which would u choose....for the d5g size machine with erops. cat? komatsu d39 or d 41? or what about the little odd komatsu sizes....like d-37..... or what other brand is worthy? im gonna buy used probably. i had a d5g a couple of years ago..and i liked it. but didnt keep it long enough to see the long term reliabity and costs involved. all across the board...what would u choose? has to be hydrostatic joystick controlled.
If I couldn't have a D5G, my next choice would be a Case 850K.
case? what year model? whats the oldest and cheapest i can buy while getting all the right features?
The Case 850k's came out in 2001. They are excellent machines. Working for a Case dealer, I can say that the k series small crawlers have been just amazing machines. Very few problems with them, and the best power in their class. If I wasn't going to buy a case in that size I would buy a Deere 650k. IMHO Cat and Komatsu aren't that great in that size class. New Holland brands a version of the 850k Case machine. They are identical if I remember right except for the paint. New Holland seems to have poor resale value, so you may be able to find one at a very good price. Your local Case or New Holland Construction dealer should be able to take care of you and get you parts for the machine.
thanks thanks for the info man. why do u think the case is better? and whats not right about the cat or komatsu?
I have been very pleased with my Case 750K. Only have about 1000 hours on it but so far so good.
I think the Case is better than the Deere if you want to do some heavy pushing. IMO Case more or less patterned their new dozer after the Deere. The deere has been the market leader in small hydrostatic dozers. The Case and Deere are built very similar. The case has some heavier duty componenents, and you are money ahead to go with the Case extended life track. The Case has better power than the Deere, and the maintenance is easier. The deere is a little nicer in the cab, and is a littler quicker and more agile than the Case. I can tell you again, that the Case k series Dozers are one of the most trouble free products I have been associated with. There is nothing wrong with a Komatsu or a Cat. IMO they do not perform as well as either the Case or the Deere, the Cab's are not as nice, the visibility is not as good, and the maintenance is harder to do. If I remember correctly both the Komatsu and Cat are using the same frames as they were before they went to a hydrostatic drive system. That may be why the visibility and maintenance are a little more difficult. I am not trying to bash Cat and Komatsu, they both have plenty of happy owners out there.
differences is the resale or whatever ok with a case? which model would u buy? what used model would u stay away from? and....what is the major difference between the john deere H model and the J model?
Hi Kyle... where are you getting the information from that is not bashing Cat and Komatsu?... how can the frames be the same on a hydrostatic Komatsu when there is no mechanical transmision, bevel gear and steering clutches... did they just leave a big empty compartment at the back of the machine? How about bolting the excavator type motors and final drives to the frame where the old spur gear final drives used to mount?