Bulldozer and 3/4 ton truck

[buck12]

99.999% of all landowners out there would be better off renting a dozer when they need one. Take a couple of days off work, rent a good sized dozer, have it delivered and run the snot out of it from daylight to dusk. Have them come pick it up and be done with it. You'll get a well maintained new machine and they'll be responsible for any breakdowns unless it's obvious abuse. Trust me, you'll come out much better in the long run that way.

"Daylight to dusk" thats nothing. I know a guy with three grown sons that rented a dozer to do some work at their remote land. They all camped out at the hunting cabin and ran it for three straight days in shifts to make sure they got their money's worth. I'm not sure what they did for lights.

 

[scoutcub]

That's interesting....they usually charge by the hour, at least the 2 times I rented they did. My dozer has lights, but don't know if I'd be getting seroius at night....too many things that you can't see to ruin your (day) night!

 

[MtnViewRanch]

That's interesting....they usually charge by the hour, at least the 2 times I rented they did. My dozer has lights, but don't know if I'd be getting seroius at night....too many things that you can't see to ruin your (day) night!

Same here, all the rental machines that I have seen had hour meters on them, as in if the key was on, the clock was ticking, motor didn't have to be running. I wonder if the 3 sons were surprised when they got their final rental bill.

 

[DmansPadge]

Yeah I thought it would be that way anywhere. Normally 8 hours a day, 40 a week, etc. There is some benefit to getting it on the weekend though. If you can rent on a Saturday and it not be picked up until Monday you have more time to put those 8 hours on it. Real nice if your working on burn piles or the weather isn't cooperating.

If you have enough projects to do I would buy one and sell it when your done. You are always going to take a risk of something major breaking but that can happen with anything... not just heavy equipment. If I was going to buy one I think I would rather spend more and get something I have more confidence in.

One note on renting.... A year or so back I had some dozer work done. A friend, who has done my work in the past, was in the process of getting a new dozer and didn't currently have one. So the plan was to rent one and he was going to charge me little or nothing to run it. He is a highly experienced operator and could work circles around me just running it myself. I have a friend who rents equipment so I called him to see what it would cost to get a D5 out there for a day. I don't remember exactly what the price was but it wasn't cheap. A couple of days later I talked with the gentleman that hauls dirt for me and he said his son had a D5. Well I ended up having him come out and do the work for me. I think he charged me for about 7 1/2 hours and it was just a bit less than what the rental was going to cost me. And if I rented I would have been paying the guy to run the machine, diesel, etc.

 

[aczlan]

A couple of days later I talked with the gentleman that hauls dirt for me and he said his son had a D5. Well I ended up having him come out and do the work for me. I think he charged me for about 7 1/2 hours and it was just a bit less than what the rental was going to cost me. And if I rented I would have been paying the guy to run the machine, diesel, etc.

Sounds familiar, I was getting quotes to have a gravel path redone last year and we were looking at renting a skidsteer to move the gravel, but it was cheaper to have the guy who was bringing in the gravel bring in a skidsteer and spread it than to rent a dingo even without factoring in my time or diesel for the dingo.

Aaron Z

 

[Dill]

Well I'm glad to find this thread. I just got off the phone with a guy on a dozer I've been trying to buy from him for over a year. Its down the road from my place, he got foreclosed on and left it in a neighbor's yard. He finally decided that he needs the money.
So its a 1959 Case 310 Shovel it ran a month or so ago, evidently its got a generator issue. But I figured for 500 bucks it should be a fun addition to the old iron I already have.
I have a 6ton deckover hudson and I tow with a dodge 2500 6.7. I'm wondering what's going to tow harder this or my 7745 Zetor which is close to 11k.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Well I'm glad to find this thread. I just got off the phone with a guy on a dozer I've been trying to buy from him for over a year. Its down the road from my place, he got foreclosed on and left it in a neighbor's yard. He finally decided that he needs the money.
So its a 1959 Case 310 Shovel it ran a month or so ago, evidently its got a generator issue. But I figured for 500 bucks it should be a fun addition to the old iron I already have.
I have a 6ton deckover hudson and I tow with a dodge 2500 6.7. I'm wondering what's going to tow harder this or my 7745 Zetor which is close to 11k.

My guess would be that the Zetor is heavier, but they are close. Please post some pics when you get the 310.

 

[Trails2004]

You may look at a SWECO- we use these to build trails in the mountian west.

Trailbuilding Equipment & Materials

Good Luck

 

[farmboy12]

You may look at a SWECO- we use these to build trails in the mountian west.

Trailbuilding Equipment & Materials

Good Luck

Hi, Billy Mayes here with the new SWECO 480, call now, and we'll throw in a free motorbike rack...


Kyle

 

[JoelD]

This one is right up my alley.

I've owned a JD 350C (six way blade) and a case 310 (crawler loader).

Personally, I'd never own a dozer again and probably would never own a machine with tracks again.

I purchased for homeowner use only.

My observations:
1) To stump with a dozer you absolutely need a six way blade and, to do efficiently, you need a large machine (10-12K no enough).
2) Track machines are very expensive to maintain, parts, much less labor is big bucks
3) I towed with 3/4 ton , 350 CI, Chevy with 3:11's, would'nt dream of pulling with anything less and let me tell you, 15+K behind a 3/4 ton is a bunch of weight.
4) You absolutely do not want to make it a practice to load and unload metal tracks on metal trailer ramps or metal lilt bed, like walking on ice.

To stump, use and excavator, rent a 25K machine for a weekend and you'll run out of stumps before you run out of diesel.

Grading, for a non-expert is not all that easy with a dozer, I find my box blade with rippers does just as good a job and is easier to get good results.

Been there, done that.

Dozers are cool, I've found the best use for me was trailblazing, does a great job of clearing brush and the like. And nothing, but nothing pulls like a dozer. With that said, for homeowner use, I'd never own one again.

Sincerely,
Joel