I am looking hard to upgrade from my current JD450C with 6 way blade to a Cat D5G XL w/ 6 way. The work will be some minor land clearing/stumping and grading work in mostly flat lands. Looking for some advice on anyone that has experience using the Cat D5G XL and /or others that have maintenance experience or just wanna add their .02.
Bought a 2004 D5G XL new. It's been great machine with a few quirks but very dependable overall. I think it has around 6K hours on it now, it's been semi-retired since we added a next gen D3. Other than the normal wear and maintenance issues of any piece of equipment here are a couple of things we have experienced - The dozer is very finicky with voltage and if the system is not maintaining around 14.4 volts strange things can happen like slamming on the parking brake at full push. The alternator was the culprit that time. Other times it's been a bad battery. If you decide to buy the machine and quirky things happen electrically first check the voltage in the system. From time to time it will need to be hooked up to Cat ET to recalibrate the drive/hydro system. Slowly over time the dozer will get sluggish in travel speed both forward and reverse however it happens so slowly (in our experience) that it takes a while to see it's not operating up to speed, pun intended. We've had the dealer out twice to calibrate over it's lifetime with night and day difference after it was updated. UC and other ware parts are easily accessible both Cat and aftermarket. Depending on the condition and price I highly recommend the G series from my experience.
CM pretty well sumed up my experience with one too other then they need new speed sensors as they updated a time or 2. This is by no means a reason to avoid them. Also if you want one with a winch buy one with a winch to add one to a g is a undertaking
I'd only add that stumping and clearing is rough on 6 way machines. They are built for grading and not so much the point load on the corner of the blade that the stumps give. I like old school stump splitters but nobody rums them. Perhaps a splitter hung on the center of the blade would do.
We've cleared many an acre and a mile or three of roads through dense woods with our 5. Since it's an XL the blade is narrower but like you said one still has to be careful stumping. Pushing trees I cut three sides of the stump and push the tree in the center of the blade. Of course the size of tree matters as a D5G is not a large tractor but it's a capable machine.
I'm sure people have pushed out small stumps with a cat 12 grader too. I don't hammer on concrete with my finish hammer. I do know that 6 ways get loose when you beat on them enough, and that takes a lot of the pleasure out of finishing with them. My happiest dozer moments were cutting finish ahead of the blade hand at the AFB with a 5, and leaving him just enough to work with. When they are tight and you are in nice finish material it's such a pleasure.
Thanks so much for the comments as I really appreciate them. Although I was looking to sell the JD450C to help pay for the D5, maybe I will keep my 450 that already has a loose 6 way blade just from stumping to do more and then come behind it with the D5G with root rake for cleanup. If I do make the purchase, I will most definitely keep a eye on the voltage for 14.4 volts before doing any other troubleshooting on electrical issues as well as the speed sensors. I am excited about the purchase; however, I need it to stay unsold until 1 Jan as I don't need anymore tax breaks for this year....lol.
I wasn't insinuating OP beat on stumps with a 6 way, just that it can be done without damage if care is taken with whoever is in the seat. Our little 5's blade is still tight for its age and years after many hours of clearing.
We have one and has ben a good machine. Only real problem is we lost the drive coupler on it.