Backhoe or Dozer

[young004]

I knew you guys would provide me with direction. Thanks for responding.

 

[wedge40]

Get an excavator and a grapple for the tractor to help haul the wood and trees away.

Wedge

 

[homedad]

Rent first.

 

[Redneck in training]

Hire somebody to have it done. I have a prairie restoration project on quite hilly terrain in progress. The first step was to remove trees from about 30 AC, fill in few eroded places etc. Guy with bulldozer (180 HP CAT) was done with it in about 9 hours @ 110/hour. Some trees were 2 ft in diameter but most were much smaller. That is hard to beat. Just consider the fuel cost.

 

[Verticaltrx]

If I were to only have one machine to do the work you are describing I would have a track loader with a 4-in-1 bucket and a backhoe attachment. They aren't plentiful setup that way, but Deere did make quite a few in the 455-555 size. Most all of the advantages of a TLB, plus enough traction to really make the loader work.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Id go with a track loader if I did it myself or a bigger dozer and a rake setup. I cleared 250 acres on one job with a d66E Komatsu track loader. Its the equivelent of a 963 Cat loader. Pushing big trees take a scoop off 3 sides and dump the spoil on one side. Then drive up the spoil and reach up and push it over. THese were 30 inch pines and oak trees about 4 feet across. A track loader can do many thingss some not as well as other but its a good trade off. Mine had a 4 in 1 and also a rake but we mostly used the 4 in 1. I also got to build several ponds with this soame machine. pushing with it when in a slot push I could move nearll 6 yards at a time. THe bucket would fill with 3 yards and push 3. You can rough finish and with practice can do some nice finish work.

 

[rutwad]

I'd say it depends on the size of "smaller trees" you refer to as well as the numer and size of "a few larger" trees mentioned. Are you looking to buy, use, and sell? Buy and keep? Rent? What about a mulcher? How are you planning to build the pond? Dig a hole, push up a dam, or else.

 

[young004]

Ok, I will admit that I had not even considered the track loader. After looking into these machines they look pretty awesome. What are the pros and cons to one. Is there a market for resale. I am wanting to use and maybe resale. Thanks everyone.

 

[Taylortractornut]

They are very handy, we dont have alot here mostly excavators are used now. Back when I was little and the first modern excavators were getting popular track loaders were still the main pit machine. They can dig from a bank work in damp weather, clear a bit faster than a dozer of the similar size, pile brush you name it. Olot of the smaller pulp loggers used them in the winter to load logs. Ive run a 555 Deere a few months and really liked it. They dont grade as easy as a dozer when using a 4 in 1 but you get the hang of it. Yo ucan use the heel and skids of the 4 in 1 to regulate depth.

Lots of them are used in Tennessee and Alabama in rock. Lots of smaller contractors in AL never had a dozer. They had a Track loader, dump truck and a grader. THey wuould use the loader to clear and rough level, then if the sie needed to be excavated or filled they load the truck and did the hauling then roughed in with the loader then did the blue top with the grader. Lots of great info from more experienced operators on Heavy Equipment Forums - Powered by vBulletin

 

[Verticaltrx]

Ok, I will admit that I had not even considered the track loader. After looking into these machines they look pretty awesome. What are the pros and cons to one. Is there a market for resale. I am wanting to use and maybe resale. Thanks everyone.

I can't comment on the market for resale, but I can say that they are getting phased out slowly by large excavators. Personally I would rather have a track loader than and excavator, but for pure production an excavator is faster. The nice thing about track loaders (especially the older Deere's) is the multitude of attachments that can be mounted on them. Most of them are strictly a loader, but the smaller ones can also come equipped with a 3pt hitch and PTO, although they are quite rare. Also as I mentioned before a backhoe was also available as were logging winches along with many other specialty attachments.