Grading Tractor and HD Box Blade vs. a small Dozer?

[Piston]

Root rakes are handy, but you don't need one to clean that out...

When it comes to dozers, I don't believe much of anything a seller tells me about the dozer, I verify EVERYTHING...

SR

Rob, I typically have a hard time believing anything ANY seller tells me, not just limited to dozers :laughing: Your absolutely right though, I definitely don't "need" a root rake. In fact, there is very little that any of us actually "need".

I agree about building burn piles from loose debris but if you are looking to take out stumps and roots, small stumps for a small dozer, you cant beat a root rake on a dozer.

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gg

That looks like a very handy machine Gordon! Appreciate the photos and information.

 

[Piston]

After 4 years of ownership, I should probably throw out an update

This little dozer turned out to be one of my top 3 equipment purchases of all time. At about 100 hours of use now, it’s well worth the $4,000 I gave for it.

I don’t know how many years it sat before firing it up for the first time, but it had to be close to 8-10 years judging by some of the saplings growing up around it.

After changing the engine oil and investing into a new battery, we found a fuel leak in some of the fuel pipework. A quick trip to the CAT dealer and they had it in stock. Installed the new fuel line and primed the engine. To my surprise, a giant wasp nest ejected from the exhaust pipe when it fired to life. No one was stung

So far, I haven't had a single issue with it. It's amazing how long something like this can sit and still fire up and be put to use again. I can't even say I 'brought it back to life', I just simply woke it up... .

I’ve done a lot of dirt moving with this little guy. I initially thought I may use it to skid logs but the tractor is more efficient for the small trees I’m skidding. I've also used it to move some good size boulders, but of course it has it's limits being a small machine.

I knew I would love running a dozer, but I didn’t realize just how much fun it would be

A few things on the list to do this summer are rebuild all the cylinders, replace/clean up all the starter wiring and ground wire, and change all of the fluids. It’s proven that it’s still worth maintaining and should give me many years of playing around in the dirt.

 

[DieselBound]

$4k? A good, new, box blade is about that much! What a great find.

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep... I sold my D3 when I ran out of work for it....10 years and spent 2k on batteries, fluids, hydraulic line and reline steering clutches.

Sold it for 16,500 and soon found I still had work the Deere 110 backhoe was struggling with.

Bought a Deere 350c dozer without the rippers my D3 had.

The 350c is a little mountain goat but no D3.

I think amazing buy you got...

 

[nch77]

I was looking for a small dozer, ended up finding a Cat D7E for a great price. Way bigger than what I was looking for but it can move a lot of dirt. Not a cheap machine to maintain and impossible to move without a special hauler. Nice thing is I can pull out any truck no matter what.

 

[spruce Deere]

I bought a early model well used case 1150B dozer with a 6 way blade 5 years ago.

It had good 80% undercarriage but needed lots of love many other places on the old dozer but the price was right.

Still have a couple leaks I have not got at but the work I have done with it has well past paid for itself.... Even with the leaks.

Only gets used once and a while, but I have it when I need it.

 

[Gordon Gould]

After 4 years of ownership, I should probably throw out an update

This little dozer turned out to be one of my top 3 equipment purchases of all time. At about 100 hours of use now, it’s well worth the $4,000 I gave for it.

View attachment 864883


I don’t know how many years it sat before firing it up for the first time, but it had to be close to 8-10 years judging by some of the saplings growing up around it.

After changing the engine oil and investing into a new battery, we found a fuel leak in some of the fuel pipework. A quick trip to the CAT dealer and they had it in stock. Installed the new fuel line and primed the engine. To my surprise, a giant wasp nest ejected from the exhaust pipe when it fired to life. No one was stung

So far, I haven't had a single issue with it. It's amazing how long something like this can sit and still fire up and be put to use again. I can't even say I 'brought it back to life', I just simply woke it up... .

I’ve done a lot of dirt moving with this little guy. I initially thought I may use it to skid logs but the tractor is more efficient for the small trees I’m skidding. I've also used it to move some good size boulders, but of course it has it's limits being a small machine.

I knew I would love running a dozer, but I didn’t realize just how much fun it would be

A few things on the list to do this summer are rebuild all the cylinders, replace/clean up all the starter wiring and ground wire, and change all of the fluids. It’s proven that it’s still worth maintaining and should give me many years of playing around in the dirt.

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Thanks for the update. Glad to hear it worked out so well !

gg