looking for a small logging dozer for side jobs I pick up in the summer. I won't be using it everyday to make a living. my budget between 10-15 thousand would require something from the 8o's I assume? My search over the last two years is primarily over the internet, but it seems that most everything on the net is located back east. the advice I am looking for is: what is a good small dozer for logging, and where do I find them in my local area? I am tired of renting equipment. sthilman
What do you mean by small? Something like a D3 or JD 450. If it's something like one of these, you just missed out. There was a 1990 D3C for sale in Woodinville, Washington for $12,500. But it is sold. You can see a pic of it here on machinerytrader.com http://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=6139789&GUID=6637FB61DF2D4CF886A4DC4FB52C4B54 Not to sure how good it was at that price. Because that same dealer has a 1990 D3C LGP like ours for sale at $27,500. Only difference from ours is when I did the under carriage I put on flat pads instead of the pyramid tracks. We have a D3C LGP and a D3G LT. We bought the D3G when the motor blew up in the C, and was going to sell it. But we had just put in all new under carriage in it before it died, and we bought a rebuilt motor. So I figure I am going to get some use out of for awhile and I do like that dozer, its a great finish dozer with that wide 10' blade. But if I was to sell I would want about $25,000 out of it. What I am saying there is you are going to have a hard time finding anything decent at those prices, and will have to move up the the $20,000 range unless you want to buy a lot of parts and do some work to it. Where to look: Machinerytrader.com MyLittleSalesman.com Or hit the next Ritchie Brothers auction in Olympia, WA in March. I was at the last one in November and they had 2 decent 1996 Cat D3C series III XL's that only went for $25,000 each. They had a 1991 D3C LGP that went for $15,000 in September.
yea, what I found when searching for mine was that if you're willing to pay a little more, you can get a lot more machine.
thanks for the info. I was thinking something like a JD450. I hear the best small dozer in the woods is a TD-8. But seems like guys are holding on to those or want too much money. It's seems like your right about price, It seems like they all tend to be around 20K for a half way decent little machine. another problem I have is, I don't know what to look for when looking at one. I will have to take someone with me. I know how to cut trees, but I don't know squat about what to look for in a small dozer. Which is why I have always had to rent equipment. I have a good patch of trees lined up for this next year and it's time to get my own.
Hey serv, where did you find yours at? what did you buy, what do you use it for and any suggestions on what to check out when I go look at them?
TD8's are the best for the woods, my buddy has one for doing clearing jobs. He bought a pin-on rake for it as well, great machine for his needs. I've run it a little, I seem to like it.