I Talked to my cat salesman today about buying a D5G XL, cab, air, sweeps, ripper, and he told me he would have the new D5K in about two months. He told me he hasn't got the new price sheets yet though, but he should have them shortly.
That is great to hear. Does anybody have any specs on them ??
Here ya go Cat D5K brochure Cat D4K brochure Cat D3K brochure
large lightweight finish dozer seems like this is gonna be a large, but lightweight finish dozer? kinda like what john deere specializes in, or case......
Welcome to HEF planetshapers
Yes, Welcome to HEF planetshapers! :drinkup
So I guess the K is replacing the G, right??
8 wait. the k series is a wayyy different dozer isnt it? a k series would be more like john deeres line of dozers like the 700? u know...on jobs where a d5g type dozer is too small...but a d6r is too heavy....and a d6n isnt hydrostatic..... u know...more of the fast finish grade style dozer for knocking down loose dirt and placing it where u want it after its been hauled in..or loosened up with an excavtor or large dozer. whats the word im thinking of? u know..case's niche has always seemed to be in the residential construction..where portability is key and lightweightness is needed. whereas cat always cares about the large fleet dozers for large companies that move serius dirt. and john deere somewhere in the middle. and komatsu...trying to do both and copying cat pretty much.
thanks for the welcome thanks for welcoming me guys.....i grew up in the grading business....my dad started in the early sixties.....and im gonna have fun on this board with my ideas and theories on equipment. ive mostly been a cat guy for several reasons such as resale...appraisal with lenders....and familiarity with mechanics...and aftermarker support. but i know other brands make some cool stuff too. but overall...im still a cat guy.
More or less, but in a bigger way. Cat had ceded a great deal of the 125 HP market to Deere's 700H and 700J, and understandably, it wanted that market back. The D6K was born. Not quite as simply as that, mind you -- years after Cat dealers, customers, and marketers began screaming for a replacement to the D5N, we now have the D6K. The D3, D4, and D5 K-series replace the G-series 1:1 (more power, but same power). The D6K is now a hydrostatic machine, but yes, you're right -- the D6N still isn't hydrostatic. And I'm not sure that Deere owns just the middle anymore -- their small machines are still tops. And many contractors swear by the 950s and 1050s. Those two machines represent the first real foray into large-machine hydrostatics, so kudos to Deere for seizing the moment. I also don't believe Komatsu is copying much; their D51 is probably the most innovative dozer design I've seen. Deere certainly turned the industry upside down with its H-series line in 1999, but that line was a [large] evolution; the D51 is almost evolutionary, my opinion (and it's just an opinion) -- the "almost" qualifier will go away if other models turn up with that design.
tiger...you are correct. u actually said in more detail what i was thinking. i havent even looked up the specs on the new cat...but i remember it from long ago and i also remember hearing about it being used overseas for a while. and yes...that new komatsu.....is groundbreaking. i think....the mindset of many of the people in the grading world is that they have to be "shown" that something new is better...not just told. sort of a conservative mindset really. and....komatsu is probably testing the waters on innovative designs. i think rear radiators are a good idea.....in some way...and the older operators have a negative mindset about it because of euclid/terex dozers of the old days. and....i didnt mean komatsu copies cat in "every" way.....but i think they do as far as structure of business and markets. but then again...komatsu...so far....in past...always seems to add just a tad more power for the weight class to entice operators preference. and...honestly...i am ignorant of the information on the new liebherr/john deers machines. seems like good machines...and i LOVE the idea of hydrostatic in large dozers. and actually...ive noticed that cat....being as popular and blue chipped and an american icon that is.....caters...to the big picture that a massive company would look at from management. u know...easy to find mechanics that are familiar....even though most machines arent made in usa anymore...the brand looks patriotic to employees and customers.......and all across the board in grand scale. u know...modular parts....aftermarket support....depreciation.....resale...trade in value....operator familiarity...and more. but none of what i said is in argument AGAINST what tigerrotor said.....its in agreement with some more of my opinion. what he said seems true to me. by the way...why cant i post a topic yet? i mean....this is the what...4th or 5th post ive replied to? i wanted everyones opinion on which they would choose....in a d5g size range. the d5g....or d39..or d41...or what brand? erops version. hydrostatic.
...so why does cat have 3 different D-6's now?? The K, the N, and the T, right??
The 5G is a nice machine, no doubt, but havent had many hours on one. The D 41 is also nice, but lacks a true hydrostatic transmission, as it has a lockup torque converter, and 3 real gears. All spaced wrong, if u ask me. However it is very nicely balanced, and the blade angles something like 55 degrees in one direction. Im not a fan of the case- old boss demoed one for a month and a half, and: Had Electric misfunctions in the dash, burst a hydraulic line, and the fuel tank began to leak. Machine had 800 hours on it. If I were you I would take a serious look at the John Deere 650H-J. Awesome, awesome machine. As far as I'm concerned, they own the midsize market now.
Correct. The reason is... they got rid of one "5" and added a "6." That's 666... Excellent point -- but Cat can't rely on this forever. (And I'm not disagreeing here with you, either.) At some point, it will have to step up its "awesomeness" to meet its goal of being #1 in every market it's a player in. That being said, this is the Cat side of me talking -- I just don't want them resting on their laurels. Being number one may seem like great fun, but a company being chased is frequently easier to catch than a company chasing another company.
Well said Tiger. I consider myself to be a Cat fan but I feel that they really aren't putting much effort into R&D lately. As a result many of their products aren't very competitive. If it weren't for the loyalty of longtime customers, Cat would probably be in a lot of trouble. They can rest on their laurels for awhile but sooner or later customers will go elsewhere for better performance at a better price. Resale value, parts availability, mechanic familiarity, etc are all great things to have backing up your machine but they really don't have much of anything to do with how good the machine it's self really is. Personally I feel that Deere poses a huge threat to Cat. I think the new J series of Deere dozers really blows the pants of Cats T series, overall. Just my 2 cents.