Hi All Need a bit of advice , looking at buying a dozer and came a cross what seems like a genuine 1994 Komatsu D 65 PX What were these like, dont really know what im looking at or what to look for really Looking for a simple machine, mainly Ag work, needs to be reasonably low ground pressure , but not at the expence of pushing . Either way id like to know what ye think of the above model. Its been with the one owner a long time and seems genuine J
My .02,, If you are not knowledgeable, find someone who is and pay them to evaluate the machine. Most of the time you pay a little up front and will possibly save thousands of dollars and time in the long run. Hope this is helpful.
Im, just looking for a few pointers , stuff to avoid etc. . When i find one no problem, ill get someone to check over. Its more the model and year as i presume there was different things on different vintages , good and bad. Im actually thinking maybe a 61 modle maybe a better bet. But i have no idea were 61 or 65 more reliable or same. looking in the 15-35k bracket . Or is komatsu the wrong brand with that moiney in mind.
I have a 2000 komatsu D65Ex-12 which is basically the same machine except yours is a LGP model. Mine has just a smidge over 10,000 hrs and I can honestly say it has been the most trouble free machine I have ever owned. If it has been well maintained they will run along time. They have alot of the creature comforts of the newer machines (joystick controls) without the computer BS of the newer models. They are fairly simple to work on compared to the newer dash 15 machines. I'm not going to say they are better than a Cat D6H or D6R but they do pretty good for half the $$ of an equivalent Cat machine.
Thanks Bam, that the kind aof info i want to establish. DO u mind me asking is that a -12 i have picture up of , when were the -12 in build from to? Im reading a bit about 61 Versus 65 , sounds liek the 61 is more complex on the final drive area and that the 65 is a simpler machines? yes / no?
Yes the one picture is a dash 12. I'm not 100% sure the exact years but I think a 1994 would have been close to the beginning of that series. I think the dash 15 (next series) started around 2002. I don't know much about a 61 other than I think they only built those with a 6 way blade configuration. If you are doing much tree work you would have to be careful because they are not built as stout as the four way blade on the one you have pictured.
Your 100% right its 1994 , no wont be at much tree work really. Im based in ireland , see a lot more 65 that 61 about.
LGP machines tend to be harder on track rails they wear internally rail height can be good but rails are stretched out check where idler is and count links to make sure one has not been taken out
Well done , makes sence It will ahve to be a LGP machien i get as work is land mainly , and some of it can be a little trickey Also for a similar reason its where the 61 is catching my eye , lighter a maybe nimbler i presume.
Hey, we too have a farm south of europe, we got a D5H (a bit too heavy for our needs) Thing is depending of what u plan to do in the farm/s the 65 is a beast 20plus Ton and 180HP 6 Cyl... 200lts fuel day machine.... maybe 80% of your farm jobs can be done with a 10T machine and a 100HP engine @ 100lts day. Something u should consider. The 61 is no way better than a 65, and a 50 same. a lot of ppl here use 40 and 41´s for farming related jobs... Other thing u got to consider is, after 1995 almost all pices of equipment came with electronics, electroncs are hard to find and fix, same for Hydrostat systems, run from them despite they are sometimes very good , fixing them is nightmare. Old equipment do fail a lot , keeping in mind parts availability and simplicity is a must. This is the reason we went CAT. Komatsu are much better workwise but almost nothing in aftermarket. Friend got a D50E and had a track coil broken , he got to spend like 4k to get one from china... if it was a CAT u can get it in any parts store. Let say i´m no fan of CAT, but the reality has to be faced every now and then.
Thanks mquinista Very good point , I don’t really need a big animal drinking 200 liters When I say komatsu is better work wise do u mean to drive or to fix ? What model cat would u recommend ? A Simple one avoid the electronics in that 40/4q area ? What can u get in that 20-40k range
Lets say if i can share any interesting experience from my knowledge. Komatsu´s are more userfriendly, have beter ergonomics, low Center Gravity, lower overall, also less ground to botom clearence. For farm work this is important, as along the way one may have to work under or in between tree´s/ fences and wet soil, sometimes dragging implements is also a must , so u need hydraulics in the very same sense a farm tractor has. CAT´s make sense after the H series, they were designed with a modular concept, anything in it from the D4 to the D8 (first 8 modular is the L) is about the same design and can be repaired by one person with a helper. Parts for CAT´s are very abundant. For KOM sourcing parts is a nightmare and very often very expensive, same for the CASE or DEERE , as this 2 brands have AG dozers available. KOM repairs are a nightmare, to acess a transmition u need to lift cab or spliting the rear... not recomended for a farmer . Usually engines are very though in both brands, CAT u know the story, but be aware of 3116(MUI) engine or HMUI in 3216, this ones are great engines but injection system can only be set by very highly trained mechanics. One of the dozers i would like to have for my farm would be the D4, or D5M with a Diferential steering system, but this machine has a 3116 engine and Finguer tip control from factory, and the controls are electronic, D4´s were built untill the series III so they might be good machines. D5 of the H series are also great as we have one, 18T machine 100lts day machine, heavy and powerfull enough to dig dams trenches and puling 5T harrow or a 1 meter plow. KOM engines are Cummins or built under licence, very good engines, easily repairable and parts availability is good. Almost everithing from 1995 onwards have electronics, so thats the line ... 20k to 40k probably will not be enough to buy a good decent dozer, but u can have in mind that an engine will oulast any Gearbox by a factor of 3, just cause this GB´s need resealing and preventive maintnance. The great cost in a dozer are its tracks, a decent chain cost 2/3K EURO and one need 2, plus rolers an idlers, sprokets , pads, usually a track repair can not be done under 10K in this small machines. Ours was 25k in an auction, decent shape engine , tracks less than 50% TXM had GB and pump wrecked 2k for repair. Hydraulics also need atention but still work with some leaks, HYD pump is 2k aftermarket 4 K cat. did not came with a Ripper, we fitted one about 4K. IMO either u get a 20k in repairable shape, or go for a 50k already repaired with tracks overhauled... Komatsu in same size are D40 and D50´s but this ones maybe too old ...
Only thing I can add is one time I ran a friend of mines D65 pushing my dump off. He had hauled in several loads of concrete and dropped it by to push off. The machine looked very similar to that one except open cab. Unfortunately I'm not versed in the kommie nomenclature. I'll say this I was impressed with the dozer. Powerful, smooth and easy to operate for it's age and that is coming from a Cat guy. If I were to find one in good shape at a decent price I might just buy one to keep at our dump. Would have to keep it out of site of course otherwise it would ruin my Cat reputation.
Hi mquinista Thanks for adding to the thead The more I’m researching I seem to be moving towards cat But I take it they are harder to drive ? would a d5 h lgp be a good option If so what year Any years to avoid or options to avoid I dont mind paying to repair but I like the ideal of decnet parts availability So I’ take it cat is the way What weight is a d5 h lgp ? In d4/d5 size is cat or kom more fuel efficient
Thanks cm1955
Check out this thing: CAT´s except excavators, are not very user friendly, but fool proof. I would run of an LGP unless u need one. Fuel eficiency is proportional to operator skill, engines that run moderate boost are more eficient, not the CAT case. Regards
Hi maquinsta Are you saying avoid lgp? This was a machine I found What you make of it
Looks nice, like the one we have... Avoid , cause those pads are huge, and the track frame is very long, machine is 3mts wide does not fit many roads ....unless u need a high float tractor u should search for one XL, or STD, LGP´s are almost all PAT blades good for spreading and grading, maybe u need a conventional S blade, good for digging and carrying... u seen the vid i post above? that is what i would like to have bought , at the time didn´t knew what i know now....
Ya seen your video oink MQ , thank you What the main difference it features of Std Xl Lgp
D4´s series III are also fine litle machines, much more AG style
Thanks for the brochure That’s the spec for the standard I take it XL is ?
This one has the diff´s
Thanks mq What’s the Storey on the transmissions options Power shift or direct drive What’s best?
DCT drive , drives like the old New Holand tractors... power shutle, FWD /RWD with Thr Modulation is available, and wet clutch for gear change and T/off, clutch is hydraulic actuated and disk are in oil bath.. Power shift is like JD tractors, shifts can be done under load, and shutling same , thing is if u dont use THR modulation soon soon u´ll break your back.... stoping is achieved by Idling and brake. works with a Torque converter much like your car. If u plan to dragg implements over the fields or job´s u need involve few manouvering back and forth, a DCT drive is good as it is 20%more fuel eficient. When manouvering is important a powershift is the go. Read somewhere the TC doubles TQ before stalling, meaning is TC double fase. not sure about this... but certainly it is on that area, maybe diff name... Be aware that DCT drive machines, early serial nrs may have dry clutches. this ones its not possible to shutle without clutching.
Thanks MQ Might have found a d5hxl 1996 Waiting on some better photos If it’s ok might forward them to you initially for an opinion
I have massive respect for Komatsu dozers,but I’ve only ever owned Cat. In about 20 Cat dozers including 12 D8’s they’ve scraped me a living that’s been pretty deceant (when I pretend the bad days never happened!). However,I personally believe I would never achieved that level of reasonable success if I’d have run Komatsu’s. I was never in a position to buy new Komatsu’s,run them to 7/8000 hours,then sell them on before they broke down,so stuck with Cat. I’m still in business thanks to Cat
Those words of experience Nicky were well earned I’m sure But I get what cat means 100%
The county my property is in bought a D6N. They demo'd Cat, JD and Komatsu. They were most impressed with the Komatsu. Said it would boil the blade and just keep pushing. Regardless of price Cat had rebuilt exchange components for about half the price of having to buy new components from Komatsu. Also saved on downtime if rebuilding components.
Welder Dave,you’re right about Komatsu being strong pushers for sure.Great engines and powertrains. I was recently asked to source a cheap little dozer to do some occasionally levelling up on private land.Something around the £25k mark ($35k?). Anyway the chap set his sights on a 2013 D65 lgp for £21k. It had almost new complete undercarriage and had been worked hard,but fair.Was around 12000 hours.It was acting up on the steering though and I knew enough about the expense,and cost in diagnosing it to walk away from it.A quick call to TC Tractors confirmed my suspicions beyond doubt.As good as the tractor was,it would be beyond economical viability for this particular customer. However,to a man that’s running a few allready, it’s a good buy. I was able to find a nice little D5M for £21k and it’s now out on site working away nicely.Obviously it’s a risk,those blocks are hard to find if the engine calved down big time,but you have to start with something. If the D5 will just carry on behaving itself until end of September,it’s owner could then afford to abandon it if he chose and repair it at leisure.You’ll allways find parts for these old Cats,and they allways hold their value once they’ve depreciated down initially.
Had komatsu given away parts licencing, and using the modular system, we were not talking CAT´s on that regard. They are toe to toe in most features. But pocketwise a nightmare. hehe, all dozers are i guess, next move will be a disposable crwler tractor.
John,this looks deceant.Not sure what the tracks are like,but it’s tidy and been working.Theres not much that couldn’t be put right on that travtor if it got sick. I will guess it will be at least €15/20 for sure.You’ll get no deceant running,working D5H for a penny less unless you’ve caught someone sleeping. If I were you, I’d investigate this tractor futher
I've read there were some issues with the D5 and D6 M series machines but can't remember what, only that the N's corrected it. It might have only affected certain machines though.
Me too. Tony Coates mentioned the engine blocks weren’t his preferred choice
to be harder on track rails they wear internally rail height can be good but rails are stretched out check where idler is and count links to make sure one has not been taken out Nox Vidmate VLC