Comparison Comparing 2 machines

[fcitino]

Hi All,

I have 33 wooded, rocky, and hilly acres that I would love to cut some rough roads through in order to get some wood out. I have a Ford 1900 4wd loader that I use to plow my driveway, move materials, and drag logs around with, but it is too small for cutting roads. I have found 2 different machines that I am looking at that I think might work, but I am not sure which way to go. The 2 machines are a Komatsu D20A dozer and a JCB 210S 4wd backhoe/loader. The dozer is 40hp with a 6 way blade and I believe the JCB is 60hp. One major advantage of the JCB is that I would not need the Ford 1900.

Any thoughts out there? Any help or info would be greatly appreciated.

Frank

 

[Dillier23]

Honestly, if your ground is as bad as indicated, I would get a dozer. Do the work that needs done with it, then look into a multi-use piece like a backhoe. I just don't think a hoe will push and muscle out what needs to be done, but I also do not have eyes on your property.

 

[fcitino]

I hadn't thought about quite like that before. Buy a dozer, do the work, and then turn both the dozer and the Ford 1900 into a more capable backhoe/loader. I like that idea. I knew I was asking in the right place!

Frank

 

[GManBart]

I hadn't thought about quite like that before. Buy a dozer, do the work, and then turn both the dozer and the Ford 1900 into a more capable backhoe/loader. I like that idea. I knew I was asking in the right place!

Frank

I think that's the smart way to go as well....doing that kind of clearing is really hard on equipment, and a dozer will do it best. R,

 

[Grandad4]

The Komatsu D20A is a pretty small dozer... only about 7,000 lbs. and 40hp, as you noted. Depending on what your place is like, it may get a real workout. It's not really intended for heavy work like grubbing large stumps and boulders. The JCB is actually quite a bit heavier... over 10,000 lbs.

If your place needs some serious land clearing, a bigger dozer would probably be a better choice. Some of my neighbors have rented or hired large dozers to clear trails and drop large trees; they do in one day what would take weeks of work with smaller equipment.

 

[RichardGD]

Having some experience clearing trees around my horse farm, I have learned that it is more cost effective to hire a professional on an excavator for $125/hr than do it myself. It's amazing how much they can get done in 8hrs. I just have them knock over as many trees as they can and then I do all the clean up with my compact track loader with grapple bucket. I did buy an old Allis Chalmers HD6G track loader, used it for a couple years and then sold it for what I paid. Found that it took me hours or days to do what the professional could do in minutes. Just had them out again a couple weeks ago and couldn't believe the slopes they were able to work on. I am afraid to just drive straight up and down them. Buy I understand if you have the time and want to do it yourself. Just understand that you have to realistic on what your equipment is capable of and be safe.

 

[TomSeller]

I just have them knock over as many trees as they can and then I do all the clean up with my compact track loader with grapple bucket. .

you mean, uproot and fall in one piece?

 

[fcitino]

Thank you all for the excellent advice.

 

[RichardGD]

Tom, yes I have them pull the root ball as well because we have horses and do not want obsticles in the pastures for them to injure themselves. I then cut up the trees for firewood and move the rest into a brush pile. Sometimes the larger root balls are quite a load for my CTL, but I always seem to manage to move them out into the woods or a burn pile.