Dozer Advice

[Sota]

Hello,

I am looking at a 1990 Case 550 LT and a JD 650G. Both of these have about 4300 hours on them. The 550 is described as follows; undercarriage - 16" pads pins/bushings,sprockets 80% good bottom rollers & front idlers powershift trans, pedal steer 4 post ROPS w/sweeps. The JD undercarriage is in about the same condition. The Case is priced at 19,000 and the 95 JD at 26,000. The JD was a one owner dozer and used on a farm I believe. I do not have much history on the Case. I will be using the dozer to clean up about 15 acres around the house and will use it to do clean up on some cutover land. It will also be used to do brush and light duty clean up at a couple of other 30to 80 acre tracts. Any input about these two dozers and brands would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Sota

 

[Builder]

Buddy of mine has a Case 450 dozer and we can't kill it. I hope when he gets tired of it, he'll sell it to me cause that thing is tougher than a bull.

I'm sure the Deere is a fine machine, but this Case we got over here is a tough SOB.

 

[EddieWalker]

The JD 650 is gonna be quite a bit bigger then the Case 550. Between the two companies, I like Case better then Deere. I'm not sure of the engines in either, but in bigger Case equipment, it's all Cummins. I like Cummins engines allot. I've run a JD 450 Dozer and it's a fine machine, but if you ever have to change the sprocket, you have to remove the track to do so. On the Case dozers that I've seen, you can replace the sprocket in segments.

Rule number one with dozers is bigger is better. You can do more, faster and easier with a bigger machine.

I paid $25,000 for my 1988 Case 1550 dozer. It's 168 hp and weighs 40,000 pounds with an 8 way blade. Hours are usualy wrong on equipment.

I don't know your area and haven't priced anything lately.

Here is a webisite of where I bought my backhoe. His prices are very competitive and a good place to get an idea of what stuff is selling for.

TNT Equipment - Your resource for farm and construction. John Deere, Kubota, Ford, Caterpillar, International, Case, Hyundai, New Holland, and more.

He has a Case 850B Dozer for $18,000. I don't know if that's what your looking for, but if I had $20,000 to spend, that might be one I'd look at.

Eddie

 

[Sota]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I am trying to keep my weight down as I do not have a cdl and will be moving the dozer quite often. I am trying to strike a balance between power and being able to move it safely.

Best regards,

Sota

 

[EddieWalker]

If trailering it is a priority, then you need to determine what you weight limit is. That JD 450G that I ran was small enough to tow around with a one ton pickup truck. Lots of builders use them with some skid steers to build pads and clear a lot for building a house.

The guys with the ten wheel dump trucks can pull bigger stuff, but still nothing huge.

What are you towing with?

Eddie

 

[Dirthog]

I think you will find you are out of luck with either one the case will weigh over 9 tons the jd more than that you are at 18000lb for the case the limit for CDL for a trailer is 10000lb total so you are 8000lb to start with and I could be wrong the 550 case may weight more that that.

 

[Sota]

Thankfully, my cousin is in the logging business and I could have him move a larger dozer between the longer tracts. The case weight is listed 14,000 on the specs that I was sent. Would a 1 ton and a bumper trailer not safely carry the case between the short tracts? I can get a farm tag, as I am using it on my pine plantations.

Best regards,

Sota

 

[Dirthog]

I would never try and pull that much weight with a bumper pull trailer also as I said even at 14000lb you are over CDL and that does not include the weight of the trailer yet! I don't believe there is any way to get around the CDL ratings by claming a farming use.

 

[BarryinMN]

Read your state farm tag CDL exemption regulations. My state exemption is specific to carrying farm grown product to a nearby market. Toting machinery does not qualify for the CDL exemption.

If you put the dozer on a farm trailer behind a tractor???

I have a dually 1 ton dump & tote a JD 350 dozer on occasion with a bumper pull. I stay under the 26K limit even with a 2750 lb QT backhoe riding along. It's a small landscaping dozer.

Many states including mine are requiring a CDL for commercial use of a over 10K trailer as well.

 

[Sota]

Thanks for all the advice. I can reach 3 of our tracts just by driving the dozer to our property line and then loading it and trailering it across a paved country road and reach the tracts around the house as our land is connected. I would have to do this twice to reach the all the tracts around the house. I could not do this with all our tracts. First, I will not tow anything without being properly equiped and legal to do the job. I own a mini mart and one night the floors were being mopped and we had the wet floor signs out and a woman came in and slipped on the floor. The manager asked if she was okay and she said she was not hurt. She left and drove staight to the ER and we got sued. Too much liability out there to take a chance. Also, I have consideration for others as I would not want to tow anything in a unsafe manner that would endanger other motorist.


Best regards,

Sota

 

[AlanB]

Tn says
Exemptions
1. Farmers or Nurserymen transporting agricultural products, farm machinery, or farm supplies to or from a farm or nursery, as long as the vehicle is operated within 150 miles of the farm or nursery, and is not used as a common or contract motor carrier.

Your state may vary, might check your drivers license office or online for your state.

 

[Sota]

Thanks Alan,

I called the legal department in our state and talked with an officer, who said I would be legal and require no cdl if I was transporting between my tracts of timber.

Best regards,

Sota

 

[DirtyWorks]

hey Sota, My .02 cents, If you are talking about loading on a trailer just to cross a paved road that is a bit extreme. What we do a little south of you is to cut the tread off of big truck tires with a saw so you got 2 sides. We lay enough of these to track on and a few more on the road. We always cross with a guy wearing a vest watching traffic. his job is also to move the tire halves from the back to the front until the machine is across Thi works well for any steel track. BTW the tire halves stack easily on out trailer and when placed over orange cones helps to keep them stable in the wind from other passing big rigs at the site!

 

[Builder]

Time out folks:

You are NOT, I repeat NOT required to have a CDL to tow over 10,000 pounds! This must be the biggest urban myth I read on the internet! You only need a CDL tow tow over 10,000 lbs if the combination of vehicles is in excess of 26,001 lbs!

Here's the rule straight from my PA DOT book:

A CDL IS required for a combination of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 26,001 lbs or more provided the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.

So that means if the combination truck & trailer is less than 26,001lbs, you CAN tow a trailer in excess of 10,000 pounds!

I think CA & NY may have more stringent laws, but that's the law in PA.

 

[Sota]

Thanks for the advice guys. Nice tip dirtyworks thanks a bushel!!


Best regards,

Sota

 

[wrangler6831]

"but that's the law in PA."

Here in WV if the trailer is capable of hauling 10,000lbs or more you must have a CDL. The DOT boys were quick to point that out to a friend and glad to take his $300.00 for the fine. The trailer was empty, but capable of carrying the weight. It took 2 of them to decide that.

 

[EddieWalker]

wrangler,

Good point. Make sure you know the law in your state. It doesn't matter what we all say, it's only the law where you live that matters.

Eddie

 

[BarryinMN]

2 Years ago when MN started enforcing the commercial use over 10K trailer CDL, there were a number of landscapers & contractors pulled over fined & some red tagged until a CDL driver was found to move the rig. If not moved, then the whole thing was towed & impounded.

 

[Builder]

"but that's the law in PA."

Here in WV if the trailer is capable of hauling 10,000lbs or more you must have a CDL. The DOT boys were quick to point that out to a friend and glad to take his $300.00 for the fine. The trailer was empty, but capable of carrying the weight. It took 2 of them to decide that.

Much to my surprise, some cops think that's the law here in PA, too. Many cops think things that are illegal are actually perfectly legal.

The best way to find out is take a quick trip down to your local driver's license center and ask for a CDL/motor vehicle carriers book. It's worth its' weight in gold. If anything, do it so you can learn how to properly secure cargo on your truck. Carry it with you so when you get pulled over, you can know the law and your rights.

Don't trust everything the cops say. Motor vehicle enforcement police are simply a revenue generating center. They're out there to ticket people to make money for the state. You'll be surprised at how police will ticket you for doing something they say is "wrong", when in fact, they're wrong.

I got my class A CDL to avoid all the hassles. Best time & money I spent.

 

[George2615]

Builder's statement yesterday is correct for NY too. CDL needed here only if combination weight is over 26,001#. It doesn't really matter to me since I have a CDL anyway. But if you are under 26,001# no CDL required in NY.