Dozer or high-lift?

[bindian]

I have a tractor with a loader, so I can move buckets of gravel, etc., but I can't use the loader bucket to dig of course.

Any help appreciated.

George

I dug my pond down to 4 feet with my loader bucket. Only limiting factor was the small size of the pond. Below 4 foot, I used the backhoe.
hugs, Brandi

 

[1010]

A dozer would be better, hands down. Digging with a loader is difficult to keep smooth and you lose flexibility with the bucket vs a 6w blade.
You can always push the dirt into a pile and move it with you're tractor.

 

[1010]

Also it would be worth the time to have someone look at the dozer you're looking at. Undercarriage's are heavy and cost a lot.

 

[Oldoak]

A dozer would be better, hands down. Digging with a loader is difficult to keep smooth and you lose flexibility with the bucket vs a 6w blade.
You can always push the dirt into a pile and move it with you're tractor.

I would agree a dozer would be the better of the two options. However keep in mind 1010 's comment below.

Also it would be worth the time to have someone look at the dozer you're looking at. Undercarriage's are heavy and cost a lot.

As well as all the drive train components. All very expensive. Sometimes parts and labor to fix a machine cost more than the original purchase price of a used machine.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

A construction company is selling its equipment in an auction. There is a Caterpillar 931B high lift and a Caterpillar D4E dozer with a 6-way dozer blade. I haven't bid yet and may not if they get too high but my question for this knowledgeable group is: which one should I focus on?

I have a small horse boarding operation on 20 acres, and I have areas where I need to move some dirt around. I have a tractor with a loader, so I can move buckets of gravel, etc., but I can't use the loader bucket to dig of course.

So I'm thinking maybe the dozer is the right choice for what I need to do (move dirt to fill in low areas, reshape areas, etc.). Is the high lift just for using as a loader or can one dig with it?

Any help appreciated.

George

I've been around heavy equipment all of my life, and I've never heard of a "high lift".

BUT the 931 is a "track loader" and from the way you have worded your question, I'd say you are a newb and much better off hiring out the part of your job that you can't do with your tractor.

SR

 

[Xfaxman]

Just did an image search, the 931B track loader had a backhoe option:

 

[EddieWalker]

I would pass on both of them. The D4 dozer is a small dozer that will have trouble breaking through the soil. It's purpose is for shaping and doing small pads for a house. The 931 track loader is also too small to be of any use. Both where probably used by a home builder to get a house pad ready for the foundation. Neither are good choices for working the land, or moving soil.

More importantly, when looking at anything with tracks, you really need to know how many hours are one them, and how willing you are to work on them when they break down. Track machines really beat you up when you are operating them, older machines just plain abuse your body. If you where given them for free, you need to have thousands of dollars available to fix them and keep them running. Never plan on or expect a mechanic to come over to fix it for you, they are too busy with big, high dollar clients that they need to keep happy. You are not important to them. You will have to wrench on it yourself. Expect to spend half an hour to an hour going over it before you ever start it, every time you use it.

There is a reason that most small contractors rent equipment. It's cheaper to spend the cash to get something that's in near new condition, that the rental yard replaces when it breaks down, and you can get done what you want to get done. I rent all the time for jobs that I'm doing, and then use my older and warn out equipment on my land, knowing that it will break and I will spend money and time fixing it because I'm not in a hurry to do what I need to do on my place.

Nothing digs better then a hoe, and nothing moves material better then a truck or something with wheels. The goal is to pick up the material and carry it to where you want it.

 

[mred2]

The real question is what you want to do and how much. I have a JD 450H dozer and 200 acres of land, with about 150 in trees. I had 37 acres cut for a horse pasture. I used the dozer to push up all of the stumps and to help fill in the holes. I have seen a good operator take a track loader and dig a basement for a house and have it within 2 inches of level.
Do you want to clear trees or brush? Move dirt, and how far. Level land or dig pond. Each machine can have an advantage over the other for some things. And both can be the wrong tool for a lot of things. I have a backhoe, but will still rent a trencher for putting in water line, as it is the best tool for the job.
I only plan to keep my dozer for a few more years and than will sell it. And others are right, the maintenance on track equipment can drain the bank real fast. The parts will be in the hundreds or thousands. And if you can't do the labor, you may be looking at $100 to $150 per hour.
At the same time, I purchased mine because, I wanted to take my time doing the work and I just wanted it.

 

[Oldoak]

And others are right, the maintenance on track equipment can drain the bank real fast. The parts will be in the hundreds or thousands. And if you can't do the labor, you may be looking at $100 to $150 per hour.

Add to that, most people don't have heavy enough equipment and large enough tools to do their own work on track machines of that size and often requires a knowledgeable helper. One slip could end in a disastrous injury.

But is is nice to have you own machine to use at your discretion..........if it doesn't require major component repairs or replacement. Which is the reason I no longer own the JD 350B crawler loader.

 

[Mikefromcny]

I'd buy the dozer over the track loader. Track loader is hard to sell when your done.