RidgeRunnerWVa
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- Feb 9, 2006
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- 30
What brand of motorcycle is in your picture ?
What would be the BEST rough terrain tractor?
- Thread starter RAW
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orangebluegreen
Gold Member
Looking at those pictures I was thinking that land calls out for a dozer, and then I scroll down and see others said the same. If you haven’t used a dozer to clear land vs. a tractor, you’ll be amazed how much more traction they create for pushing dirt and trees. Looking at your trees and knowing they are about the same size I used to clear in Ohio with a Cat D3, you should easily be able to push them over like they aren’t even there even with a smallish machine. I had to work in tight spaces and close to basement walls which can be cracked from vibration and weight if machine is too big, but if you are in open space like that, weight and size are your friend, and a lot of fun to go much bigger. Something about a machine big enough to feel totally destructive that puts a smile on your face. The drawback on a Dozer is obviously not as versatile, you usually still need a tractor so it turns out to be a luxury more than need if it’s not for making a living.
I've definitely been considering the dozer thing.
There's a place in Fairview, NC that occasionally sells reconditioned Komatsu dozers. It would cost about 15K (for a D20/D21), but I imagine that as long as I did decent maintenance, I could get most of that back out of it if I wanted to sell.
The other option is paying someone to cut the trails with dozers and then I would just maintain them. My concern is that being 30 minutes north of Asheville, I'll have a hard time finding someone who would want to come that far out. And then I'd have to pay more for transport. I've asked my neighbors for the name and number of a local with some heavy equipment. We'll see what happens on that front. I would just hate to pay someone 5K to cut the trails when I could put that same money towards my own piece of equipment.
The other thing about the dozer vs. tractor thing (that someone else touched on) is that the dozer is not as versatile. It has no ability to cut/mow brush or grapple loads of branches and wood. I could even get a PTO chipper for the tractor and chip downed stuff directly onto the trails (keeping the bigger stuff for my central boiler).
There's a place in Fairview, NC that occasionally sells reconditioned Komatsu dozers. It would cost about 15K (for a D20/D21), but I imagine that as long as I did decent maintenance, I could get most of that back out of it if I wanted to sell.
The other option is paying someone to cut the trails with dozers and then I would just maintain them. My concern is that being 30 minutes north of Asheville, I'll have a hard time finding someone who would want to come that far out. And then I'd have to pay more for transport. I've asked my neighbors for the name and number of a local with some heavy equipment. We'll see what happens on that front. I would just hate to pay someone 5K to cut the trails when I could put that same money towards my own piece of equipment.
The other thing about the dozer vs. tractor thing (that someone else touched on) is that the dozer is not as versatile. It has no ability to cut/mow brush or grapple loads of branches and wood. I could even get a PTO chipper for the tractor and chip downed stuff directly onto the trails (keeping the bigger stuff for my central boiler).
Turbo,
The ASV RC-100 is my dream machine. I'd love to outfit it with a Loftness Carbide cutter/Tushogg cutter/MagnumMulcher. Downside to the compact trackloaders is price. For the machine/cutter combo, I'd be looking at about $80K new. And finding an RC-100 used and in good shape is proving difficult.
But with a skid like that, I could still run grapples, augers, etc.
Have you seen the stuff from Geo-boy, Supertrak, Gyrotrac, Rowmec, etc? Purpose-built brush cutters. Really cool stuff. But again super expensive and not very versatile for other farm jobs.
The ASV RC-100 is my dream machine. I'd love to outfit it with a Loftness Carbide cutter/Tushogg cutter/MagnumMulcher. Downside to the compact trackloaders is price. For the machine/cutter combo, I'd be looking at about $80K new. And finding an RC-100 used and in good shape is proving difficult.
But with a skid like that, I could still run grapples, augers, etc.
Have you seen the stuff from Geo-boy, Supertrak, Gyrotrac, Rowmec, etc? Purpose-built brush cutters. Really cool stuff. But again super expensive and not very versatile for other farm jobs.
JerryG
Super Member
That is what a huge part of the land looks like here. You should see where some of them hay!
KentT
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- 1993 Power Trac 1430 w/Kubota diesel engine
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've definitely been considering the dozer thing.
The other thing about the dozer vs. tractor thing (that someone else touched on) is that the dozer is not as versatile. It has no ability to cut/mow brush or grapple loads of branches and wood. I could even get a PTO chipper for the tractor and chip downed stuff directly onto the trails (keeping the bigger stuff for my central boiler).
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Does no one make a small "crawler" any more that takes 3-PT attachments? My uncle used to own a little one that he used with a rotary cutter for hire, specializing in mowing pastures that traditional tractors couldn't go on...
The other thing about the dozer vs. tractor thing (that someone else touched on) is that the dozer is not as versatile. It has no ability to cut/mow brush or grapple loads of branches and wood. I could even get a PTO chipper for the tractor and chip downed stuff directly onto the trails (keeping the bigger stuff for my central boiler).
)</font>
Does no one make a small "crawler" any more that takes 3-PT attachments? My uncle used to own a little one that he used with a rotary cutter for hire, specializing in mowing pastures that traditional tractors couldn't go on...
MMILLER
Bronze Member
I have seen some bulldozers advertised with pto's. I don't know if these are small machines or something that would be benifical to you. Also with a track machine you could drag trees to a flatter area (landing) to cut limbs and create firewood. Then you could chip or burn at your convience. Also for briar work tracks do not puncture and go flat.
BarryinMN
Platinum Member
I have a JD350 dozer 10K lb class. You can get a 540 PTO option for it as well as a 3 pt hitch.
Wide tracks on dozers are designed for soft soils bogs swamps etc. think flotation. Put em on hard rocky surfaces will stress the undercarriage & wear much faster.
I'd vote dozer as well especially with a load pushing or pulling rocks dirt trees etc. Whichever way you get the trails made maintenance and upkeep from washouts etc will keep you busy. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Wide tracks on dozers are designed for soft soils bogs swamps etc. think flotation. Put em on hard rocky surfaces will stress the undercarriage & wear much faster.
I'd vote dozer as well especially with a load pushing or pulling rocks dirt trees etc. Whichever way you get the trails made maintenance and upkeep from washouts etc will keep you busy. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif