Ok my other thread went off the tracks because some got confused when I switched from one dozer to another without a clear subject swap. DON'T SKIP AHEAD ON THIS THREAD. MAKE SURE YOUR ON THE SAME MACHINE AS THE THREAD IS. Instead of doing a new thread for every machine I'm considering, I'll just use this thread. I'm new to dozers and am looking to do a little grading, a little road maintenance and maybe cut in a few new access roads on my land. Size I need would be from a JD 450 up. Until I find one for y'all to scrutinize, what brand/model would you suggest for above duties? I like the JD 450& 550 series but am hesitant because of crazy cost to fix a bad trans on one. Would a case same size be more affordable if a trans suddenly went out? I have had a couple cat TLB's and have been happy with them. Would a cat D3 be a better choice as far as repair cost? Seeing a few clean Dresser TD-7/8's. What's the consensus about dressers? Komatsu is supposed to be friendlier as far as working on clutches/trans...Anyone like them? Anyways, when I list a machine I'll make it obvious. When I swap to another machine I will make it obvious also. THANKS AGAIN FOR HELPING A NOVICE
Don't yell at people telling them what to do. You probably won't get any help that way and you didn't need a new thread. I think the biggest thing for you to do is remember that dozers can be and often are money pits. JD may be more expensive to do a tranny rebuild but none of the other brands are going to be cheap to fix, just maybe a little less expensive. You're looking for a good $15K dozer and you might not find one for quite a while.
Not yelling at anyone.Just BOLD print so people can't say "why are you posting pics of different dozers." I understand that heavy equipment can be a money pit. That's why I'm researching opinions on brands and models.... Some models have known weak points. One year may be a transition year to a preferred trans and such etc. etc. I will find a good deal on a dozer or I won't. What I did with this thread is save the mods/admin 10-20 threads on different dozers. I wouldn't let it worry you. Thanks to any who have opinions as I value the knowledge.
Using all caps is considered yelling. Telling people not to skip the thread etc.? You were looking at a particular dozer and then post a pic. of another dozer out of the blue without any explanation. Maybe there's a reason not many others are giving you advice?
I think you have nothing better to do than aggravate people. I explained what happened, tried to correct the direction of previous thread and here you are again. I don't care what your knowledge is .....I'll do without. Leave earth
Now back to the subject at hand. Here's a little 450C I'm checking out. Looks to be a pretty good little dozer. At his asking price it's within my budget. Other than undercarriage, are there any key areas to check as far as these 450C's Thanks as.always
Komatsu's are not easy to work on , what I've seen with the new ones its better than the older ones . Example of one job , its possible to remove a final drive , sprocket hub housing intact and take it to town . I've seen it twice on local dozers , D41 and a D61 very impressed with it . As for the others including one of the size you want any job is a battle . D31 I'm told have a seal fail about 4000 hours , seal cost cheap , labour expensive . The good thing about Komatsu's don't need much attention . Having said that stay away from P models , they work hard as they have enough tracks for a dozer twice the size .
That's quite the paint can rebuild Did you take the pictures or are those from the sellers advertisement? If you get next to the machine take detailed pictures of the track rails themselves, the front idler the guards and rollers on the bottom. The idler looks to be in a good spot it doesn't look like the track is horribly stretched but some better pics of the tracks would be nice.
Wow! Having owned a loader version of D3B for over 20 years and previously owning a JD 355 loader I have a little experience with the size of machines you are looking at. Also know someone with a JD450D. I have been trying to help you avoid getting a money pit but obviously you would rather make a mountain out of a mole hill. You didn't need to start a new thread and using all caps is considered yelling on the internet. If you were to read the rules of the forum you would know it is not appropriate. If this is your attitude, good luck on getting further assistance with finding and more importantly repairing what ever machine you get. It will need repairs.
Indeed, in "netiquette" all caps is considered yelling. It's in the Forum Rules for that reason. Edit to add: (Although I don't think one line in all caps, for emphasis, is something to get too excited about.) Previous thread closed, as requested, with a link provided to this one. We're not going to simply "delete" a thread that members have put enough time and effort into to make it three pages long. I didn't bother reading all of the other thread. I've just had to read through this thread, when I wasn't really interested, to see what the yelling was about. And now I'm having to post a reminder to everyone that it's also in the rules to be polite and respectful, and don't post stuff that's not. Like this: We all on the same page now?
X2 Digger. Discussing Heavy Equipment shouldn't be this difficult unless you own a JCB or Bobcat. BTW - that's a joke for the easily offended.
15k dozes will likely cost another 15k to make them right. I'm rebuilding an undercarriage right now tracks sprocket all new blade pins and bushings line boring welding bushings in. Customer is cutting corners and only replacing 3/4 of what needs to be done. 18k parts and labor. Dozens are money pits when they have 3000 hours and little maint
Some of the money pit can be bridged if you do your own work. Really, a whole lot of it can.
There was a tiny bit of confusion and I thought it was cleared up. Apparently it wasn't and the OP took offence to my posting when all I was trying to do was help him. I did think it was odd to want a 3 page thread deleted. The don't skip ahead and stay on the same machine sentence in all caps is kind of offensive and why I pointed it out. A new member telling me (or anyone else) to leave earth because a thread wasn't entirely clear is beyond reason. I was just trying to help him but somehow he took offence to it. Not a good way to join a forum in my opinion but to each their own I guess. One thing I will clarify is when I said JD trannies are generally more expensive to repair I didn't mean other machines weren't expensive. IE/ JD 10k to rebuild, Cat 7K to rebuild. These are not set in stone prices just a rough figure for comparison.
I have found you can purchase a medium sized dozer less expensively than the smaller ones. It may take a permit to move it but how often would that be required on a farm property? Maybe something to think about?
Well, let's just put it behind us.
Owww! Welder Dave pulled my hair!
What a way to become a new member! Let's hope your hair won't be the only thing getting pulled.
That was kinda weird dave. Are you lacking attention or something? Mods?
What was weird or uncalled for was you told me to leave the earth when I was trying to help you. Don't think that flies with anyone. I've fixed just about everything except the trans. on my Cat but obviously you don't want my assistance.
Enough! Final warning.
thanks for the info. Just had seen a review from a komatsu owner. He said clutches had easy access, removing trannie was easier because it was separate from engine. Also guy had a Perkins in his. Seller took pics. Paint looks better to me than some I've seen. At least it should be easier to find leaks. I'll try and get some more pics today.
That 450C is a nice looking unit. If you'll PM me the machine serial number I'll have my son in law run it for some history. Whether that will be worth anything or not I don't know. He is the parts manager for a John Deere dealership so has access and doesn't mind doing it for me.
Thanks. Pm coming
Not near the OP, but last night I found a decent looking TD-20 with brush rake, winch and stump splitter for 32K I think. Everything on it looked good. It was a good example of that. After many years of getting beat up by little dozer over big rock, I am much more fond of seeing how small a job I can do with a BIG dozer. The ride is everything now
I've just been following along on this thread but, considering the attitude of the OP, I'll refrain from any comments I may have.
Thankyou I appreciate that. Anyone that thinks I did something wrong should not comment here. All I did was.show a.pic of a sprocket and it confused some people. I tried to get that thread back on track with apologies. I then thought that thread was doomed for misunderstandings because I could no longer edit the OP to say there would be multiple tractors.discussed. I decided to ask for that thread to be closed and I opened another. The new thread offended someone again because I used caps in beginning of the thread. I used caps just to catch the eye's. It explained it was a.multiple dozer thread as I'm looking at multiple dozers. No one was on the friggin thread for me to yell at yet. I had no reason to yell at anyone. Doesn't the fact that It was an opening post with a small note in caps mean I was just trying to start the thread with an explanation as to what I was.gonna do with the thread? During all this someone kept saying, you shoulda done this and shoulda done that and.....all the way into the second thread. I won't apologize for anything else. If you don't agree with my explanation then move on to a safe space DISCLAIMER: This statement and the grammar thereof is in no way meant to harm anyone physically or mentally.
Digger warned ya'll. Thread closed for Mod review.