I have owned mostly case and deere equipment, but I am looking at Komatsu dozer, but don't know much about these machines. looking at 21 and 31. what are the weak points???
Komatsu's smaller dozers are ok. Their cheap to buy and a pretty decent machine. But on the flip side they have no resale, not as dependable. From what I've seen on the bigger D41's, the undercarriages don't seem to hold up as well. It just depends on what you are going to do and the price range you are looking for.
C'mon! Did you really think that you'd get an honest opinion from a guy who calls himself 'Deereman'??? lol Komatsu's small dozers are tough and dependable, and have a very good reputation. See if your dealer won't let you take one out on a demo. I'd definitely recomend the D31 over the D21, as you might well outgrow the 21 very quickly. Resale is not as much issue with Komatsu. Cat salesmen have used this "issue" as a sales tool for years, and as time goes on, it is less and less valid. The machines are good, parts availability and product support in the US is great. Try one out and see what you think. Good luck, Tony
I don't have dozers so have no real opinion. Our 150 has been very reliable machine, however when I do need something, parts support has never been as good as Cat. I often have to wait 2 days or more for some parts and the prices will really set you back on some parts compared to Cat. With Cat it's unusual not to have parts by next morning and even same day if I order by 9:00 AM or so.
The smaller Komatsu dozers are decent machines. I have run a few of them and I can say there are things I like and dislike about them....same can be said for every machine out there regardless of the name on the side. A few things about Komatsu dozers though....resale IS lower than Deere and Cat. There are many contributing factors in this, but resale should only be a determining factor if you are planning on keeping the unit for a few years and rotating it out of your fleet. If you plan on keeping the machine for years on end and running the rails off of it....then how much does resale truly play into the buying decision. They are usually quite a bit cheaper to purchase up front, but then again that plays into the resale on the back end. You are going to pay more for a Deere or Cat machine, but you will also get more for it on the back end. This is one of those things in which you can't have your cake and eat it too. You can't expect to buy the cheapest machine on the market and then expect to get the highest resale for it on the back end. Simple economics will say "no". To dispell the "myth" that resale is only a selling tool that the competition uses against Komatsu, look at the last 10 years of auction results on machinerytrader . You will find that Komatsu does in fact have a lower resale. Am I saying that this is the reason not to buy one of these machines? Not at all. Simply trying to illustrate my point. The two other competitors here have a much more uniform product support coverage and overall generally much better capitolized dealers. This allows them to employ better techs, put more service trucks on the road and upgrade their shops sooner than a dealer that isn't as well capitolized. In my opinion this is why Komatsu is the #3 player in small dozers in NA. Not because their product isn't good and at a good price, but because generally speaking they don't have the dealer network that #1 and #2 have.
the 21 has a dry multiple disc steer clutch/band brake. The early 31's are the same. Komatsu went to a wet multi disc and band style set up in the -18 31's i believe. They are quiet smooth running machines, common for them to have a high speed flutter and smoke a bit until fully warmed up. (haven't seen a 95 series engine that didn't do this) Final drive seal replacement will require special tooling to remove the hub, they are pressed onto a tapered and splined shaft. machines with alot of hours on them tent to have really sloppy shift linkage (31's) If you are going to be using the inching pedal (Clutch pedal) make sure it is free and not one bit sticky, if it is not coming back up fully, this will burn out the trans in a heartbeat. personally, i would be looking for a 32, 38 or a 39. same machines as the Dresser td-7,8,9 H series.
Hi, I'm new to this forum, and I know this thread goes back a year or 2, but I hope someone can shed some light on this sticky-inching-clutch-problem. We have run a D31-P-18 of and on for about 12 mths mostly rebuilding hillsides on lite volcanic ash country in the Bay of Plenty NZ. The swampy leaves a good compacted finish, something you can't do 4X4 wheel tractor even on duals. Got Komatsu service Mech to give it 4500hr full treatment and his opinion on just what was right and wrong having serviced this particular machine for the previous owner, [who was kilt by it]. But that's another story, for another time! I'll just keep wearing my seat belt. The only thing we/I could find wrong with the D31 was the inching pedal was bit sticky when the tractor was warmed up [done a couple hours of work]. OK when it was cold. So we loaded up the return spring on the linkage and made sure there was the correct travel on what I presume was the spool-valve thingy that disappears into the top of the trans-housing. Its still a bit sticky but I've been assured by another operator/owner of a D31 that they all have this problem and no-one's had a transmission blow that I know of. So how serious is it and what's the fix? Cheers from New Zealand
what would your opinion be on a d-20p? it looks like a 4-way blade, 1992 model and has the swamp tracks. I am just beginning to look at dozers and would like advise first. Thanks Mike
Hey mikey , I dont know what a d20 is but swamp dozers are good for a swamp and nothing else, the wide tracks makes the blade be too wide for the tractor and the wide pads bend on stumps and rocks
this is pretty much all i know on it, just came across it and was interested a bit, it is sorta small though
Looks ok but i think it is a kinda special setup may work for you though
What do you mean Special set up? its just got LGP tracks on it everything else seem standard too me. and I personally love Komatsu dozers. had heaps of experience with them.
Thanks for the replies guys, I am sure that when the time comes I will have many more questions on the one that I do buy.
I just bought a kamatsu d41 s3 an love it,not too big not too small,i am waitong on a radiator hose on backorder for a month but due to covid an assembly in japan was shut down,however the dealor went in there huge inventory an found one with same bends,i cut to length an boom,allgood until new one comes in.radiator has a pin keak on very top that im hoping to soder with lead soder next weekend when i get back to the property i bought in maine.this nachine is close to a 85/88 an gas 3,800 correct hours!!! Its beautiful in my opinion,an is built very well.any other stuff i may be able to help you with please let me know,im new here an to this machine,but much experience in the field .i also just srarted a facebook group specifically just kamatsu dozer owners,hopefully in time it may grow an help people myself included.im not good at this computer stuff an always afaraid im replying,or posting in wrong area,hopefully i get better or used to this, Derek
Guy I bought some gear off who had a few of both Caterpillar and Komatsu put it rather aptly . Caterpillar are easy to work on and need it while Komatsu are pretty tough to repair, but don't need much . His dozers were all later model tractors . He was getting 6000 hours out of Komatsu and 4000 out of Caterpillar tracks . He is the guy I've mentioned before who put another radiator in front of an existing one on a D4 hightrack to increase its cooling capacity . All this rubbish about resale of Komatsu ignores they are cheaper to purchase second hand and as for the claims of stripping tons and horse power off a range of dozers as Caterpiller has done make them more efficient is just laughable . Having a biased plug for Kamatsu has to be tempered with a caution though , there's a D41 p next door thats had alot done to it . Not the only P that had the best of its years driving tracks made for wet ground used on dry with enough track ground contact area fot a dozer with half as much HP bigger again
No product support nearby here so are a loss column machine for repairs. Sit days to weeks awaiting parts or pieces, cat can have parts at hand in a day or two, Deere similar. Quickly becoming another Orphan Brand.
Maybe in your part of the world , Deere and Komatsu can't be compared as an equal . Komatsu last year 19 billion sales while Deere of 6 . Caterpillar @ 26 billion . If there are parts supply prolems most will be local . I'm able to get parts x Japan 3-4 days and during covid supply problems .
Spoke to a Komatsu Crawler owner near here, 3 days would be a blessing, anywhere from a week to three weeks for small stuff and Might be right, many times is Not, bigger parts MONTHS. His definition as is mine, Orphan Brand here. Finds he is better off buying used and repairing what can as to spares.
We have 4 Komatsu pieces of iron. Never had to wait more than a day for any part Very good machines
Has to be our region, even the shops using Rubber Tired machines have issues for pieces.
Over here, Komatsu probably outsell Cat 20:1 especially Komatsu D65 v D6, the Cat would be considered poor by many people. Deere never sold here but Liebherr seem to be making a comeback.