Dozer vs Tractor w/ dozer blade

[TractorBob1529]

I have a dilema. I am moving alot of dirt. Digging a moving is covered, but I really have no way to spread and pack the dirt that is dumped. I have been looking to buy a small dozer to fill my needs, but I also a have a MF1529 CUT. I have come across an older Case 310 dozer and the guy wants $2500.00 and I also come across a MF1405 subframe dozer for the MF1529 for $1800.00. The question is what would be better?

My Pros/Cons:
Case 310 - Alot of work time/money to get running right, but it's a dozer w/ 6-way blade and can push more
MF1529 w/1405 blade - Cheaper, but is lighter not pushing as much and unstable at steeper grade.

Those are my thoughs. Is any one setup better than the other or will it get the job done?

 

[cycle_gator]

How much needs to be done to the C310? Unless it is a total basket case or the running gear is worn beyond recognition, it is hard to beat a dozer with a 6-way blade for moving a lot of dirt around.

 

[scoutcub]

If given a choice between the 2, I would go with the dozer. Can move much more material, pack better, and more stable on slopes. The dozer can rough spread the material, and you can finish grade with your box blade and land plane. And, for the MF dozer blade, wouldn't you have to remove the loader? Using the loader for digging/moving?
Have you already tried using the box blade to spread? Perhaps just not moving enough?
Do you have other heavy equipment doing the digging and moving, or is this a project you're "picking" at with the MF?
Another option would be to rent, for $2500 you can rent a newer dozer with 6 way blade and joysticks, and a roller. If you can get all the material in place at once....?
I've got a small dozer and love the versatility.

Good luck!

 

[tessiers]

There really is no comparison, a crawler can push more and do it faster. Crawler maintenance is a whole nother game. Throw a track and all the fun of the day is out the window. Break something in the undercairage and you may end up with scrap, If I were buying one I would be real careful about checking it over especially for $2500. I would either rent, or buy the crawler. I guess it would also depend on what you consider a lot of material and what the material is, 100 yds I would make do with what I had, 1000 yards I would think about another way. I don't think you would be much better with the blade than you are with the bucket on a compact tractor. Only other comment I would venture is you will not get good compaction with a case 310, it is not heavy enough and has very little ground pressure, great little crawler and well suited for moving dirt but not great for compaction of materials.

 

[Rustyiron]

Have you thought about hiring it out? If that is a no go, I'd say rental would be the next best option.

 

[Carl_NH]

I agree with Tessiers 100-200 yards use your tractor. 1000 yards, hire a dozer for a day or two.

BUT if this material is coming in at a rate of 100 yards a day for 10 days , the 1529 will get a workout.

The dozer doesn't compact as much as your machine, and if you are filling over time - say 2-3 weeks, this allows rain for compaction and driving on it with your 1529 will compact more over time.


Spreading a lot of material and compaction are two separate functions so for instance if you are building a retaining wall and compacting loads of materials to eventually build a structure - needs to be very solid.

IF you are filling an area were you mow the grass or graze animals and are willing to deal with settling that's a different story,

 

[tessiers]

My point on compaction was if you are running a JD 750 size machine you will get compaction from traveling over an area, the little 310 just won't do it.

 

[MBTRAC]

Old Dozers can be a lot heartache & spanner spinning, & any dozer ownership is high cost/maintenance - we own various dozers for our farms & earthmoving business, & without doubt ownership is not for the faint hearted or those with empty wallets......there's no such thing as a "cheap" dozer, only well maintained good dozers or money pits...

All depends on what you consider to be a lot of dirt , how far you intend pushing it/ground conditions & how much compactation you require ?
IMO hire it out unless you are an experienced dozer operator & familar with slot dozing methods to max productivity (in which case renting may be an option)........if you have any significant volume of dirt the novelty of owning/operating a Case310 is going to wear out pretty quickly........

If it was me:
- for a samller job I'd firstly consider hiring/renting a larger c.100hp CTL (Compact Track Loader) which is at a min. 5x more efficient/faster than a Case310 dozer, the downside is the rubber tracks don't provide much compacation but will leave a far better finish than dozer grousers.
- & a large job/deemed to be more economical to do myself I'd buy a mid-size industrial 4x4 loader (something like a Cat 922 /Case W9) which is a whole lot easier to work on & cost about 1/3 or less than a dozer to run/maintain to do the bulk spreading/levelling (having the dirt moved/dumped evenly across the site amkes the exercise a lot easier/economical) then final finish with a box blade (or depending on the site size maybe hire it out to a SP Grader).

As for adapting/using a CUT or Ag tractor in continuous heavy dozer pushing operations it's too big an ask for most machines & stress cracking/metal fatigue is normally the result.......

 

[TractorBob1529]

I kind of knew the answer when I asked the question, but I had to ask.
I have a great volume of dirt to move. I would be easier and less stressful to hire somebody out, but it goes back to no funds for the project.

The project is moving dirt from a hill and filling up a valley to get some usuable level land at each place. The hill is almost a mountain side really.
I have and excavator to dig the dirt, a good size dump truck to move the dirt, now I need a way to push and level the dirt in the valley.
I have been keeping an eye on a a good used dozer, but those are $6k plus. That's why I am looking at the Case 310...more of my price range so I had to ask the question.
I would love to have CTL, but it will be next year before I can consider a major purchase. That would be another year of not getting this project done.

 

[TractorBob1529]

Here are some pictures of what I am trying to do.