Cat D4D

[musselmark]

I have about 10 acres of fresh cut spruce stumps to remove. Biggest would be 18". Found a 1976 D4D "with new undercarriage" 5000 hrs for $16000.00 canadian ( 11 grand US). Are these good old dozer? I know nothing about bulldozers at all. I heard an excavator would be a better machine but would like to be able to flatten the mess out somewhat when I'm done so thought a dozer might be better. I have a 75hp tractor with loader to move them. Thanks

 

[Roadworthy]

I don't know what "new undercarriage" means but they are generally highly reliable though replacement parts from Cat run on the expensive side. Be sure the tracks have plenty of meat left and you should be fine. I had a 1942 model with the pony motor start which never refused to start. Going for the eighteen inch stumps may be too much to ask of it. That could involve digging it out. Have you investigated a stump grinder?

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Rent a Trac hoe. Lot faster. Pick stumps up high and drop to get dirt off. You have a tractor to smooth things up. Only thing you need to know about dozers is to stay away from them. A log skidder with a rear grapple will pull all them stumps up. Log loader will too. I have done lot with both. All you can do with a dozer is push and drag. A 100 horse skid steer will run circles around it. I had a D 7 with a winch for years. It was really only good for clearing raw land and pulling other stuck dozers out. Just like plumbers. They used to have back hoes. Now none have backhoes. They have small excavators. Old backhoes are sitting around somebody's farm. Excavator and skid steer are the ticket. Now, if you want an old dozer so you can look out and say, yep, that's that old dozer I bought. You go right ahead. I'm not telling anyone how to spend their money. But, you asked a question.

Big track hoe can clear land fast. Raise that bucket, push trees over, stack out of the way. I know you just have stumps, and they are quick work on them. Sweep dirt back in hole, on to the next. You want to sweep dirt back in so it'll be smoother for the tractor. Picture is 100 acres done with track hoe and tractor with offset disc.

 

[Ortimber]

D4D dozers are great little machines, but I don't recommend them for stump removal or heavy land clearing. You'll most likely be frustrated when trying to get the bigger stumps out of the ground. An excavator is much more efficient for this particular task.

 

[Rustyiron]

I hate to talk a guy out of a new toy, but spend those dollars on a rental excavator.
" new undercarriage" can be VERY open ended. It includes the front idler wheel and the back sprocket, then there's about 10 rollers. Just in the track there the pins, chain and track plates. Welding up the grousers alone could be called "new u/c".
Next, steering clutches and brakes......

 

[musselmark]

Thanks for the advice, I'll stay away from dozers. I'll keep the rental excavator option open but would like to buy something and pick away at the job on my own schedule. I also noticed some local farms have wheel loaders
( pay loader, front end loader etc..) with root rake on front. And some have back hoes, an advantage of these is mobility, maybe could puck up job locally without having to float the equipment. Thoughts on those 2 machines. I assume 4x4 would be a big advantage with a backhoe.

 

[workinonit]

New under carriage is the catch phrase for heavy equipment crooks.

 

[Mike1955]

I have about 10 acres of fresh cut spruce stumps to remove. Biggest would be 18". Found a 1976 D4D "with new undercarriage" 5000 hrs for $16000.00 canadian ( 11 grand US). Are these good old dozer? I know nothing about bulldozers at all. I heard an excavator would be a better machine but would like to be able to flatten the mess out somewhat when I'm done so thought a dozer might be better. I have a 75hp tractor with loader to move them. Thanks

Sir you really need the dozer and the track hoe. Dig around three sides of the stump then use the dozer to finish getting it up the put them where you want them with the dozer. I do that with a 55 hp track hoe and a d 2 cat. That’s not a bad price if that undercarriage is good. Good luck

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Sir you really need the dozer and the track hoe. Dig around three sides of the stump then use the dozer to finish getting it up the put them where you want them with the dozer. I do that with a 55 hp track hoe and a d 2 cat. That’s not a bad price if that undercarriage is good. Good luck

18" stump? Track hoe will just pull those up. Stationary thumb or hydraulic thumb even better. They are 3,000 a month here to rent an old one he's got enough tractor to use the saved money to purchase an offset disc, tongue pull, with hydraulic wheels to lift it. They pull big offset discs behind big dozers, but he don't need one that big. We have an 8' offset. You can pull that dude one pass down a gravel road and it will look like a garden.

 

[Mike1955]

18" stump? Track hoe will just pull those up. Stationary thumb or hydraulic thumb even better. They are 3,000 a month here to rent an old one he's got enough tractor to use the saved money to purchase an offset disc, tongue pull, with hydraulic wheels to lift it. They pull big offset discs behind big dozers, but he don't need one that big. We have an 8' offset. You can pull that dude one pass down a gravel road and it will look like a garden.

He wants to do this at his pleasure. Late afternoon, sundays anytime not interfere with his family. If he can swing it just buy one then sell it at or near the end. You know that rent will eat up the price of a goo use one. And Listen he needs a dozer also, my equipment is priceless here. My wife sometimes brings supper to me. At lunch its a can of pork and beans. It’s so much more relaxing when you’re not racing with the clock.