Looking at buying a dozer.

[STERLING351]

Hey guys I recently acquired another 42 acres here in Texas. The land is about 38 acres of mesquite trees. The trees are anywhere from 1in to 24in in diameter, I am looking for a dozer to clear most of the 1-12in trees. Locally people want anywhere from $900 to $1200 a day for dozer work plus cost of transport. I have found a few dozers in my area for $8000-12000 range which I am interested in buying to clear the land and eventually resell. The two "dozers" that have caught my eye in the price range that arent beat to **** will loose tracks and covered in rust are a John Deere 350B with a 6-way blade and the other is a Komatsu 31s (Its a track loader with a dozer blade). The Komatsu has 25hp more than the JD and weighs about 4000 pounds more. Do you think either of these would be a good choice? Once again i know running a dozer can cost some big $$$ which is why im looking to only own it for a few months.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I always wanted a little 450 Deere, but that will never happen. You scratch the surface here with so many rocks and you have a big mess to clean up.

The 350 seems too light and is just a Trim Dozer. Not sure if I wouldn't say that of a 450 either. In any event, I would go for the later series with WET clutches. I don't think that happened yet in the "B".

I have a friend with hundreds of pieces of (old) equipment. He like most, likes his old Jap equipment. If I was smart, I would get a Jap dozer over JD, but I have a thing for the JDs. I would ABSOLUTELY, NEVER consider buying a dozer without an absolute and total authority on the subject, accompanying me. Moot point anyway.

 

[Citydude]

More weight would be my preference but I don't know how hard mesquite trees are to push over.

Hey guys I recently acquired another 42 acres here in Texas. The land is about 38 acres of mesquite trees. The trees are anywhere from 1in to 24in in diameter, I am looking for a dozer to clear most of the 1-12in trees. Locally people want anywhere from $900 to $1200 a day for dozer work plus cost of transport. I have found a few dozers in my area for $8000-12000 range which I am interested in buying to clear the land and eventually resell. The two "dozers" that have caught my eye in the price range that arent beat to **** will loose tracks and covered in rust are a John Deere 350B with a 6-way blade and the other is a Komatsu 31s (Its a track loader with a dozer blade). The Komatsu has 25hp more than the JD and weighs about 4000 pounds more. Do you think either of these would be a good choice? Once again i know running a dozer can cost some big $$$ which is why im looking to only own it for a few months.

 

[fried1765]

More weight would be my preference but I don't know how hard mesquite trees are to push over.

Why not buy a used excavator with a thumb, and pull the mesquite out?

 

[fried1765]

More weight would be my preference but I don't know how hard mesquite trees are to push over.

Why not buy a used excavator with a thumb, and dig/pull the mesquite out?

 

[STERLING351]

Why not buy a used excavator with a thumb, and dig/pull the mesquite out?

I looked into that and most around here are far outside my price range. I forgot to mention my ground is sandy clay mix but mostly sand for the first 8 inches.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

When you see how much money it WILL cost YOU to keep a cheep older dozer running/working, you will think the "hire it done" price was a bargain!!

No matter, a 350 is too small anyway...

SR

 

[STERLING351]

When you see how much money it WILL cost YOU to keep a cheep older dozer running/working, you will think the "hire it done" price was a bargain!!

No matter, a 350 is too small anyway...

SR

How much do you think it would cost to pay someone to clear 42 acres? And buying a used dozer i do not believe is always a money pit, my father has a older case 1150 and the only think that has required repair was a fuel pump. I think it comes down to how well it was cared for by previous owners. Like i said i was looking at dozers that wernt beat to ****.

 

[hslogger]

A 350 B John Deere is inferior to a 350 C which is a nicer machine with wet clutches. These are OLD, man. It is a nice lil' pooper cat and you can get a lot done but it is kind of a toy cat. I would investigate an owner operator and get references and bids. Working on old beater cats is not fun unless you are died in the wool gear head with plenty of time on your hands.

 

[atsah]

IMO, the Komatsu 31s with a loader can get some work done for someone that has time..

 

[STERLING351]

IMO, the Komatsu 31s with a loader can get some work done for someone that has time..

Ive heard good things. Time is something i have an ok amount of, I only work 3 days a week so the other 4 days would be land clearing a fencing. I dont need it done in 1 week or anything im fine with several months to even 1-1.5 years if needed. I just think doing it myself will be much cheaper than paying someone if i buy the right machine and dont have any costly repair.

 

[Industrial Toys]

The mistake too many people make. Buy a Good USED machine, not a piece of junk. In a way, it's FREE anyway, so spend a bit more, and you will get that exra bit back and not have endless down time AND NOT be able to get your money for repairs back. A machine of a certain age with a certain number of hours is worth X amount, no matter how much money you put into it! Don't do it! A friend just buys old junk on "price" and has never had a reliable/productive piece of equipment yet.

 

[atsah]

Ive heard good things. Time is something i have an ok amount of, I only work 3 days a week so the other 4 days would be land clearing a fencing. I dont need it done in 1 week or anything im fine with several months to even 1-1.5 years if needed. I just think doing it myself will be much cheaper than paying someone if i buy the right machine and dont have any costly repair.

If you can find something with a shovel it will do things the same size dozer with a blade won't do..

I like dozers, I have had one most of my life, I have a little Magnatrack now that impresses me whenever I use it, my brother had a 31s shovel a couple of years ago and cleared a lot of land with it.

 

[Vaquero]

I'd want them rear rippers for mesquite grubbing.
A dozer is better suited than a loader in your application.
I'd keep shopping.

 

[atsah]

OP, watch some video's of blade dozers and shovel dozers in the 31s size range, it will give you a good idea of what will work best for you're property.. A ripper sure would be helpful..

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I have a 550 deere dozer and I would not mess around with anything smaller. I think I'd be more productive clearing trees with my track loader though even though it's a size smaller. Maybe before you buy a machine you try out the paying a contractor for a day or two. You might be pleasantly surprised at what they get accomplished with a real machine like a d6 or something like that.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I don't own a SS or tracked loader. But in my opinion small dozers have become somewhat obsolete with the popularity of Tracked loaders and their SS attachment versatility. One more reason, I don't ever see owning one.

 

[4570Man]

Dozers are way inferior to trackhoes for clearing land. A dozer the size of a 350 would be close to useless for clearing. You don’t want an old piece of junk either. A 50 year old dozer is almost certainly junk.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

my father has a older case 1150 and the only think that has required repair was a fuel pump.

Sounds like you should be renting dad's dozer!

In your original post, it sounded like you didn't have a pile of money, anything for less than a pile money, that IS the size you need, you WILL be fixing it!

SR

 

[4570Man]

Sounds like you should be renting dad's dozer!

In your original post, it sounded like you didn't have a pile of money, anything for less than a pile money, that IS the size you need, you WILL be fixing it!

SR

That’s the way I understand it. Clearing land isn’t cheap no matter how you go about it.