I posted on here awhile back asking input on a dozer etc for the work i wanted to do. I bit the bullet, and we got a 2005 CAT. I was afraid it was not strong enough, but this little things has some arse. here is a before and after picture, after just one day of unloading it. took part of bank out and cut a rough area out, I'm still going to lower it down some in a few areas . but just wanted to share the fun we were having. I'll share more before and after as time goes along, as i have been looking at everyone's work/suggestions. I have a good friend that has alot of seat time that is helping/teaching me on different situations. thank goodness. the two things I'd love to find for my dozer are some sweeps and metal screens at a good price. Your suggestions/opins are appreciated. thanks for all the info. in my previous post.
forgot pictures. I forgot to hit the upload button on the picture page.
nice work!!!! not to bad for a greene
:thumbsup:thumbsup
Nice looking machine. Congratulations!!!!! One thing that you might want to do is make your roads allot wider so that you can cut drainage ditches into them. The first time water starts to run across the top of a road is when the road starts to fall apart. You never want water to cross a road. Big, wide ditches are easier to maintain, mow and keep the flow steady, but slow. The deeper thinner the ditches, the faster the water will flow, and the more erosion that you will get. With roads come maintenance. Eddie
Ooh kancane, but looks like you really got something good in return for your investmewnt
But we dont know what his investment was.:beatsme
Thanks for the info it will be good info, I talking some off the elavation as i have to do some filling to the right hand side of road way, when i do that i plan on renting me a excavator to ditch it out. I think i'm going to ditch it down the high side and pipe it under at the bottom, etc this one reason i wanted to have a dozer on site to be able to "fix"/improve things that are not satisfactory. Plus when I get to top have a lot of leveling to do and brush work/trees.
I don't think I got hurt "yet" to bad., it had 860 hours on it......wife told me it was either it or a new truck......I figured the truck would depreciate much more. I saw a new avalanche with mossy oak that would have cost me more. and a F-250 almost as much
kancane ?? can anyone provide links on video on tree removal, for example white oak/hickory, etc. I took one down and i didn't get the blade back fast enough and root ball gave me a good ride. especiallly if the tree is banked ground. Thanks....
Nice choice on the dozer, I think you will be happy with it. I have a D5G XL I bought new in '04 and we have put 3K hours on it. The biggest component failure so far has been the A/C compressor. I guess 3K hours is the magic number for compressors, just a week before replaced the one on the '53C at 2900 hours.:beatsme:Banghead I had the bushings wet turned at 2800 hours and it needs some new shoes. That little dozer will do alot of work for it's size, good on fuel and dependable. As far as renting an excavator to ditch the roads, use your 6-way to ditch one side and throw the material to the center. Paging grader4me.... please pick up the white courtesy phone. Just a thought to save you some $$$$ on excavator rental. Question: What do you have the bolt cutters strapped to the ROPS for? Looks good!:drinkup
Hello wvfarmervet. Im new to the forum but here are my 2cents. With a dozer the size of yours, for large whiteoaks I like to cut the roots on the side of the tree where I want it to fall. Angle your blade to cut them and then shove the dirt to the oppsite side of the tree and build a ramp to give more leverage. Then push it over but be ready to back up as soon as you know its going to go down. This is to keep the rootball from getting hung between the blade and machine. Hope this helps!
Welcome to the Forums firetruck dvr.!:drinkup
Thanks for the info, i'm learning every second on the use of the blade. As for the bolt cutters, they are not bolt cutters they are large 2in. limb Loppers, in the section I was working I was in some brush/saplings and multirose patches, and I found it much easier to keep them with reach instead of backing out and finding them or repositioning myself to get what everi t was out of my face or from muffler stack. sounds like a green horn huh? I'd love to find some screens at a good price used. and sweeps. CM1995, about how many hours use do your D5G see the gauge move, I used it for a good bit yesterday and it didn't move a bit. Just curious, as if the gauge is broke I want to get it fixed quickly. Thanks
You can't go wrong with Cat, it costs more to buy but you can always get parts and service and you will get more when it's time to sell.
darn it i was clearing the some wooded areas last night and messed up.....had a vine hanging nearby and i thought i had it cleared until i slide a little on a downed smaller branch. and my exhaust stack bent :Banghead, and it bent back when i moved away from it. any suggestions on replacements other than cat.
O' the pain of clearing trees,brush and vines!!!!!!!!! Just goes to show that wood is harder then iron sometimes.Good luck just the same.:usa
next step. i have a path done to the lower path of bank., and x's marked at approx top and bottom of proposed routes. I'm trying to determine if bank is to step to start at say top and drop lower right hand side of blade and come down and put fill to left of dozer to create a more level path down. one time i look at path it doesn't seem to steep another time i think twice. wish i knew of a way to calculate slope as i don't have a meter, but on the other hand if i'm plowng fill to lower side would slope matter that much.......I used this method in the first pictures just below the ole green building with no problem. would it be better to come from bottom up, with lower left blade down and throw material to right? your valuable input would be greatly appreciated. The reason I want to stay away from the old road to the right is: 1) it goes straight up instead of around. 2) there is a slope down to the creek right beside it. 3) there is a 10 gas line right up the middle of ole road about 3 foot deep just rather stay way from it as they may need to work on it some day, and i don't want my upgraded road to be in the mix.
The screens are very easy to fabricate. You need to purchase some new screen from a supplier and then you get some flat bar stock and weld em up. You may even be able to get some steel tube bent to make your sweeps also. Unless you want to spend a bunch of $. Then you could just go to the cat dealer. And that is a much better thing to spend the money on than a new pickup. There is noway you can use that pickup and make $100 per hour with it. And like you say it depreciates way too fast, especially the way fuel is priced now.
Which way? Hi, Wmfarmervet. There are two schools of thought on whether to work uphill or downhill. I'll give them to you and leave you to take your pick. The first thought is that working uphill makes it easier to back out if you get into any trouble, even though it is less productive due to pushing (**it) uphill all the time. The back of the tractor will also not be quite so keen to slide away towards the edge when working uphill if you happen to strike an obstacle like a rock or tree root with the inside corner of the blade. The dirt will move faster across the face of the angled blade when working uphill and your machine will be slightly more controllable. So much for working uphill. When working downhill, production is maximised due to the effects of gravity (There's no such thing as gravity. The Earth SUCKS.) and having the weight of the machine working for you as well. If you strike an obstacle with the inside corner of the blade, your back end will slide outward toward the edge somewhat more readily due to there being less weight on the back of the machine and your own momentum. Dirt will move slower across the face of the angled blade going downhill. It can be somewhat more difficult to get back out of trouble if you are trying to back uphill as well. So much for working downhill. You may need to look at what you expect to encounter in the ground you will be cutting the road through. Are there any rocks or stumps? Is it all easy cutting? Are there any trees to take out? Personally, I think I'd be taking out any trees or stumps before I started cutting the road while you still freedom of movement. Just my 0.02.
There is a company that makes aftermarket exhausts. Thrumore is the name of the company I beleive. They do black as well as chrome. I believe a d5g just has a slip on piece that you bent right? If thats the case a trip to the muffler shop might be the easiest repair, though crome is always cool. Anyhow, looks like your getting the hang of dozing, lookin good too.
took your advice, took i muffler shop and he straightened it, thus creating a hole that had to be welded. but all is goooood. just a little black paint would help.
more before and after pictures. this is after my post 18 above. this is of the longer area of road i needed cut. it is rough i need to take about 5-10 foot of hump out to bring down climb as the upper end dips down in the area i'm goiing to put my turn at. it was pouring downnnnn rain, so it looks rough. one good question: once i determine my banking on road and ditch line, etc. Which gravel combo would be good, i thought of using basic 57's first, then maybe some crusher run to top that I plan on using it graveled for a while to make sure i don't have to change anything later before paving cost. I need the best gravel for the money, I can't afford to triple layer things, etc. your input is appreciated. thanks.