I am truly enjoying this forum and all its honest information. I have had a couple questions out there for your listeners and by god minutes later I am given answers...Thank you for that. Moving onto another question... My wife and I own a medium size farm and I also run a construction business and have had an excellent year with both the farm contracting. I have had years of dirt work under my belt 15 years ago and still have the love for dirt and the machines to move it. That said our accountant says to spend so uncle sam doesn't take too much so we are investing into either an excavator or dozer but eventually both. The work these machines will perform will be demolition, tree and site clearing, typical grading as well as excavation and digging. That said we are looking at a Deere 700H or similar dozer and/or a Volvo 210 or Komatsu 200 PC7 excavator. The big question is this....If we were to buy one machine first, which would make the most $$ sense as well as versatility? Sorry for my long winded-ness. I am excited for the thoughts and ideas the pro's may have. Thank you for your time and info.:usa
Just figure on buying both machines . We bought a dozer first then the excavator came about a year later . They make a great team , only thing I regretted is we did not do it sooner . While looking at crawler units don't overlook a good highlift with a 4 in 1 bucket .
You should consider an excavator with a blade on it! Kobelco makes their blade runner series take a look at those. These are so popular cat is now making one of their 70,000 lb machines with a blade the 336 I think.... Just my 2 bits...TIO
Excavator. Of all the work you described, the only jobs the dozer is perfectly suited for is the tree/site clearing and grading. The excavator can do it all. Some things the dozer can do better, but the hoe can do ALL the jobs you listed. My vote is for a hoe.
I'm with shimmy1 the hoe is the way to go it can dig up the roots knock down the tree and if it has a thumb ,stack the lumber and you can grab an ( I-beam ) and do a decent job of grading lots, I like to think I can do anything with a dozer,even stack logs but the stack is not very straight ,he he I love pulling levers,ide do it for free but the government says you have to pay me
Thank you to you all. I agree...the way to go is to go "all in" and just do it. We'll see. Nevertheless I want to thank you all for your time and replies. That said..which excavator is top on your lists? Deere 200D Komatsu 200 PC7 Volvo 210
I've heard mixed reviews on Volvo, but never have ran one. I've ran some Komatsu over the years. Only one that I liked was a 200HD-8. I think they are also referred to as a "thumb special". The HD supposedly has 17% more counterweight and a beefed up boom. Besides a light ass, I don't care for the long control levers on a Komatsu. I ran a 300C Deere for a couple days once. Seemed like a good machine. Personally, I'd try for a Case 210B, but since you're not looking for one of those, maybe you could rent a Volvo and see how you like it.
Well for myself I've never run a case hoe,but I have run,cat,kamatsu,hitachi, 45,s thru 750'in the 200 range I wood go with kamatsu the longer stroke in the controls means a finer movement of the stick,bucket and boom,no herky jerky when you need to be precise as in around existing utilities,,,but it would be best if a person could test each one,maybe take a 3 inch rock and see if you can push across the ground without touching the ground,then try it with a pack of cigarettes that's my two cents worth hope it helps,foozzer
excavator! but your question is like comparing an airplane to a tractor, both have there place but they are not comparable
Get an excavator first, 80-90% of my work can be done with it. My dozer is handy, and sometimes essential, but for what work I get for it, I could probably get by renting one. Also the dozer is expensive to operate as far as the tracks go, where the tracks on the excavator last a long time.
I would buy an excavator and a dump truck, kind of like a hand shovel with no wheelbarrow otherwise. The distance to service would make a difference to me, or what other equipment you have now, if you have a farm you may have Deere tractors, which have similar parts to Deere equipment, O rings filters special tools and such. I would always suggest a cat or Deere for the simple fact parts are available for many years.
I have a rural property which I would like to clear some trees, dig a small pond, and add some nice property features. I have found a 2004 Case 590 M 4x4 Turbo with grapple. 2,500hrs I believe this would be the best all round choice. I would like to get most of my investment in this machine back when I sell it. Any comment?
Sounds like a question for a new thread, since this one is hoe vs. dozer.
Ok to me it depends on what sixe machines we are talking about. The midi excavators 12-20k thousand pound, units with a blade are handier than a swiss army knife and are priced so. The value priced excavators are the 45k - 55k pounders, but you don't bring one of them in for little jobs. Also excavators have improved more in the last 20 years than dozers have, making an older dozer a very viable piece. From my point of view if you want to spend less than 25k, buy a dozer, if you want to spend less than 40, buy the hoe...