I have modified all three of my tractors (JD 6400, JD 2955, and Kubota 4300) to use a Bobcat Kwik-tach system for my loader implements. In that way every bucket and every kwik-tach implement (hydraulic auger, teleboom, forks, etc.) can be used on any of the tractors. This has proven to be extremely handy. Lately I have been thinking that if I had a ripper setup for my JD 650g dozer that I could add a beefed up kwik-tach system onto the ripper apparatus in such a way as to not interfere with the ripper shanks. But why would I want to do that? Afterall, a loader bucket on the back of a dozer isn't that useful. But what if I had a hydraulic winch that could mount with a kwik-tach system onto the back of the dozer? How about a kwik-tach trencher normally used on a skid steer? Or maybe a trenching plow blade that mounts with a kwik-tach system. And there are off the shelf three point hitch adapters that connect to a kwik-tach system and then discs and other ag implements could be easily mounted and used off the back of the ripper setup through the kwik-tach system and then through the 3 pt adapter. Of course a 19,000 lb 90 hp dozer like a JD 650g is much more powerful and heavier than a skid steer and thus the normal Bobcat kwik-tach male and female mounting system is not near strong enough to transmit all that power and weight. You would be guaranteed to bend and break things with the stock setup. But in studying the system, it seems feasible to beef up both the male and female portions of the kwik-tach system to take much more force than normal without altering the standard mating dimensions. Probably couldn't strengthen it to commercial standards needed to sell such a product, but I believe it could be strengthened to a degree where a careful owner/operator could use a few select implements through a Kwik-tach system "on steriods" on his dozer, tractors, and skid steers. I did this already to some degree with the kwik-tach mount on my JD 2955 so that I could use a 7' wide loader bucket safely. Kept everything compatible with standard kwik-tach dimensions and the 2955 lifts a fully loaded 7' bucket of rock with no undue stress. I am just about ready to go a step further and build something similar for my dozer. What do you think? Am I completely nuts or could this work? Bill
So when you gonna post up some pictures of this stuff? You can't just talk about cool modifications and not post pictures.
How do you like that JD650J?
I mean JD650g
Nice concept,I'm into always trying to use one machine for more then one thing! With that said,your talking a pretty huffy makeover by using the dozer.The hitch could be beefed up,but the attachments are going to be a different thing. There are some beefy attachments now with the bigger skids and CTL,but not to to the extent that you are planning. The dozer will just have alot more power,traction, and the weight to do damage to attachments.Even you being the only operator ,you would or will have to be extra careful. Concept is right on as far as i'm concerend,but getting attachment heavy enough built is the question????? Good luck.:usa
Countryboy, the pictures of a Bobcat kwik-tach system on a tractor front end loader aren't really very impressive. To most people, it just looks like what the tractor came with from the factory. Only Bobcat people seem to notice that the tractors are using a skid steer kwik-tach system. Now such a system on the back end of a dozer would really be noticeable. Legdog, I bought my 1993 650g in 1996 with 1250 hours on it and now it has 6300 hours on it and starts just as easy as when I first bought it. It was my first piece of equipment and still my favorite. I didn't know anything about dozers then and just bought it because I had just bought 470 acres and a nearby guy had it for sale. In those days, I could just have easily bought a 450 or 550 rather than a 650. Thank god, I got the 650 though and thank god it has a 6 way blade. For personal use, the biggest dozer you can afford that has a 6 way blade is the ideal machine. Construct'O, as you point out, the kwik-tach attachment system, the implement itself, everything has to beefed up and still be very carefully used. The worry is that even with best efforts at all of this, things might break too easily. Bill
I gotta see pics too, but I think skidsteer attachments on anything heavier than 12,000 pounds is asking for trouble.