I am looking into buying either a dozer or a track loader to put in a pond. I have never owned anything with tracks on it so I am not 100% sure what to look for. I have a old deere 410 back hoe but that is not going to cut it for this project. I see old d6 on the local craigslist all the time but they look so old. Are the old cats worth the 6kto10k ? or am i better off spending a little more money and getting something a little newer but smaller? Thanks
For starters, are you intending to put the machine into the pond wet? The first option here is to break the dam SLOWLY, drop the water out and allow the floor to dry over a year or so. If you intend to do this with water in it then I would rent a excavator and stand off at the bank to drag the muck to a level of depth you can accommodate. Most lower rollers are oil filled and do not tolerate consistent immersion in deeper liquid, most seals are designed to keep fluids in not out in constant immersion. Tracks do not mean won't get stuck, dropping a heavy machine into a muck layer to the belly pans will almost certainly get into a predicament you really don't wish to be in. As to value, many older machines are holding their worth as to $ figure for scrap weight, a series C D6 will weigh in around 36,000 pounds(no blade), near to 18 tons at a respectable return of $200-240/ton as scrap $3600, used machine dealers will give a little more than that for decent parts machines that are prolific as Cat or Dresser, functional and worthy machines are well worth their money today. Keep in mind you will need to contract with a hauling service to move it from location to another location if you pick up a larger machine, my last move was $3/loaded mile, $1/empty mile.
i have a good td7g dresser with new under carriage and 6 way blade with cummings diesel and power shift, weighs about 15000 pounds, ready to work for 15000.00 call 304 824 4043 or 304 542 4781, no sunday calls