Help selecting a dozer

john_bud · Jan 12, 2008

The only tip that a non-dozer owner like me can give is to leave $1000 in the bank to buy extra tools. 3/4 drive impact sockets up to 2" or 2 1/2", 3/4 air impact, 3/4 breaker bar, a couple of the longest pry bars you can find (5' or 6' long), couple stout come a longs for getting the tracks back on, Ox/Ac torch set, stuff like that.

Maybe even leave a $1000 for spare parts too?

Say, Eddie, when you had to rebuild your Dozer out in the field was that "Fun" or "Nightmare"? Both?

I've gotten the opinion that Dozers are like old Chevy 350's. When you find them running to smooth perfection, they are about to break something expensive.

jb

EddieWalker · Jan 12, 2008

John,

I realized awhile ago that I don't enjoy wrenching on vehicles anymore. I used to really like it when I was younger, but now it's just one of those things that I have to do and try to get it over with as quickly as possible.

I've had multiple "field" repairs, and I would classify them all as nightmares. The worse ones are usually the cheapest to fix, the the toughest to get to. Imagine a broken hydralic line in the middle of the woods with trees and debri all around the dozer. I've had to use a chainsaw, sawzall, handsaw, axe and shovel to tunnel under the dozer more then once!!!!!

As for tools, I've found that the large wrenches at Tractor Supply are a very good source for them. Not as expensive as the name brands, but strong enough for everything I've had to use them for. What really kills me is between my backhoe and bulldozer, I need them in just about every size from 13/16 to 2 inches. I rarely use my 3/4 impact wrench, but still need it from time to time. Those wrenches to most of my repairs.

Eddie

hayden · Jan 12, 2008

Wow! So much info so quickly. I love this place!

The pond may not be as big a job as it sounds. If I dammed it up I'd have a pond today. The restoration work is clearing out years of accumulated silt, assuming is actually was a pond previously. My way-back-machine does go back the 200 years it would take to know.

What's an "LGP" track? My guess is that it's longer or wider than a "normal" track?

I'm very mechanically inclined, so I can deal with break downs - I just don't want to make a career out of it.

chh · Jan 12, 2008

Sorry I should have said that. LGP is Low Ground Pressure, the tracks are wider and one of mine has pryamid pads. It will almost literally walk on water.

I hate getting a dozer stuck. That can be about the worst hassle you have ever seen.
The first dozer I ever used was a D6C late 60's model that was relatively low time. The former owner had a construction business and keep it when he sold out. He used it on his ranch for several years then sold everything in an auction in the mid 80's. We bought it in late november and put it to work. By January it was in the shop getting new steering clutches and other assorted work. It seems he put 90W gear lube in the transmission(the rear case) to make it run "quieter" on the summer. Total bill including transportation was near $5K.
My neighbor was wanting a dozer and I offered to sell him my D4H but he thought it was too small. I was wanting something bigger and had offered it to him for what I purchased it for. $32,500. The dealer I got it from was selling them then for 34 to 36 so it was a fair deal. I warned him not to buy a "farm dozer" and he agreed, it turned out he had been a dozer operator in a coal mine for a few years. He runs across and old D6 farm dozer with worn out tracks for a "deal", 20 grand. He only needs to get a couple of hundred hours out of it so he buys it. He spends nearly 2 grand on a starter, alternator, batteries and some general maintance things. He used it to clear 2 fence rows and a final drive started leaking pretty bad. He called a dozer mechanic I knew and he opened up to put new seals and and found all the bearings are about shot and he recommends a total rebuild on both sides. Estimate is 9 grand. New undercariage would be 10 grand. After it was all fixed it would only be worth about 25 to 30 grand. Not a good investment so they stick the seals in and now he won't run it because he wants to sell it and doesn't want it to start leaking first

. He hired me to push the last fence row he wanted cleaned out..
My D4H had a front idler bearing go out. Cat wanted $1000 dollars for the part alone. Mechanic got it aftermarket and installed it for $1000.
Mentioned already the blade ball on the D3.
One of the worst repairs on the old D6C that I did was a leaking hose up in the rear case. Hose was $10. Had to pull all the belly pans to put it in. It took most of 2 days working by myself.

Just a couple of dozer tales for you to think about.

DarinRay · Jan 12, 2008

Hello Hayden, If you need a dozer contact me because I'm getting rid of some dozers now. I have some komatsu D21A's, D21P's, D20A's, D37E, D37P LGP, Mitsubishi BD2F's, BD2G's, BD2H's, mini excavators, wheel loaders, a L7000 dump truck, etc.

Go kick some tires (tracks) and being mechanically inclined you should be all set with the smaller units.

These small dozers and mini's are like owning a compact tractor but with traction and stability. Sounds like you have some good toys already so a dozer will be a perfect addition.

Just a thought.... If a newbie get a big earth mover it's going to do A LOT of damage when trying to learn grading. You will find yourself not knowing how much spoils you are actually moving until you go in the hole you just created.

I mean you don't jump in a semi at 16 to practice parallel parking.

hayden said:
Wow! So much info so quickly. I love this place!

The pond may not be as big a job as it sounds. If I dammed it up I'd have a pond today. The restoration work is clearing out years of accumulated silt, assuming is actually was a pond previously. My way-back-machine does go back the 200 years it would take to know.

What's an "LGP" track? My guess is that it's longer or wider than a "normal" track?

I'm very mechanically inclined, so I can deal with break downs - I just don't want to make a career out of it.

JoeinTX · Jan 13, 2008

Another good source of experience-honed wisdom is here:

Heavy Equipment Forums - Powered by vBulletin

...bunch of grizzly, crusted-up types over there that have forgotten more about running a dozer than most of us have learned.

hayden · Mar 1, 2008

Thanks to everyone's guidance I'm now zeroing in on a Dozer. I'm looking at machines in the 70-100HP range and weighing 16k to 20K lbs. I've decided to stick with narrow tracks since there is a lot of ledge where I'll be working and I've been told that wide tracks are more prone to bending under these conditions. I'm also more open to spending more $$ provided there is commensurate resale value potential. As a result, I'm looking at somewhat newer machines (2000 or later models), hydrostatic drive, and am leaning heavily towards a cab.

One in particular that's caught my eye is a Komatsu D39EX-21. It's early 2000's with a cab. It has over 5000 hrs on it, but a quick inspection showed drive cogs in very good shape (nice flat tips), pins that felt good and round, and rollers that felt good and round, so I'm presuming it's had a new under carriage not too long ago. The blade seemed tight, though there's a little slop in the top pivot knuckle (I probably don't have the term right) and I've read that can be expensive to replace. The cutting edge needs to be replaced too. Asking price is $55k.

Thoughts? Once again, I would expect to use it for about 2 years and only put a few hundred hours on it at most, then resell it.

EddieWalker · Mar 1, 2008

Can't comment on price as they seem to change almost daily and they can be a regional thing. Komatsu is a great brand, but I've heard they use their own hose fittings. Maybe somebody else can confirm or deny this, but if you break a hose, the only place to get a replacement is at the dealer. If your dealer is close by, than that might not matter. On my Case dozer, I can get a hose made up for it on a Sunday with my Napa dealer. It's happened and an hour later, I was back to working.

If you can afford the price and take care of the machine, it's pretty hard to lose money when you sell it. Buying a newer machine should mean allot less down time too!!! I swear, in my next life, I'm buying everything brand new.

You'll still break stuff, it's just the way it is. But with a newer machine, you at least shouldn't have parts breaking on their own from wear and old age. Some of those things can take days to take out and replace.

Keep us updated, buying a dozer is about as exciting a toy that you will ever purchase.

Eddie

chh · Mar 1, 2008

The 39's are nice machines. That is slightly smaller than most of the D-4's. I looked hard at a 41 when I bought my D4-H, but I found that there was not a Komatsu dealer near me for parts, but I had Cat and Case close. That made them a better choice for me.
Here are a couple of pics of a D 39 PX (it may have been a P 41 PX) that was used in a hog lagoon cleanout on my place last year after we shut down. It was a full hydrostat joystick controlled. The nice thing on it over my Cats was that it counter rotated the tracts in a turn. At the time of these pics it had about 300 hours and was a 2006 model I think.
Wouldn't you like the job of cleaning this one up.