The Komatsu D 65 - E-6 has been sold. The JD D7E will not return calls so I'm looking at some different machines. I would like some opinions on the different dozers. Usage will be a lot of heavy dirt pushing and building roads, some on steep grades. I would like some educated opinions.
that's to easy td15c
IMHO the d6c is one of the the nicest cats I ever ran.
Td15c vs d6c/d WE still have 3, TD15C's and 2, D6C's and 1, D6D. I have owned and operated several of these model tractors sense they came out in the 70's. I enjoy running all of these models very much. However the TD15C's have better balance,get around better in the soft ground, have more power, sit better and ours mostly were set up with double tilt angle blades of which the 15's lifted higher and tilted farther than the 6's. And in the winter when you had to shovel the tracks ever day, the 15's cleaned in half the time with half the effort!! They all hold up well and although parts for the 15's are not a problem yet they are getting old!! As for the D6 parts, well cat parts and service system is hard to beat !! Will the TD15C out preform the D6's? Absolutely! Will they both stand up to hard work? Yes! Are they each a good choice? In my 40+ years of owning and operating them yes!! Which one would I choose? which ever one was in the best condition for the most reasonable price!!!! Chum..
you can have the final drives off a 15c in 2 or 3 hours with out pulling the track frames, and you don't have to call cat to bring the tools to get the cat apart. the 15c has lever steer, and tilt is on the blade control. the 6c has foot tilt foot steer. the 15c has better blade visibility. cat parts and support is the best. parts for the 15 are available. but not much support. if you do your own mechanic work the 15 is the way to go, if you hire it done i wood be thinking cat
I forgot to say the d6 has a 3 speed power shift which is nice. the 15 has a 2 speed power shift with hi lo range. that means you have to stop to shift from hi to low. I run in hi 90% of the time unless I am pushing something really heavy. like this
I think the D6D addressed the ergonomic issues the D6C had - blade control and tilt are on a joystick. what is the parts availability like for International construction equipment?
I worked with a guy who use to work for Finning in sales. He mentioned to me that International almost won the dozer race here in B.C back in the 60's and 70's and did not loose because Cat made a better dozer. Cat had a better dealership in BC with more locations then International did. And there was no courier services in those days like there is today for overnight parts. I personally like the international tractors a lot (I like any dozer , grin, lol) Personally I think International was way behind Cat in offering what was needed. As a kid I had product guides from both companies and Cat had way more machines to offer vs. International. I remember IH having a good line of dozers,3track loaders,wheel loaders, 1 rock truck,1 skidder and 1-2 small scrapers. They were way behind Cat in excavators and graders as well and I think they got into those eventually but late and well after Cat. Cheers L.D.