Dozer or skid steer?

Septemberwheat · Nov 23, 2013

So I have two main areas on my farm property, area one is fenced in and produces produce, area two surrounds that production area (home, long driveway, creek, bridge over creek, barn, chicken coop, milking barn, etc).

I use a john deere 3320 for area one, my farming tasks. It's an awesome machine for what I need, tilling, brush hogging, planting, etc... It turns easily, leaves a small foot print, is fun to work on and my 10 year old can drive it.

All good so far. :thumbsup:

BUT

Area two has about five acres that have been partially cleared of cedar trees and have about two hundred small stumps sticking out of the ground. I have more trees to clear and stumps, plus I have to re level some land around the creek and on the slight slope next to my house (I plan on building a retaining wall and have a few levels).

Now, it would be nice if my 3320 could be all things to all people but that position has been taken by our Lord. So I sit here in a bit of a conundrum, I've rented a skid steer, and a dozer; and so far the dozer wins in my opinion on the earth moving but the skid steer might be more versatile later...

I think I'm going to end up purchasing one but not both. Any thoughts, ideas, what if, or questions are welcome.

My gut says dozer.

Thanks,
Matt

Redneck in training · Nov 23, 2013

Hire a dozer with skilled operator to clear stumps and buy skid steer. I hired budldozer guy to remove perhaps 100 of small and perhaps 20-30 large one on about 30 ac. It took him about 9 hours. All pushed to the side on severa piles.

Septemberwheat · Nov 23, 2013

Good advice, mate.
Thanks,
Matt

Poopdeck Pappy · Nov 23, 2013

What kind of soil do you have? I've got hundreds of cedars to remove in heavy, gummy black clay (northeast of Dallas). When it was dry this summer, I borrowed a Bobcat skid steer to take some of them down. The Bobcat did not have a tooth bar on the bucket, and found that digging the roots with the bucket was a lot of work. If I tried to push the trees over, the trunk would usually break a few inches above ground level.

If you have sandy loam or better soil, you might have better luck just pushing them over with a skid steer than I did.

I'm not in any big hurry on mine, so I bought a small backhoe and a ripper tooth. I'm now digging the lateral roots up with the ripper tooth, which allows me to push the cedars over with the bigger tractor (without breaking the trunks) and haul them off with my grapple. It works well so far. It's not very fast, though, so it would not be a good solution for someone who just wants to get it done so they can put the land to use.

If I was in a hurry, I'd just rent or hire a dozer and have it done in a few days.

firetuck · Nov 23, 2013

I've been an equipment owner and operator for many years and experience with tractors, dozers and skid-steers are all in my resume. I've found that the situation is what sets your needs, as many have pointed out.
I used to own a dozer - but when I ran out of things to push, or when the things to push were 'lightweight' or too thin, or too far from where the dozer started, the dozer wasn't the right tool for the job. The tracks did make most 'rough terrain' (like clearing) work much smoother. and the 'tough pushing' (lots of dirt/snow to move) more successful - tires are no comparison.
The tractors (many, but the last was a Mistubishi/Satoh 373D, 4WD) were good where travel across the property at longer-distances was necessary. And they did more than simply push. But they're notoriously slow in 'production' situations.
The skid-steer (now a CAT 226) is the most incredible addition to a man's big-boy-toys collection possible. The efficiency/speed of operation is twice or better that of tractors; the versatility is nearly comparable in many of the 'farming' type tasks (except for true 'field work') but far exceeds any tractor I've used for everything else. Comparison with a 'real dozer' is just not there - they can push but not 'excavate' like a dozer can. Having sadi that, they can excavate in a way a dozer never could. Tracks are much smoother to run and give you much better operation in 'rough terrain' but have a much higher operating cost because of the undercarriage; wheels don't like 'rough terrain but 'over the wheels' track conversions are available for those few times you might need to go that way. The attachments exceed anything tractors have, again, except for 'field work.'
By your description I'll have to agree with 'Redneck...' Hire a dozer for your one-time task of clearing and get the 'swiss-army-knife' tool that beats all of the others.
I can't imagine what it would be like to live without my SS. I've got a bucket (no teeth, that's a negative - but a toothed bucket is a cheap attachment), power-angling blade (that can be 'locked' for 'dozer' use and is spring-protected for snow used), a set of forks (you'll never imagine how often you'll use them), an auger, and a sweeper/broom. Again, I can't imagine what it would be like to not have this machine in the shed!

Xfaxman · Nov 24, 2013

Septemberwheat said:
So I have two main areas on my farm property, area one is fenced in and produces produce, area two surrounds that production area (home, long driveway, creek, bridge over creek, barn, chicken coop, milking barn, etc).

I use a john deere 3320 for area one, my farming tasks. It's an awesome machine for what I need, tilling, brush hogging, planting, etc... It turns easily, leaves a small foot print, is fun to work on and my 10 year old can drive it.

All good so far. :thumbsup:

BUT

Area two has about five acres that have been partially cleared of cedar trees and have about two hundred small stumps sticking out of the ground. I have more trees to clear and stumps, plus I have to re level some land around the creek and on the slight slope next to my house (I plan on building a retaining wall and have a few levels).

Now, it would be nice if my 3320 could be all things to all people but that position has been taken by our Lord. So I sit here in a bit of a conundrum, I've rented a skid steer, and a dozer; and so far the dozer wins in my opinion on the earth moving but the skid steer might be more versatile later...

I think I'm going to end up purchasing one but not both. Any thoughts, ideas, what if, or questions are welcome.

My gut says dozer.

Thanks,
Matt