Tractor vs. Bulldozer

[LouNY]

The crawler loader backhoe combination was common in the 50's and 60's.
Just don't be in a hurry with one and be prepared to pour money into it.

 

[deezler]

? OP wants to cut in some roads and flat spots in rocky, hilly Idaho. A dozer with a 6-way front blade is what you want.

That crawler loader would be garbage for cutting in a road crown, IMO. If you're going to have a flimsy looking loader like that, it might as well be on a tractor than can actually drive faster than the clanky 3mph of a crawler, and do a lot more versatile tasks afterwards.

 

[grsthegreat]

i used to have a Case 650 crawler with 6 way blade leased to me years ago. was a sweet machine and the 6 way blade was a perfect combination. i really wish i still owned that machine. was trouble free for the years i had it.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

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.

I'd love a skid steer, but either they're way overpriced around here or I'm seeing some incredible deals on dozers. The average price I've seen around here for a skid steer is over 3X the average price for smaller dozers.

 

[ultrarunner]

Cutting in roads is why I bought my D3 with 6-Way Blade and Ripper...

It was the perfect machine for my needs...

Only shortcomings for me is it was too heavy for me to transport and a bigger machine would have done more in the same given time.

I now have a Deere 350C which is a little mountain goat but smaller size means jobs take longer...

Had no prior Dozer experience but found it very intuitive with all my work on rocky side hills.

Learned I prefer foot steering/brakes over hand levers.

 

[Egon]

The clutches and brakes are worked together.

 

[ultrarunner]

With foot pedals on my D3 my right hands was free to feather the 6-way blade and the left direction and speed.

With the Deere 350 C my hands have never moved so fast between blade and steering and reverser.

 

[grsthegreat]

All i know is with all my years running the dozer back in the 1980’s, learning to fly a plane was easy. My instructor even commented how most students could not pick up on the hand and foot coordination that fast.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I once flew a L1011 simulator and those pedals really messed me up. All over the tarmack like a drunk! Talk about over (under???) steer.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

So, I'm seriously considering this little GT30. I'd like to hear opinions... What's a fair price for a good, working Terratrac GT30 with a front loader on it?

 

[Industrial Toys]

I would guess that tracked SS loaders really overshadowed small dozers. I would have a lot of tasks for a tracked loader with appropriate attachments, but a dozer would sit parked almost indefinetly.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I took the plunge and brought the little Terratrac GT-30 home on Saturday. It needs some work, but the undercarriage is in good condition as far as I can tell. It runs and drives. The engine will probably need a tune-up at best and a rebuild at worst. I have an old-timer friend that can probably help me work on it. He does a lot with old model T's and other old engines. It's worth the time and effort for a rebuild just to spend some time with him. I'll also need to re-build the whole hydraulic system... new pump, lines, rebuild cylinders, etc. All of this is familiar territory for me. Thanks again for all of the input.

I'll probably start a new thread when I get into the rebuild. Then another thread when I start using the thing to build the roads, etc.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Good luck getting up and working good, that sounds like a big job to me...

I think you will find it a bit light to do very much road building, unless roads go in really easy where you live.

SR

 

[plastikosmd]

Pics are required as per TOS

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I'll see if I can get some pictures posted sometime.

For now, the good news is that a new radiator cap solved the overheating problem. The crawler seems to have the power it needs, too. You can imagine how relieved I was when the engine didn't overheat after installing the new cap.

Now I'm back to the original plan of re-building the hydraulic system.

 

[ultrarunner]

Good news and simple fix... some of the old car guys are pressurizing old radiators with 3 or 5 lbs caps if memory serves... just a pound or two makes a difference.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Good news and simple fix... some of the old car guys are pressurizing old radiators with 3 or 5 lbs caps if memory serves... just a pound or two makes a difference.

I took the old cap in to Napa with me. The counter guy identified it as a 4 lb. cap, and he got me another 4 lb. cap. My guess is that the spring and/or seal was wearing out on the old one.

I talked my college-age daughter into learning to drive it yesterday. She drove in circles in the pasture for probably an hour (no overheating). She tells me today that her muscles are sore from operating the clutches.

I ordered a new hydraulic pump from surplus center today. My plan is to mount it on the side of the engine and drive it with the fan belt. The original pump on this unit was mounted out the front, but I think my skills are more suited to the side mount plan.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Here are some pictures. It looks like this machine spent a lot of time sitting idle in its previous life.

The first picture is in Missoula before we came back home. The last two pictures are of the crawler at it's new home. You'll notice a bit of a "smile" in the bucket in that last picture. That's something that I'll probably be asking for advice how to fix in some future thread.

 

[Industrial Toys]

If you could put the bucket under something that won't move, and then use a heavy hydraulic jack with a piece of hardwood under the edge, that should do it.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I started a backhoe a number of years ago. I may finish it and attach it to the back of this crawler (instead of to my tractor). If I do, I think it would be awesome to paint the crawler the original yellow color and then paint the loader and backhoe black. It will be a throwback to my childhood.

Who didn't have one of those little Tonka crawler loader backhoe toys as a kid??