Dozer Comparison

[EddieWalker]

I'm developing an RV Park and need a dozer to clear trees, level roads, campsites, and dig a one acre lake. I'm leaning towards a Komatsu D20 or D21. I have a very small amount of experience on a Cat D4, but feel they are too pricey to buy and the parts are way over priced. John Deere, Case, Mitsubishi or any other brands you can suggest will be greatly apreciated. I'm looking to spend under $15,000. PM and the price of replacement parts are also of great concern. Thanks.

 

[Will_C]

The one acre pond you are mentioning will be a tall task for a D2 sized machine! If you looking for a reliable, fairly late model dozer, you have some to consider in your price range: Case 450, JD 350,400, and 450, as well as the Komatsus you have mentioned. Remember, with dozers in that price range, there will be maintainence concerns, especially if you are using them regularly. These are pieces of equipment that are between $55,000 to $65,000 new. At $15,000, you are paying 1/4 of the cost of new. As dozers don't deprecaite like autos, there are reasons why a $15,000 dozer is $15,000!
Have you thought about hiring the pond done? if you elimnate that chore, then I think $15,000 could get you a good serviciable dozer for smaller jobs.

 

[professor]

The Komatsu D20 is really under sized for the job you are planning. I owned a Komatsu D20A and did some light brush clearing and it did a good job however it slow go. I bought it for $11,500 and sold it for $11,000. If it is a one time job you may want to hire it out. If you want to do the work your self there are grey market Cat D3s that are in good shape that will cost in the $16,000-25,000 range. If you are interested there is a dealer in middle TN that sells good grey market machines.

 

[DavesTractor]

We sell a few Komatsu dozers, it isn't our core business, but we bring in a few container loads a year. The D20/21's are nice machines, and certainly push dirt (and other things) a lot better than the typical wheeled tractor, but a D31 size does much better. It's the difference from a 4-cylinder 9000lb unit to a 6-cylinder 16,000lb machine. Of course the same can be said all the way up the line as you get bigger.

We have a nice D31P-20A that we used a couple days ago to remove 20 large Pistachio trees. It made quick work of it, and I expect we could not have done it with a D20 without a great amount of effort.

A late model D20, such as a D20A-7, made in the mid-nineties with less than 2000 hrs on it will cost between $12,500 and $16,500. A D31 of the same vintage and with low hours will be over $20K.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

You can either go with a midle 90's Komatsu like what Daves said or you could buy a chinese tractor

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&langId=-1&catalogId=4006970&PHOTOS=on&TEST=Y&productId=531338&categoryId=0

but i dont know about parts. Kamatsu is a great tractor
http://adcache.equipmenttraderonline.com/9/2/4/47897924.htm
http://adcache.equipmenttraderonline.com/9/8/8/48359388.htm

have you thought about renting a bulldozer? I bet you could get one for about $100 a day.

 

[Tractors4u]

I bought a D20A Komatsu back in March and as with anything it could be a little bigger. I can't take any big trees out with it with a single push, but if I dig around them I can usually get them down. I was able to get mine for under $10K. I think a D31 would be perfect for me, but the slightly smaller size of the D20A makes it handy getting in between the trees I don't want to take down.

 

[professor]

H & W Tractor Sales in Dickson TN has grey market Cat D3s in the 16-20,000 price range. They sell good equip. Their number is 1 888-265-0454.

 

[RanchMan]

Go with a bigger dozer than the D20/D21 - you'll be much happier based on what you describe as your intended uses.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Heres a cool little bulldozer http://www.smalldozer.com/

 

[CamshaftLF]

Hi Eddie I like the komatsu equit' but the D21 is under size for your job for sure, I was operating the D21 at a new site my company rented it for a week. We didn't have to remove any tree's or stump's, just a lot of pushing dirt 200yd's or so, you pushed all day and didn't get much done. And I have 6-7yr's experince operating D9-10's and 355-455 komatsu's. Also my son's building his new home we cut the tree's and skidded them out of the road, and last weekend I rented a D-3 w/6way blade it had the 6cly motor all the power you ever need supper mach. We took out about 60+ stump's of all size's and shape's, and Dozed 1/2 mile of driveway all in 10.8hr's. Cost was $414.00 that was for sat-sun. As for your pond you might be cheaper to sub the pond out. You didn't say what your time frame is. both the D21& D3 cat where 01 model's so I am comparing new to new. Both had 6wy blades cat was a 3sp komatsu was only 2sp. we are renting a CAT970 wheeled loader for digging the basement out for $400.00 for the day. Hope this info help's a little I am only comparing what my exp is with the soil I have to work with. Don't no the cash flow you have to work with or time frame. Good luck

Cam in Pa.