montelatici
Platinum Member
Could it maybe bulldoze large wild rose and other fence line varmits better and faster than backhoeing them and then using the loader? The mini dozers are quite a bit heavier than a BX24.
What do you figure a Nortrac/Yuchai 30HP Dozer can do better than a BX24?
- Thread starter montelatici
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ultrarunner
Epic Contributor
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I've got a 62hp Cat D3 and a BX23. The D3 basically goes where I point it ;-)
Dozer are real good at pushing dirt and that's about it. The Nortrac's I've seen also have a 3-point hitch which makes it more versatile and Nortracs can be transported with the right truck and trailer set-up... which could be a good or a bad thing... depending on how many friends you have.
The BX is very user friendly and can do just about anything when time is not an issue and cost less to own. Dozer's always seem to need something...
Dozer are real good at pushing dirt and that's about it. The Nortrac's I've seen also have a 3-point hitch which makes it more versatile and Nortracs can be transported with the right truck and trailer set-up... which could be a good or a bad thing... depending on how many friends you have.
The BX is very user friendly and can do just about anything when time is not an issue and cost less to own. Dozer's always seem to need something...
BrianW
Silver Member
Purely speculative, but I would have to guess "Break down"!
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
When I fist bought my land, I have very limited experience on a dozer. Then I did some work with a dirt contractor and he showed me how to run his JD 450G dozer. It's around 70 hp and small enough to move around wtih a one ton truck and trailer. It's allot bigger then those mini dozers. He uses it for building pads and cleaning up existing roads.
I had it at my place for awhile to clear some roads and open up a few areas. It was pretty much useless. It could take out decent sized trees with allot of effort and moving of dirt, but otherwise, it was only good for small saplings and brush.
Once I got the stuff on the ground, it was very difficult to move the piles. The piles weigh allot and are awkward to move alont. The small dozer didn't have enough weight or power to move very much at a time and it took forever to just get a small area cleared. At the end of the day, I really hadn't accomplished very much.
My fear is that a smaller dozer will be just that much lighter and more dificult to get anything done. For what you will pay to buy one of those little dozers, you could hire it out for half the price and have it done much, much better by a guy with the right equipment to do the job.
Do you want to spend allot of time not accomplishing very much, or get it done and move on to other projects? I'm a do it yourselfer to the extreme, but sometimes it's just cheaper to hire it out.
Eddie
I had it at my place for awhile to clear some roads and open up a few areas. It was pretty much useless. It could take out decent sized trees with allot of effort and moving of dirt, but otherwise, it was only good for small saplings and brush.
Once I got the stuff on the ground, it was very difficult to move the piles. The piles weigh allot and are awkward to move alont. The small dozer didn't have enough weight or power to move very much at a time and it took forever to just get a small area cleared. At the end of the day, I really hadn't accomplished very much.
My fear is that a smaller dozer will be just that much lighter and more dificult to get anything done. For what you will pay to buy one of those little dozers, you could hire it out for half the price and have it done much, much better by a guy with the right equipment to do the job.
Do you want to spend allot of time not accomplishing very much, or get it done and move on to other projects? I'm a do it yourselfer to the extreme, but sometimes it's just cheaper to hire it out.
Eddie
OP
montelatici
Platinum Member
My current problem is fence line brush along 4 acres perimeter and paddocks. My thought is that hired out to a big dozer guy it would have to be done on a day at a time basis which would create alot of waste all at once. If the dozer could push done and uproot wild rose etc. much faster than my BX24 between backhoe and loader, I could push down 50 yds at a time and then use the BX to place the waste in small piles and burn or bury it. I also figure that those small dozers seem to be quite popular with suburban dwellers with 1-2 acre lots and I could probably sell it at not much of a loss, if any. If the little dozer cannot push down and uproot brush, then it would be useless to me.
George2615
Super Member
The Nortrac dozer is listed in Northern Tool catalog as weighing 6600#. Easily towed by a 1/2 ton or bigger. A JD 450 will weigh in at about 14-15K# and has almost twice the HP and require a 1 ton or greater to haul it. The Nortrac would be good for leveling dirt or stone for driveways and brush work. The dozer would out push your tractor easily and it has a 3pt. mount and PTO for a BH.
mikeyd
Gold Member
I own a JD 450E dozer, they are about 18k lbs. I have personally logged over 2000 hours on this machine. There are a direct competitor to a CAT D3. A one ton truck is woefully inadequate to tow it and in my state should you get caught towing it with such you will pay a fine in excess of $1000.00.
The 450 series dozer has been the smallest JD dozer for over 20 years. They used to make a 350 series (about 12k lbs), I have operated a 350 and it has very limited ability due to it's light weight and low power.
A 450 series dozer is a very desirable unit as it is big enough to do serious work yet small enough to work around buildings and tight spots. For this reason contractors love them. In terms of pushing dirt there is zero comparison between the BX24 and a 450 dozer. A 450 dozer is a very capable machine and as someone else said of thier CAT D3, it essentially goes where you point it. The writer who stated a JD 450G was useless had a machine that was not operating properly or perhaps did not have the experience to operate it properly. With that said it is not designed or capable of clearing large tree's etc. for that you would need a JD 850 or CAT D8, both of which are very large machines in the neighborhood of 60k lbs.
A dozer with 30hp weighing 6600lbs. would be useless for your application. I would equate it to using a dozer blade on a similar sized Bobcat skidsteer. Yes they do sell them for skidsteers but for snow removal or very light dirt work.
I would stick with the BX24, it will take you longer but the machine with a BH and FEL is capable of getting the job done eventually. I do not believe that the 6600lbs. dozer is capable of your intended use at all. Another option is to rent a real dozer for a week.
The 450 series dozer has been the smallest JD dozer for over 20 years. They used to make a 350 series (about 12k lbs), I have operated a 350 and it has very limited ability due to it's light weight and low power.
A 450 series dozer is a very desirable unit as it is big enough to do serious work yet small enough to work around buildings and tight spots. For this reason contractors love them. In terms of pushing dirt there is zero comparison between the BX24 and a 450 dozer. A 450 dozer is a very capable machine and as someone else said of thier CAT D3, it essentially goes where you point it. The writer who stated a JD 450G was useless had a machine that was not operating properly or perhaps did not have the experience to operate it properly. With that said it is not designed or capable of clearing large tree's etc. for that you would need a JD 850 or CAT D8, both of which are very large machines in the neighborhood of 60k lbs.
A dozer with 30hp weighing 6600lbs. would be useless for your application. I would equate it to using a dozer blade on a similar sized Bobcat skidsteer. Yes they do sell them for skidsteers but for snow removal or very light dirt work.
I would stick with the BX24, it will take you longer but the machine with a BH and FEL is capable of getting the job done eventually. I do not believe that the 6600lbs. dozer is capable of your intended use at all. Another option is to rent a real dozer for a week.
OP
montelatici
Platinum Member
Thanks, I guess the backhoe and loader will have to do the fence line work, slowly but surely.
But what about a mini excavator/dozer. LOL
But what about a mini excavator/dozer. LOL
BarryinMN
Platinum Member
I side with Eddie except a 1 ton pulling a 450 would be at or over it's limit.
I have owned a JD 350 with QT 14' class backhoe (13K lbs) for years and it is a landscaping tool. Taking out large root systems with a dozer creates a huge crater & mess, much more effective with a backhoe.
Largest tree I've taken out is 8" shattered at the base in frozen ground - no hole to deal with while making trails thru the woods.
Another option would be to hire a mulching skid steer operator - no cleanup and use the tractor to spray for weeds once in awhile.
I looked at and drove the Nortracs. biggest maintenance issue I found was the tracks are soft steel & stretch. Stretch enough you have to remove a link per owners manual.
Before you buy one research resale. Local auctioneer always seems to have some <50 hours & they go for $6K. May be Northern returns.
I have owned a JD 350 with QT 14' class backhoe (13K lbs) for years and it is a landscaping tool. Taking out large root systems with a dozer creates a huge crater & mess, much more effective with a backhoe.
Largest tree I've taken out is 8" shattered at the base in frozen ground - no hole to deal with while making trails thru the woods.
Another option would be to hire a mulching skid steer operator - no cleanup and use the tractor to spray for weeds once in awhile.
I looked at and drove the Nortracs. biggest maintenance issue I found was the tracks are soft steel & stretch. Stretch enough you have to remove a link per owners manual.
Before you buy one research resale. Local auctioneer always seems to have some <50 hours & they go for $6K. May be Northern returns.