Looking at Dozers

[Tractor Seabee]

I need to get a dozer to do some light land clearing and build some access trails through my forest. It needs to be small enough to load on my 12K trailer. A Case 350 and a PowerTrack have cropped up on the local Graig's List in the $6K range. My budget is +/- $7K with minus a plus. I plan to get the work done over the next year and then re-sell. Must have a 6 way blade and a winch would be a plus as well as rear hydraulics. It has been a long time since I have been into dozers. I seem to recall the Case 350 had some mechanical issues even when new. Recently saw on a forum thread that the PowerTrack were kind of a dog also. Was any thing else ever made W/3PT connection and a dozer blade, I know there were AG tracks that had such but no provisions fror a blade. Any help out there to help me decide?

Ron

 

[dntfxr]

I have a komatsu d20 that is a great little dozer. I'd recommend them if you can find a deal. Most of them are closer to 10k if they are in good working condition with a decent undercarriage. They are light but will do the job if you take your time. I haul mine with a 3/4ton p/u.

 

[sdkubota]

I would personally rent one as if you have engine problems or track issue the resale value will be zero. You can not buy much of a dozer for anything less then $25k at a minimum.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I wish I could afford a JD 450 or so but out of my budget. Also anything heavier than 12K I cannot haul w/o buying a bigger trailer also. Thats part of the rental problem, JD 450(smallest they have) cost, 3500/Mo to rent and $375 hauling fee each way, even for service at least twice in the month. I do not have the time to work it 12 hrs/day to get the job done in a week. Minimum around here to hire it done is $150.00/hr plus fuel. I am fully capable of operating a cat. Probably an 80 hour job. I guess it is risk for less or pay a known higher cost.

Ron

 

[foreman Etexas]

I picked up my D31p for 6500 and done wiring clean-up and some welding on it but its worked for me around the farm for 2yrs nowView attachment 278885

Im guessing you need to move it from place to place?

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I believe that as long as you half way know what you are looking at, you CAN get a cheap dozer and not be sorry. We have twice, still have both of them and both have paid for them selves countless times over.

First one was an old 1962 Case 310. Paid $3200 for it, ran it for about 200 hours and broke a final. Cost $1200 for a rebuilt final. then put another 600+ hours on it and decided to do a partial restore on it. All new hydraulics, pump, hoses. Radiator, valve job etc. I now have a total of $8600 in it. I have put over 1000 hours on it when I wanted to and needed to, not at someone else's time frame. Well worth it to me, but if you are the type of person that pays someone to do the work, then it is not the type of machine for you and I am sure that the total amount invested would be a lot more.

Second one was an old 1943 Cat D6. Paid $1600 for it. Invested $52 in a new piece of brass for the bottom radiator fitting and changed all the fluids. This tractor has paid for itself 10 times over easily, I'm sure more. Is it warn out, you bet it is, but it just keeps on going. When it seriously breaks, it's done, it's that simple.

None of these cheap tractors are any good for commercial use. But for a weekender that is only using it when they need it and for a few hundred hours a year they are the way to go IMO. But and it is a big BUT, you have to be able to work on these things yourself. If not, then you need to be looking in the $25K+ range as was mentioned in an earlier post.

Me, I just don't have the money to pay anyone to work on my stuff, I have to work on everything myself.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Mt View, thanks for your support. I have more time than money and I do all I can myself short of engine work. I have a well equipped shop, tools and welding and the mechanical skills. I have no qualms about hard work even at my extended age.

Ron

 

[sdkubota]

I believe that as long as you half way know what you are looking at, you CAN get a cheap dozer and not be sorry. We have twice, still have both of them and both have paid for them selves countless times over.

First one was an old 1962 Case 310. Paid $3200 for it, ran it for about 200 hours and broke a final. Cost $1200 for a rebuilt final. then put another 600+ hours on it and decided to do a partial restore on it. All new hydraulics, pump, hoses. Radiator, valve job etc. I now have a total of $8600 in it. I have put over 1000 hours on it when I wanted to and needed to, not at someone else's time frame. Well worth it to me, but if you are the type of person that pays someone to do the work, then it is not the type of machine for you and I am sure that the total amount invested would be a lot more.

Second one was an old 1943 Cat D6. Paid $1600 for it. Invested $52 in a new piece of brass for the bottom radiator fitting and changed all the fluids. This tractor has paid for itself 10 times over easily, I'm sure more. Is it warn out, you bet it is, but it just keeps on going. When it seriously breaks, it's done, it's that simple.

None of these cheap tractors are any good for commercial use. But for a weekender that is only using it when they need it and for a few hundred hours a year they are the way to go IMO. But and it is a big BUT, you have to be able to work on these things yourself. If not, then you need to be looking in the $25K+ range as was mentioned in an earlier post.

Me, I just don't have the money to pay anyone to work on my stuff, I have to work on everything myself.

I noticed the "Parson's Trencher" in your equipment list. I ran a Parson's Trenchliner one summer which was a diesel over gas (or vice versa?) bucketed trencher. The thing was a beast but under the right soil and conditions could seriously dig some trench.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Ron, no problem. A lot of guys bad mouth crawlers to no end, say that they break down all the time and are money pits. Maybe I have just been lucky, but that just has not been my experience. What gets me is how some complain about maintenance costs. But if you consider how much works gets accomplished, are the costs really any higher?

Good luck in your quest.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I noticed the "Parson's Trencher" in your equipment list. I ran a Parson's Trenchliner one summer which was a diesel over gas (or vice versa?) bucketed trencher. The thing was a beast but under the right soil and conditions could seriously dig some trench.

Our trencher is about on it's last leg, but still going. :thumbsup: It has the old 4 cylinder Industrial Ford gas engine in it. Purrs like a kitten. The trencher has all carbide teeth, the round ones that are suppose to spin while digging. Digs a 9" wide trench and have adaptors to get it out to 12".

Digs 60" deep, crummer is gone, so leaves about a 54" deep trench with 6" of powder in the bottom. We put in about a mile of 3" water line with it along with a few off chutes of 2". Dug through solid granite several times, barely slowed it down, but sure did ware on those carbide teeth.

 

[sdkubota]

The one I ran was a 6 or 8 cylinder you started on gasoline then threw a lever that switched it over to diesel. It would bring a handsome price at the scrap yard today.

 

[roush9799]

Don't get in the dilemma that we got in buying our first dozer. Bought a Cat D7E, cleared about 3 acres and a few more in some other areas and the transmission decided to go out. After pricing a rebuilt transmission, it would cost about as much as the dozer did when we bought it. Found someone that works on them to buy it, and we went out and bought a '97 750C Deere. Lots more parts available, burns a lot less fuel. Not quite as heavy, but we do a lot of dirt work and it will work circles around that old Cat.

 

[crazyal]

I think my Case 450 is about 11,000 lbs. They are a popular small dozer and parts are easy to find.

 

[rtimgray]

I was hoping that MtView Ranch would reply to this, just so I could see some more pics of his dozers. I have a similar Case 310 and have had for several years. I paid $5300 for mine and have had to put in a few dollars, but nothing more than what's routine for a 40 - 45 year old machine. Mine is a gear drive, which might be preferable for an older machine (maybe - I don't know). I love operating a powershift dozer, but I also love using my small, paid for, gear drive dozer.

I would lean towards a small Case 310/350/450 as parts, support, and knowledge are plentiful, or a Komatsu D20/21 (I think 20 is gear/21 is powershift) or a Mitsubishi BDG2 (I'm not sure if I've got all the numbers right on that one), but those are the ones I looked at, so of course they would be my preference.

Yes, dozers can be money pits, but you can greatly minimize that chance if you work on it yourself. Anything that has to be done to mine will be have to be done by me, but I accept that as part and parcel of owning a dozer. I had thought I was going to sell this one when I was "done", but know I've realized I'm never going to be done.

Good luck with your search and take care.