Stuck Dozer - Help

sodamo · May 23, 2012

I have a neighbor that bought a used dozer a couple months ago. It is a Cat, but built for the navy, single ram 4 way on front. Forget the number, but neighbor says it is about size of a D7. It is tall! He hired a couple of experienced guys to do some clearing with it while he was on the mainland for business. For reasons unknown these guys take the dozer toward one of the streams on the property. Oh, Btw, this is still rainy season. So these guys get the dozer stuck and have to abandon it about 2 weeks ago. This past weekend my neighbor invited a few of us over for a look-see, hoping we might come up with a plan. This dozer is sitting at the bottom of a fairly steep, muddy hill. Dozer sits at an angle with the right rear track submerged in muck upto to bottom of the engine compartment. Did I mention there standing water in the muddy footsteps? The largest tree within sight might be 3 inches. The hill across the stream to front of dozer is even steeper. To be honest, I refused to take my Ck30 with backhoe down to help dig him out because I KNOW Id get it stuck. As I type this, there is no solution in place, it has rained an inch since midnight.

UPDATE: got neighbors wife to send me her pics. Any thoughts? She took these on a dry day. BTW, this dozer weighs 47000 lbs.

Current thoughts:

Try to dig and drain the water
Dig a ramp to rear.
Have a call in to another neighbor with another dozer

View attachment 266434

View attachment 266435

View attachment 266436

View attachment 266437

View attachment 266438

duke7595 · May 23, 2012

WE ONCE GOT A D-9 OUT BY CHAINING A TREE TO THE TRACKS AND THEN
VERY CAREFULLY WALKING IT OUT A FEW FEET AT A TIME.
THE WAY THIS SITTING, YOU MAY HAVE TO DIG A LITTLE TO GET THE TREE
CHAINED TO THE TRACKS.

ONLY OTHER WAY IS TO GET A REMOVAL MACHINE WITH A CABLE AND WINCH IT OUT, BUT MAKE SURE THE MAN IS WELL EXPERIENCED.

GOOD LUCK. AND LET ME KNOW HOW YOU MAKE OUT.

dex3361 · May 23, 2012

It looks like there is a clamshell bucket on the front. I wonder if you could open it all the way and attach a chain to a post set in the ground and then to the open clamshell. Then close the clamshell while inching forward with the dozer.

cdaigle430 · May 23, 2012

I've seen this lots of times when working in the woods when I was young. The best way is to get an escavator close enough without risk of getting it stuck to dig around the sunk track. Once it's dug out enough you can use the escavator to assist in pulling it out. Seen this done with D9s using a Volvo escavator. If the mud is really deep and soft all around then I also suggest using something like mud traks to walk it out to harder ground.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0VFZzPoshE[/ame]

If you try using another dozer make sure you setup the cabling right and try using a block and tackle Dont make the same mistake and get it stuck as well.

case245 · May 23, 2012

u dont need to chain a tree to the tracks when i was young the old man got a cat 943b stuck he put trees under the tracks use the bucket to lift mach up u may have to put old wood or stones under bucket after its raised up so it dont get stuck far down in mud trees about 8 inch round will work

Timm250 · May 23, 2012

I have stacked 4' long pieces of wood under the blade then push down on the wood with the blade to raise the tracks. With the tracks raised you can put rocks in the hole. Let the machine down on the rocks & the weight of it will push those down into the mud. You will have to do this several times before you try to drive it out. I have used this method at least 3 times when my D6 was sunk down on both sides.

rsewill · May 23, 2012

Been there, done that and a lot worse. The best is to get your neighbor to come with his dozer and a long, heavy cable; especially since it has gotten even wetter. Or leave it until it drys out, then dig a ramp. Digging now means you'll just be excavating a swimming pool. It isn't that badly stuck yet, don't make it worse.

Todd727 · May 23, 2012

Hook one end of a chain to one of the right grouser pads and the other end to a tree out front. When you move forward, the dozer will walk up that chain.

Done it many times, except the first, because no one told me until afterwards.

cdaigle430 · May 24, 2012

rsewill said:
Been there, done that and a lot worse. The best is to get your neighbor to come with his dozer and a long, heavy cable; especially since it has gotten even wetter. Or leave it until it drys out, then dig a ramp. Digging now means you'll just be excavating a swimming pool. It isn't that badly stuck yet, don't make it worse.

I beg to differ-how the heck are you gonna use another dozer to pull it out when the ground is soft under that dozer as well? All your gonna do is get both of them stuck and then **** have to call in an escavator anyway. He doesnt need to dig a pool, just around the one track. Sure-sometimes you get lucky.

I do realize that there are times you'll have to make do with what you have. I have seen a D9 sink in mud so thick and deep that its still there 10 years later because no one can get near it.

sodamo · May 24, 2012

WOW sure appreciate all the quick suggestions.

I guess this is really a track loader, not a bulldozer, but that doesn't get it unstuck.

Let me provide a bit more background, some just thoughts, some we processed on site:

These pics were on a dryer day than when I was there Sunday. They make the whole area look much more hospitable than reality.

There really are no substantial trees in immediate area, maybe 1 or 2 three inch or less Ohia, and those not close. Rest is strawberry guava bushes.

The owner considered building a deadman anchor and chain to track, but the only place where it might be effective is uphill, rear and right in pics 2/3. There would be concern of throwing the track making things worse. I and others seriously doubt he can build one that would hold, not unless completely dried out. Given his elevation, not sure it does dry out. We've already had 65 inches rain this year and he is higher elevation.

The area in front is a small stream, bank about 3 feet and less than length of the machine. Looks like the operator made it over the stream, changed his mind and got struck backing up.

I like the idea of trying to stabilize with the blade and feeding logs ( I suggested fence posts) under the tracks. I think some drying out would help. Owner has some fencing in his future so could reuse. Like the rock idea, but that could be a major just getting enough rock there to be effective.

Owner wants to dig out around buried track and drain the water away from machine. This would likely mean digging trench to the far side due to slope. I think that a pump would also be needed..

Once dry, perhaps digging a ramp to the rear. Space is limited. Ramp would have to dry to be more effective.

Just a note, this soil is like grease when wet. Another neighbor that took a master gardener course once said something about it's capable of holding 125% water.

If it could be dried out under, might a mat jack be effective to lift and get something under that low track?

Location is a major problem. Access from main road would only be given to a very small number of people. Direct access is not great in that the operator chewed up the area leading to the stream, I doubt the side of the hill approaching has any traction.

Owner has a call in to another neighbor. Between him and his brother have a number of dozers and other equipment, but even better, being local "older" guys have probably experienced this.

Please keep your thoughts coming as well as any comments on above. I'll pass them all on to owner. Heck, maybe he'll even join TBN

David