Haven't seen any discussion on dozer blade pitch. Is there some technical analysis used to determine the proper pitch or is this a personal preference issue. I assume different conditions warrant a turn or two of the turnbuckle. Does anyone ever adjust or do you find a happy medium and leave it? Do you change the pitch for clearing trees or for dry versus wet sticky dirt? I work in a lot of clay soils - hard when dry and sticky, smeary , gummy when wet. The machine has a straight blade and was pitched forward to far when we got it. I finally got it loosened up and just one turn made a significant difference. I now have it shortened four turns and she is really rolling dirt. I'll keep experimenting but will I know when its back too far just because I can't get the dirt off the blade or what? We purchased a dozer for our own farm use but in a small rural community the word travels fast and due to my previous experience my phone won't stop ringing. I want happy customers and due to all the rain and subsequent damage to farmland this past year there is lots of work to do. My list is getting longer and I thought I had a full time job farming. I'm not exactly a rookie at operating a dozer but I just left them the way they were set up before I got on and never was taught proper blade pitch. I wish I could post some pictures of the current position-besides I'd like to show off our thirty year old creampuff. Any comments would be appreciated. Yes I'm working by the hour, but I may as well get as much production as I can goin' forward 'cause when I throw her in reverse I ain't doin' nothin'.
Dozer Blade Pitch You have the right Idea, just keep moving the pitch till you gets the results you seek. Rock work , it's tilted forward and sand it's tilted to the rear. Gravels it's tilted just slightly to the rear from vertical. If you need to cut a smooth grade, then adjust it so the corner bits don't dig in. Eventually you will arrive at what works best for you. Keep the screw arms greased for easy adjustment.
J&D, Sounds like you're doing what I'd like to do...bought my D6c to use on the farm too, but I wouldn't mind hiring out some to help cover costs. Any suggestions on getting the word out for part-time work?
Thanks Northart and Hi D6c10K Be careful what you ask for 10K it may turn into a full time job. Reputation in rural midwest seems to be the key for getting work. If you do quality work at reasonable price, work hard, pay attention to detail and don't treat it as just dirt but rather somebody's farm it helps. Also don't forget you pull the levers but the customer has the final say on everything! If your just in it for the money people will know soon enough and you won't get asked back. Its been six or seven years since I worked for local contractor but many neighbors haven't forgot the work I did for them. When they see me "in the area" they stop and ask if I could do a little something while I'm here. The little somethings always turn into bigger somethings. High profile areas like working along the highway should always be shined up a little more so people notice. They'll see your pickup and know its you. All it takes is one or two jobs and it seems to go from there. I'm currently froze out in the middle of a rather large terrace project I wasn't expecting but the neighbor has had us bale, plant and harvest crops for him in the past and wanted us to do the job. Work always seems to find us but not necessarily with money. Good luck! By the way I've got a few hundred hours on a 6c (46A?). I've been on three 10K's but not for too long. Two of the 10K's were very nice machines the other I couldn't control...was like there was air in the lift cylinders. Bet you've got a good one. Spent most of my time on a D7E. Some weather we are having huh?
How the weather this morning???? As far as blade laid back,it makes for carrying more dirt longer distances,but when you building narrow base terraces it is a pain when the dirt doesn't want to come off the blade.Espeically when your trying to finish off the top with just a few tenths. Tilting the arm also changes the angle of tilt,so with laid way back it might not tilt as far left or right.Which when clearing one side of the blade will be tilted farther if you cutting roots to take out trees. Okay if your working off the one side all the time. I usually work off the left side of the blade most of the time,so like it to be tilted more to that side.Only thing is you can't have it both ways laid back or forward and equal tilt on the same side you like to work off. I have high track dozers,one has the screw in adjustment,the other one three postion pin. I mainly just use the middle pin hole. As far as the other screw adjustment it works okay as long as you can keep from getting stuck. Usually on smaller dozers the blade laid back they doze smoother with the blade laid back.Also with hard ground blade goes into the ground better tilted forward,but tends to want to gouge more.Cutting edge wear different when laid back as to farther forward.Not a real big deal. So what type terraces was you working on Narrow base,broadbase,reverse backslope is the new thing here,then there are the old grass back farmable frontslope.Which here with the rough ground the norm is narrowbase.Flatground,broadbase,and slight slope the new thing now is reverse backslope. I haven't built an old grassback farmable terrace in ages.Good luck:usa
J&D, A full time job might be just what I need...surveying work has been slow for the past 1 1/2 years. Mostly we do road construction staking and the big projects have kind of dried up. I'll have to experiment with my blade angle (once we get though winter) and see what works best. Small changes must be all it takes...I've seen guys make adjustments of just a turn or two.
Hi Construct'O I truly appreciate your reply...that was helpful. I am curious about the cutting edge wear but I reckon I'll find out. I remember seeing a picture of your 6R? taking out a cottonwood? on this site a while back. The dozer made me drool. I had an opportunity to try an 6HII or 6RXW (The semi-u's were impressive) this summer while helping a contractor on a pond but told them I didn't think I should spoil myself like that. I think I could afford one but I sure can't justify one. I'm in too deep on this farming thing and no matter how much I like to change the face of the earth I better stick to what I know the best. I've known many more experienced operators who prefer the left side. Personally I've always tried not to favor one side so as to not feel uncomfortable with the other. I also was taught to keep a windrow in front of me 'cause "loose dirt pushes easy". I suppose they were trying to keep me from gouging back when I was learning...which is an endeavor I still try to accomplish every day. (The learning not the gouging.) Every time I try to take a foot or two at a time while stripping I end up headed eastwesterly and dig a hole. We have many old grassback farmable front terraces my dad built on our farms but there are better options now, although they still do the job. We have a few narrowbase and don't care much for them 'cause they are too difficult to maintain. It's the brush and not being able to get on them to mow or plow them up. I've built a number of them though and don't care if I ever do again. We have rough ground so not alot of broadbase but the steep front farmable backs are our favorite to farm and are economical and a pleasure to build. They can usually be made to work even on our steeper slopes. They have been popular in this area for a few years. All together we farm around maybe seventy intakes give or take. I last dozed tuesday while it was snowing to finish one end of a fill. It was brutal monday and tuesday. I have no cab and the dirt froze to my blade pretty bad. The terraces are broadbase and I felt like I was in over my head with winter moving in. The first fill was just over 2000 yds and the second just under 2500. There are more to do and they don't get much smaller. They are long and the dirt isn't close. I reckon we've pushed on some similar soils. I deer hunted today and with the ice they heard us coming easily but at least I didn't fall on my wallet. Again thanks for the response and sorry if I rambled. Stay warm!
Good advice. Hi, J&D. You've been given the 'good oil' on adjusting the tilt brace. Experimentation and experience are the keys. So much better though when you have tilt rams on BOTH sides and you can adjust the pitch of the blade on the run. (I only put that in there so you'd have something to drool over while it's 'too cold to work'.
Dozing and tiling is my busniess(farming is my hobby )just opposite of yours. Growed up on a farm live on the family farm. Forty plus years running heavy equipment(34 years this year running my own bus),not including the two years i spent in the Army(tanks). I have had D6C 10K,D6D,D7E(not new electric one ) now have D6H i bought new in 1988,and D6R and would like to get a Deere dozer to go along with my trenchers. The hightracks for farmwork have been very good to me and dependable.I like the hight of blade lift for building the narrowbase terraces.Since most of them are all pretty well built from the back side here. As far as dozing one side ,i prefer left,but either isn't a problem. As far as terraces here, narrowbase are usually built when the ground slope get over 6% grade up too 12,14%.Broadbase 0 to 6%,4% is better.As the ground drops off on the broad base,and reverse sides terrace the backslope get longer and steeper. Always someone wanting you to build a bradbase or reverse on steep ground.They don't realize the of dirt needed and as the hill (slope) drops off the backslope has to be longer to make it farmable.Here backslopes can't be steeper then 5%.Which i have slope meters in my dozers. Then a they complain how steep the back slope is.Some places it just isn't going to work,thats where narrowbase comes in. Even with them i have built some with 14 to 16 ft. backslope to get the three ft. storage the NRCS called for.Some have 5 to 6 ft. fill on the front slope.Try building a broadbase or reverse slope terrace on 10 to 12% ground .Good luck. The wear isn't a big deal,just if you run with laid back a long time in hard dirt they get a little different pitch in the edge of the bits and make it deep more seems when changed.Also you get use to running with it laid back and you kind of loss what it was like tilted forward and going in the ground faster easier. Have fun deer hunting(too many here) ,thats one less one maybe someone won't hit with there car(pickup):notworthy:usa
Tilt brace That's what that thing is called! Thanks Mr. Plant for the correct terminology. You've also started me thinking about a modification. Lets see I could plumb a second tilt cylinder into the third valve and....aw shucks I don't know where I want the pitch now, with infinitely variable positions I'd really be lost. Hey Construct'o sound like you've got a full plate since you tile too. I couldn't help but notice the word trencher had an s on the end. Your point is well taken on which terrace is appropriate for which slopes. I reckon I'll learn my lesson the hard way in that regard. We keep a lot of our rougher ground seeded down as we have quite a few cattle. Contractors in this area are pretty busy with farm repair work from rains. A lot of EQUIP money being used as well. I'm sure you've got plenty to do. I am concerned about how long the work will last however. Commodity prices droped like a hammer and livestock producers have suffered a while. People get conservative when economy turns sour. Don't mean to be pessimistic. Thanks. Merry Christmas everybody!