before that I rented a Deere 450G dozer. They are night and day different in size from each other, but I learned a few things from each of them. HP and weight make a huge difference when trying to move material, or break through the hard crust of the ground in summer. The 450 was just too small to clear the land or dig into the dirt. My neighbor had a guy with a D4 clear his fence line and that was also too small for what he was doing. Took him forever, and the piles he created are still there.

To build your track, I would think you would want as much HP as you could afford. To maintain it, smaller is better because you have more control for finish work. I would think something like the D5 in the low 100 hp range is going to give you the best of both worlds. The smaller ones, like the Komatsu, wont be very good at getting much done. They are more for the residential pad builder getting a lot ready for a house in some neighborhood.

Case has been rather poor at maintaining parts. I've had to contact salvage yards for mine on several occasions and pay ridiculous amounts for what I got. They also have a terrible policy of only supply entire units to fix a small broken part. When one of my hydraulic pumps stopped working, they wanted $25,000 for a replacement. They do not sell any parts for it, you have to buy the entire unit. Luckily the parts guys at New Holland told me where they get their pumps rebuilt and I was able to get it done for under $3,000

Cat is famous for having parts for everything they make. Deere is like Case and after awhile, stop carrying parts on some of their older models. Komatsu makes some great equipment, but they are high on their prices for parts. They also have a lot of grey market dozers out there that the US dealers do not have the parts for. I don't understand all that, but I've read enough comments on how hard it is to get parts for the grey market models to avoid them.

MachineryTrader.com | Backhoes for sale, skid steers, excavators, dozers. Equipment Trader | new and used Equipment for Sale | and don't forget Craigslist. Be careful of going to auctions. My Case dealer told me that's where they dump all their equipment that is too expansive to fix. It might start up and run long enough to fool a buyer, but it's too far gone to put the money into it that's needed.
 
   / Dozer Opinions #7  
Might be more cost effective to job-out the cutting and tool up for maintaining. After laying out my drive, I rented an old Galion road grader for two days to cut it in. I can't imagine having all that dozer muscle sitting around after the track is in. Those make my JD420C look like a toy but I maintain over 1/4 mile of dirt driveway with it. Not to mention shuffling cactus around and general heavy lifting around the place. (Has a boom) Even with its puny 23hp and street cleats, it can move a good sized pile of damp dirt.

Of course, there's bragging rights to owning a dozer and you can sit around with friends, drink beer and look at it when you're done. :cool:
 
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   / Dozer Opinions #8  
Peterson Caterpillar has always treated me like I was their only customer and I only have an old D3.

Ran out of things to do and sold it 17 years later for close to what I had in it and then my brother needed a Dozer and we bought a JD350C... for the same price I could have bought a JD450 and JD550... the same private seller had all 3 for sale as he was closing down his business in Nevada City.

I wanted something small enough to fit my PJ trailer and F250 Diesel.

Bigger is better as long as it is not too big... already been offered more than I paid for the 350...
 
   / Dozer Opinions
  • Thread Starter
#9  
I would think something like the D5 in the low 100 hp range is going to give you the best of both worlds. The smaller ones, like the Komatsu, wont be very good at getting much done. They are more for the residential pad builder getting a lot ready for a house in some neighborhood.

Why do you say "the smaller ones, like the Komatsu" when a D39 Komatsu is the same size as a D5 Cat?

Komatsu makes some great equipment, but they are high on their prices for parts. They also have a lot of grey market dozers out there that the US dealers do not have the parts for. I don't understand all that, but I've read enough comments on how hard it is to get parts for the grey market models to avoid them.

1st I've heard of an issue with gray market Komatsu's or high parts prices.

I just rebuilt and rebushed a jd550 dozer with pat blade. I would not want anything smaller to move a large amount of dirt. ONE thing to note is that 350-450-550 dozers shared alot of parts so finding replacement parts should be easy. I believe the 550 were all wet brake machines but the 350-450 were not until later (maybe d or e series.). I would concentrate on brands that have a dealer nearby in case you have to get parts from them. Be aware that the H-L-R jd transmissions were known to break mounts and cracked bell housings. As you probably have found out undercarriage condition is everything with a dozer.

One really nice feature of the case dozers before hydro was the ability to pivot by splitting the track directions with the two handles between your knees.

I hope you have something to pair with the dozer though, they do not move material long distance very well for jumps!

We all love pics btw!

Sorry, full disclosure, track is going in a 10 acre orchard that has 60 ft of elevation change, so I don't need to excavate and transport dirt to build obstacles, just reshape some hills. If I had flat ground, I would have to also rent an excavator and a loader to build...what a pain.
 
   / Dozer Opinions #10  
Sorry, I got my Komatsu numbers mixed up and thought the 39 was a lot smaller. I looked it up and saw that it's 105 hp. Size wise, it should be fine for most things. As for the cost of parts, I'm only repeating what I've read. I've never been on one.

Komatsu, and some of the other Asian companies make different versions of their equipment for the US then they do in Asia. The parts do not interchange with each other. It can be very hard to find parts for a grey market machine. Cost of buying a grey market machine is always a lot less. Almost too good. It's just hard keeping them going.
 
 
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