Am considering a CAT D6T for our newest dozer. Won't be a new one but a decent 6R is almost as pricey it seems. If anyone has seen any of my other posts I have always been Dresser and Deere and have one Case 850K. Deere and Case have best dealer service close to me with CAT after that. Will admit to not being a CAT fan as it seems their machines are not any more productive or more economical than anyone elses so why pay for those three little letters..... So now that I am considering one what are the pros and cons of a 6T? BTW, the reason I am considering a CAT is that for the machine/hours they are seemingly the best deal for me without going 600 miles from home.
I've never used a D6T, but this is their press release: https://www.constructionequipmentgu...mission-and-technology-to-match-the-job/32912 It comes standard with slope assist, which is nice. It gets good reviews from Construction Advisor. I always check their reviews when buying equipment: http://www.constructionsadvisor.com.au/reviews/bulldozer-review/2013-caterpillar-d6t-bulldozer/ There are some good deals listed here: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/used-equipment/caterpillar/crawler-dozers/d6t_xl/ I can't tell you from personal experience though. I haven't bought a dozer in a while, but it looks good based on the reviews and the press release.
The electronics are miles ahead of the R series tractors but that can be good and bad. You don't necessarily need the lap top and subscription software to troubleshoot them but you do need to be pretty sharp to do it. Cat parts supply is probably the best of all the manufacturers but that's beginning to fall back a bunch. As far as production goes Cat machines have never been anymore productive over anyone else's machines. Their advantage is in longer productive life spans and higher resale value at the end of your production cycle. Is that worth the twelve to twenty percent premium on initial purchase price? That is something you will have to determine on your own.
Yep, parts not available for over 100 days. Payments continue!
The reason you buy a CAT is because of guys like NIGE on this site. There is so much CAT expertice on this site it would be foolish to invest in anything else. I am working a trade on a 6h right now and they are giving me what I paid for it on auction a few years ago. Can't ask for more than that.
We run D6R III and D6T tractors, the earlier T machines (pre-regen models) are an upgraded and refined R series III. We have a regen D6T that is a great machine, but the regen system does require attention, cat ET is extremely helpful in such situations. Personally, I would much rather run and work on a D6T than an earlier model D6R (like a 5LN or 4MN s/n.) With that said, I do not like D6R series II machines (AAX s/n), have experienced too many hydraulic heating issues with them. It is most likely just a bad string of luck, but that has been my experience.
What are you doing with it?
6ts seem to turn better and the creature comforts are way better, just make sure they are under warranty. watched a brand new one under three hundred hours,with a out of service sticker on it way to much. mechanic said there are good ones and and bad ones. for 425000.00 i would buy 6 or 7 series 1 6r or h with a mechanical 3306 and go thru a couple a year at least you can work on it in house
I take care of 3 D6T's, 2 of them are 2008 models, the other is a 2012. The newer one has been more trouble than both the 08's combined.
The C9.3 have not been the best engines for CAT. We've experienced lots of top end issues due to all the carbon that the engine has to eat through the EGR system... and the high pressure fuel pumps is another story. Luckily I can remove the regen system and it makes it nicer to work on then any 6R's and early series 6T's.
We do fence row work, making small cuts, backfilling, and light blade work, and pull the plow occasionally. Not a lot of hours per year. Use it a little bit every day. It goes to every job.
Sorry for delay in responding Did not go for 6T as with the machine having 7200hrs there was almost no kind of record of repairs/maintenance. Makes it very scary. Went and ran 2 different 2050Case tractors and talked to owners who have put a couple thousand hrs on them. Very smooth to operate and had plenty of power getting to the ground to move dirt the way we do for grass waterways, terraces, and surface drains. Am biting the bullet and signing for one with less than 1200hrs. We have excellent dealer service with Case and they are 25 minutes away. Thank you everyone for the feedback on the 6T's.
Visited selling dealer on a 2011 D6T I am looking to buy. They were talking about having the DPF cleaned by the CAT dealer. Can someone explain this process to me? How often should I expect to do it?
I've never seen it done but apparently there is a machine that back blows the ash out of the filter housing. The local Cat dealer decided it was better to sell remanned DPF from Cat instead of having their own machine.
IMO, expect regens more often from 'little bit every day' and increased DPF cleaning intervals.