Cat D3G

[RonL]

I'm looking at a Cat D3G bulldozer. Very Nice looking machine. Has a 97" blade so it can be hauled easily withoul being over wide. Weighs somewhere around 16K. I think it will make a nice compliment to my backhoe. Anyone have any experience with the new G series?

RonL

 

[RonL]

Well

Signed on the dotted line. Delivering it Monday. Pictures in a couple of weeks when I come back from the Site.

RonL

 

[RonL]

Just got back from two weeks on the mountain. Worked like a dog setting up the electric service and clearing the power line right of way. It was overgrown and full of old tree cuttings that were in various stages of decomposition. They delivered the D3 on September 8. I got a little chance to put it to use. The two joysticks and decelerator pedal make it easy to become productive in a short time. I originally intended to rent a dozer and do the dozer work all at once. However, having the dozer and backhoe on site to use as needed makes it easier to do "custom' clearing and all the little details that come up. As soon as the pictures are processed I'll post them. ( I intended to purchase a new digital camera but finances are a little tight)

RonL

 

[ScottAR]

Sounds Great! Is this a new homesite? Looking forward to your updates and reviews of the machines.

 

[RonL]

Scott

12+ acres at about 2000 feet. Undeveloped except for a small area that was cleared for perk test. And the power line right of way. Had the cleared area and the right of way bush hogged earlier this year. Only a narrow path on the right of way could be bush hogged because of all the slash that was dropped when the right of way was cleared. Cleared a lot of brush and pulled out tons of trees in various stages of decomposition. Didn't get much chance to use the dozer this trip but it didn't take long to become used to the controls. Ripped up some stumps fairly easily. Set the blade at ground level and pushed on the exposed stump. When the roots started curling up behind the blade I stopped, lifted the blade, backed up,put the blade under the root and pushed it the rest of the way out. The two joysticks that control all the functions become fairly intuitive after a short time. If you get ahead of yourself you can step down on the decelerator pedal to slow down and readjust. Very nice unit. I can tell already that its going to get a lot of use.

RonL

 

[Taylortractornut]

The Decelerator is my choice on a machine. Especially pushing tracks and scrapers. I ran a friends 21 Komatsu and it was hard for me to get used to and no torque canverter or decel. If you start pushing trees over be careful when you get one going over as its root ball can get under the blade and bounce you around. The year after i was born dad was telling me he had a small dozer and hoe service and he got in with a park clearing right of ways. THey rented him a TD20 International about the size of a 7 Cat and he was further down the line than the other workes when he let one get under his blade. It was swpamy andthe trees had a huge root ball spread. It flipped the dozer up and it fell off the ball. Dad told me he had only had his seat belt on loose and when the dozer hit the ground again it bounced his headinto the Rops/Fops and gave him a concusion. another worker found him at dinner the dozer just sittin there spinning. He climbed over the back and shut the dozer down a took dad to the hospital. It had fractured his skull. I had a similar thing happen but i was strapped in good but the root ball caught the D4 and rolled it up over the ball I rode it down but when i landed My belly pan was on the log and had to go get the scraper.