Comparison mini dozer

[dodge man]

Well, I hate to jump into this agrument, as I have zero operating experience in a backhoe or min exec. What I have done is seen hundreds of constructions projects of all kinds. The kind of projects that I have seen what you guys are calling backhoes or TLB's on is pipeline projects. Usually sewer, storm sewer and watermains. They usually have an extenda hoe on them and can dig pretty deep. A lot of companys use a large track hoe for this, but at times they can be too tall and get into wires. I rarely see mini execs on these type of jobs. Builder is correct, you can load a truck pretty quick with a TLB, but most of the time the backhoe dumps directly into a dumptruck sitting there. Many times a TLB will be used for backfilling trenches. I also see a lot of TLB's used on highway construction jobs, but once again, the big tracked hoes are used more often than not.

The kind of projects I see mini execs on is cable installation, comercial buildings, and home building. Those little suckers are running all over the place on a large commercial building project and it seems like tradational TLB is kind of absent, or there is only one on the site. Mini execs have there place, people buy them to make money so they are getting used a lot. The big disadvantage of them is the slow ground speed.

I understand what builder is saying, you take a large pile of dirt, there is no way a mini exec. can load that into a dump truck as fast as a TLB. The front bucket on a TLB is just so much bigger. On the other hand, if you are trenching or excavating, I can see where a mini exec is going to be quicker, all else being equal.

 

[Duffster]

Pretty tough to tow a 7 ton mini without a CDL, not that it makes a hill of beans difference.

 

[20 20]

Pretty tough to tow a 7 ton mini without a CDL, not that it makes a hill of beans difference.

Up here we don't need a CDL until we're over 26000lbs. I can easily tow a 7 ton with my outfit without CDL.

 

[ultrarunner]

Don't under estimate small dozers... just like small tractors.

A friend up in the country had an old time agricat with hydraulic blade and ripper... he did everything with that little machine and towed it with his Wagoneer.

I wanted something small and just couldn't find anything back when I was looking... I ended up with a CAT D3 that has been great in every respect... except, I don't own anything large enough to tow it... which has also worked out because everyone was always asking to use it!

 

[hr3]

:confused2: 6 pages of what ?? Have any of you answered the question that was posted ??? No wonder Charles didn't reply...

 

[20 20]

:confused2: 6 pages of what ?? Have any of you answered the question that was posted ???

I offered a couple of opinions especially in the begaining, after all that is all any of us can do is give an opinion. I do agree we have somewhat gone of topic.

I'll state my opinion again. I bought a nortrac dozer because in MY opinion it is a better deal but still may be to large. I also suggested looking for a mini ex, they'll do twice the work of a struck and can be had {used} for way less $$$$

No wonder Charles didn't reply...

From what I've seen Charles only has 4 post total so maybe he is just to busy to post{just a thought}.

 

[Duffster]

Up here we don't need a CDL until we're over 26000lbs. I can easily tow a 7 ton with my outfit without CDL.

I was thinking a 7 ton mini on a trailer that weighted at least 4k would have to be a ~18k GVWR trialer behind at least a 3/4 ton @8800 GVWR would be 26,800lbs.

 

[20 20]

I was thinking a 7 ton mini on a trailer that weighted at least 4k would have to be a ~18k GVWR trialer behind at least a 3/4 ton @8800 GVWR would be 26,800lbs.

My question would then be. If you're going with the bigger machines then your probably using a real dump truck. Wouldn't it benifit a bigger outfit to have a big dump, that inturn would require a CDL?

 

[Diamondpilot]

I was thinking a 7 ton mini on a trailer that weighted at least 4k would have to be a ~18k GVWR trialer behind at least a 3/4 ton @8800 GVWR would be 26,800lbs.

No 3/4 ton I know of weighs 8,800#. That may be the max GVWR of the GM 3/4 line but they only weigh about 6,500#. Even my 1 ton PowerStroke 4x4 only pushes 7,600# with me in it but has a GVWR of 11,500#.

You could tow one but it would be right on the limit for most operations and not a worry for others.

Chris

 

[Dargo]

That's :laughing:
Now when you get stuck, you'll have to call in Builder :laughing: :laughing: I think he is just busting b___s anyone with experience on these machines knows the truth. Come on Builder admit it, you know the truth Don't forget the truth will set you free :ashamed::drool:
.

Well, just a quick note. Two guys got themselves fired by the time I got there. It seems (Um, let's call them Bob and Tom for simplicity and to keep me out of trouble) that Tom told Bob that no good operator could get a backhoe stuck. Bob took offense to that and the argument followed as expected. Bob went and got into Tom's truck (big 4X4 with big tires) and proceeded to run it in the area where the backhoe was stuck. Well, it got stuck too.

I got there after the fist fight and saw Tom's truck leaving on the back of a rollback. They'd used a dozer to winch the backhoe out by then as well. I still need to clean my little mini ex off, but I made a few hundred cash to cut a trench through a really mucky area. Here's a quick pic. You can't tell much, but there doesn't seem to be a hard bottom to the area.