Tractor vs. Bulldozer

[Sebculb]

This isn't what you were asking but an old construction backhoe can be relatively inexpensive and is really good for most dirt projects. It's not a bulldozer I'll agree to that but if you want to build roads and flat spots that's how I make most of my money each year with an old deere backhoe. There is no comparison between a farm tractor with digging attachments and a standard size construction backhoe. Has to be 4x4 if you have slopes. An added plus is that you don't have to worry about tracks and undercarriage wearing out. And you can drive it on the road if you have to.

Just something to think about, I used to think why a backhoe if I've already got a farm tractor with a bucket and a tail but one is a Harry homeowner toy and the other is industrial dirt machinery.

Ps- not trying to rag on farm tractors they're really good for farming. But only kinda good for dirt work

 

[Industrial Toys]

Many years ago a friend loaned me one of those JD 2 cylinder Vintage Gas dozers. It was great fun. Amazing what that thing would push. There is a reason an ARMY tank has tracks.

 

[Jim Nelson]

I had a good friend who owned a small construction co. specializing in building house pads and streets in new tracts. He was a very good mechanic with years of experience and one thing he told me was that he would never buy a dozer or tracked machine because of the up keep. As he said " How can you expect a very heavy machine that is steel from the ground up and tracks and rollers lubricated with a hand full of dirt every few feet".
He was careful about the jobs he bid on and if he wanted one that absolutely needed a dozer he would hire an owner operator and let them worry about the up keep. Nearly all the jobs he did were with elevating scrapers and motor graders and front end loaders.

 

[LouNY]

Of course if you get one similar to this with the Detroit 2 stroke when she is singing all your neighbors will be wide awake.
Allis-Chalmers HD9 Crawler with Detroit Diesel pulling logs - YouTube

 

[Iplayfarmer]

It sounds from all the comments like a bulldozer really would work well for what I have planned. It also sounds like its only a good idea if I can find one in good shape.

I think the plan for now is to keep a lookout for a good price on a good used dozer. Maybe I'll find something before spring when all the heavy work is planned.

 

[grsthegreat]

I built my property with a bulldozer. Moved huge amounts of dirt, toppled trees, etc. but those tracks make a mess of the land. Alot of people up here use excavators for Grading and moving dirt now days. Personally after house wea completed, i would have had no use for the dozer, but my tractor is used alot.

 

[Industrial Toys]

A dozer is very ineficient for moving dirt any distance. Half of your time is spent backing up too. A neighbor once questioned a D8 owner/operator he had hired why he didn't use a higher gear backing up. The guy said PROFIT! Stretch out the day.

I think I would only ever buy a dozer that I knew. Especially if the guy put all kinds of time and money into it.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

A dozer is very ineficient for moving dirt any distance. Half of your time is spent backing up too. A neighbor once questioned a D8 owner/operator he had hired why he didn't use a higher gear backing up. The guy said PROFIT! Stretch out the day.

I think I would only ever buy a dozer that I knew. Especially if the guy put all kinds of time and money into it.

I can tell you, a dozer puts a lot more wear on the UC (tracks) in reverse, and THAT's why I don't go as fast as the dozer will go in reverse! AND in the end, that's lost "profit"!!

SR

 

[Industrial Toys]

That is what the guy told him. Guy lives a few properties over and I'm guessing he's on his deathbed. Should I tell him?:confused3:

Why is that though? There must be a hundred times more strain on the undercariage and sprockets pushing dirt.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I moved some dirt today, with my tractor,

BUT, to get the finished job that I really want, I'll be using that dozer in the back ground, because it does a lot better job, faster!

SR

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I moved some dirt today, with my tractor...
BUT, to get the finished job that I really want, I'll be using that dozer in the back ground...

SR

Wow! What's the story on moving that much dirt?

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I moved some dirt today, with my tractor...
BUT, to get the finished job that I really want, I'll be using that dozer in the back ground...

SR

Wow! What's the story on moving that much dirt?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I got a deal on the sand, and I'm building a pad in that spot...

SR

 

[Industrial Toys]

Shouldn't that be compacted in lifts?

 

[4570Man]

Shouldn't that be compacted in lifts?

If you want it concrete ready than yes. If you’re going to just leave it and let it settle naturally than not really.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Shouldn't that be compacted in lifts?

No concrete going on this pad... I'll level it out to the size I want and water it in...

SR

 

[Industrial Toys]

I assumed concrete when you said "pad".

 

[Iplayfarmer]

So, There's a TerraTrac GT30 a little ways away from me that's a LOADER crawler. This is not the actual machine, but it's like the one in this picture...

Having considered the great advice on this thread I wonder if a loader crawler is the best of both worlds. I'd have the traction of the crawler, but the loader option to actually pick dirt up and move it.

Or is this the worst of both worlds??

 

[Ortimber]

So, There's a TerraTrac GT30 a little ways away from me that's a LOADER crawler. This is not the actual machine, but it's like the one in this picture...

Having considered the great advice on this thread I wonder if a loader crawler is the best of both worlds. I'd have the traction of the crawler, but the loader option to actually pick dirt up and move it.

Or is this the worst of both worlds??

I think a crawler loader is more likely the best of both worlds. I'm always on the look out for one.

 

[Birdhunter1]

In the same price you can get a worn out dozer you can pick up a wheeled or tracked skid steer and do more than a tractor inmost dirt moving situations.