I'm not trying to start an argument. I'm only trying to understand. I feel that track loaders were common at an earlier day than articulated wheel loaders. Why? A wheel loader is faster, costs less to operate. What factors led to the development of track loaders in the first place. There's a fellow here with Backhoe, and Drott bucket on a 410 Deere. That makes perfect sense. A single machine able to do a multitude of tasks. Far more common were GP buckets on tractors primarily designed as bulldozers. The only one I ever tried was an old IH 175. Walking up the hill from where it was parked seemed to take an eternity. The three grouser shoes seemed not to have enough traction to easily fill the bucket even though it was sand. The machine was old, and tired, but even in new condition they've got to be much slower than wheel loaders. Charlie Abbott of Wilton CT started his business about 1951. Over the years he must have owned 20. I believe all he ever had were IH track loaders. Mostly 175 size. He swore by them. Willie
Track loaders are much better at floating in softer ground, they had great lifting ability and were able to carry material. I think they would be in the backhoe category, jack of all trades, master of none?
A lot seems to be the area you live in. We have a lot of clay here and a wheel loader digs deep ruts in the ground when trying to dig. Also can be hard for wheel loader to dig in the clay. Most guys around here use them to dig basements and when push comes to shove the track loader will out perform the wheel loader.
The track loader and the rubber-tired loader came along in the post WWII period to enable the lifting and dumping of material that had been dug out of the site. The track-type has the advantage in the severe, rocky site where the carry is short. The wheel tractor is better where the footing is stable, and the haul is longer. The track has been adapted to be more flexible with LGP tracks, four-in-one buckets, and sealed and lubed track assemblies. The wheelies have become MUCH larger, with lots of power, and armored tires that can defeat most anti-tank mines. The track hoe has relegated the track loader to a minority role in construction. Most large job sites will have a track loader or two around for the odd job. The smaller contractor uses the track vehicle as a step up in capability from the skid steer. The larger rubber tire loaders live in quarries and material storage yards, as well as metal salvage operations because they are cheaper to operate on flat ground where the travel distance is greater. For the small operator, or farmer, the track loader makes a highly versatile machine that can do a lot of jobs in short order. Just my view. Regards, Clark
It seems to be a regional thing as well. Here in PNW it is rare to even see a track loader, let alone one working. I don't think I've ever seen a rear engine cat in person in the PDX metro area. Everyone uses wheel loaders, skid steers/ctl's, and plain dozers. We don't have much of the sticky clay mud here though. Farmers are the only operators I know that own them, and those are all old beaters. It's interesting how a stable machine in one area isn't even used in another. Greyson
Around here all you see is old beater track loaders also, 350 & 450's, nothing big. Probably an even split Deere/Case. The only place I've seen newer larger machines is demo jobs on old GM plants. Ed
Track loader usage is very regional. My little corner of the world and an area around PA are two of the high usage areas. I've been told the PA, MD, WV, ect region represents the majority of the new track loader market in the US.
A track loader is absolutely the best machine money can buy for a clearing and moving dirt type machine. It is not designed to dig a trench but guys have done it, just turns out to be 8' wide... I can clear trees and stumps and make most house sites faster than an excavator of any size has even thought about. I do need the tree whole to use levarage and gravity to drop them.. might cost more to replace my bottom but I am king of clearing... I would guess I have 3 times pushing power over wheels and I can put the power to the ground even spinning my tracks with lgp. I can push debris piles the size of small houses 100's of feet away, let's see an excavator or a rubbered tire loader do that... I can fill the role of a dozer and dump truck, loader and skid steer. All in one machine. I can drop tree's faster than 5 men can cut up, I can create debris pipes and wind rows like no other... If you run a small crew, as in one dude and some iron, I am the main tool to break ground. The Skids and small excavators can finish up.. I can work in wet conditions long after wheels get stuck and I can climb grades that will make you look for an ol shi* handle...
Here in Washington state excavators do all the clearing and grubbing. The only place for a track loader is in a steel mill handling hot slag and now they use wheel loaders for that. I've never seen a track loader that can clear ground as fast as an excavator with a hydraulic thumb. The other added issue is that brush cannot be burned in this area any more so big grinders are used. No way can a track loader be used to feed a grinder. It sounds like you can make a good living with the track loader in Georgia. More power to you but you better keep an eye out if your competition figures out how to really use an excavator.
Georgia Iron, I've been in your neighborhood before, damn straight a track loader is best for your terrain and soil conditions. Here, it's pretty flat and open. Excavators and dozers are the norm. Ed
Wheel loaders and track loaders aren't the competition. Wheel loaders are king where ever they can operate. Track loaders have been pushed out by skid steers on the small side and excavators that are cheaper than they used to be compared to track loaders. Just like backhoes are being pushed out by mini excavators. A tractor based loader backhoe used to be common for a lot of jobs. Now mini excavators are less expensive than they used to be compared to backhoes. And improved more than backhoes have over the machines from decades ago.
I guess I've never thought that places where clay soil is the norm even exist. Here in the Green Mountains we have organic soil, Rock, more rock, or gravel We do have a bit of swamp land, but no one is allowed to disturb that. Track loaders seem slow by my comparison to the cable shovels that loaded before them. I cringe at how few cycles of scoop, turn, and load an undercarriage is good for. I'd like to see a track loader operated by an expert. How fast can they work? Willie
Pretty quick.... Our own Mr. Burnout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JGuHMCfcf8
Just after I started operating excavators in the mid 70's it worked out that loading trucks with a 20ton excavator was half the cost'per cubic yard,of a wheel loader ( FA 645) or a track loader 955. There's not to much an excavator can't do inclueding the job in the above video.
I have seen track loaders run like a bobcat by a select few. Not too many around here anymore since the hydraulic excavator came about but the new track skid loaders are the ticket!
Now this is a topic I know a few things about. I'm a track loader guy and wouldn't know what to do without one. Our ground here in Central AL is some of the most diverse in the country since it's where the Appalachian Mountains meet the Coastal Plain. We have rock, chert, clay, sand, muck and occasionally run into coal seams. The soil conditions can change dramatically 1/2 mile away. However track loaders are almost non-existent in south Alabama and the gulf coast due to the sand content of the soil which eats the U/C. Wheel loaders are king in that part of the state. That being said a track loader is a very handy machine to have for the small commercial site projects we perform. Often it's the first machine on site and the last to leave. I use it for clearing/grubbing, demolition, stripping topsoil, bulk cut/fill and fine grading. Actually I prefer to use the loader to grade pads and parking lots. Pairing a track loader with an excavator is a lethal clearing combination with our soil conditions. The pair also works well for demolition. Demo'd a metal building and parking lot in August. Used the hoe to tear off the exterior walls, CTL to gut the interior and pulled the roof off in one piece with the hoe pulling and the loader pushing. Once the hoe tore the thickened slab edge around the perimeter the loader tore out the slab. Same with the parking lot - put the hoe removing curb and gutter and let the loader take out the asphalt. Some pictures and commentary from that demo - HeavyEquipmentForums I track loader can't be beat in it's versatility in the right conditions.
What CM said , I added a track loader last Winter and its the go to tool for me.
No track loader in my fleet but use the tracked skid steer much in the same way moving or loading material around . Loader is sure handy for carting dirt a little distance to spread on a job site that's to close to justify loading a dump truck to haul . We just finished up a job like that where we were working on a 4 acre home site . Dug out piled with the backhoe attachment then put the bucket on & cart off and spread . If I ever do get a track loader might go with a Deere 555G with hoe like this unit . Always liked the versatility of those rig's . http://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/construction-equipment/for-sale/6377562/2000-deere-555g-tc
td25c , think of this , it is like a rubber track CTL that has more power and durability. We do have some guys here that dig basements with them. They replace tires and or rubber tracks about every 600 to 900 hours.
My 953 is often used like a great big ctl. It can handle most dozer tasks of a similar sized dozer, it is more efficient at clearing as I can reach up and use the tree for leverage, it loads my single axle dump truck to running over in two good buckets, a tandem in about five, it can cut, fill, and grade. When the ground is slimy its steel grousers bite through and keep working. It's much the same as the skid steer/ctl differences. A ctl will do a skid steers job, but some days a skid steer just won't keep going in the same conditions. The only disadvantage my track loader has is it's allergy to concrete and asphalt. John
I think the concrete and asphalt is allergic to your machine though...
Have been on a number of job sites where a excavator was used for the major work but they had an older well worn track loader for finish up and back grading. Still a great deal of 953, 963 and the Deere/Liebherr equivalents being sold new and moving dirt in MO and IL on commercial sites.
I'm the only one in this area using a track loader on farm use. All others use a dozer. Just finished a two acre lake and some creek crossings this week with the 963. On lakes and brush I usually run with a buddy of mine with a dozer. The two work perfect together. The lake had some of the worse dirt I've worked. Every kind of clay you can imagine with flint rock mixed in. Wore a set of teeth out in 40 hours. Then in the bottom the rocks got huge. If the dozer hadn't had a ripper he was having a real hard time pushing. With teeth I could hog threw them. Starting a hog confinement building this week and will use both machines on it. I can make all the corner and sidewall cuts while while he moves dirt out. An excavator during wet weather will help extent our working season alot. Track loaders or dozers in some of the soft conditions we have around hear just don't cut it at certain times of the year. As far as a wheel loader, it would be useless in my world. Quarries are the only place you see them here.
Dozer is fine for making piles or pushing out a pond where the spoil is moved to produce the levee/dam. If you need to put material in a truck dozer is pretty well useless unless build up a ramp. Excavators are fine except they cannot push large quantity of materials into a pile can lift it but not so much push it. Loader is pretty much less than either but fills best of both worlds especially with a 4/1 or MP bucket just not as fast or as clumsy or as hard to maneuver. Track hoe excavators have their place, getting one between two buildings and doing considerable excavating can be tedious.
Was thinking one time of selling mine, just didn't use it much, then another project comes up and I'm sure glad I didn't sell it.
In my area, you'll see tons of track loaders. I have a 53C with a multi-purpose bucket and couldn't imagine having anything else. With the type of work I do (mainly brush/tree clearing) I take one machine to the job site. With an excavator, to move debris around and to pile it in a timely manner you have to have a support machine on site. Track loaders are just so versatile!
We used track loaders in heavy demolition of former use nuclear facilities. While wheel loaders are faster, a piece of rebar through a tire, say, twice a day, can really slow you down. The one machine I own is a JD450B with 4in1 and 9300 hoe. Jack of trades, master of none. Howard
Iray, here in central Missouri track loaders are everywhere also. About every job we do 1-2 are on it. I could not imagine not having mine and I agree they are the most versatile machine for any job site, whatever you need it can be done with one.
I've seen a few old machines with over the top loader. Only a few have been on tracks. These have made enormous sense to me. The only concern is the obvious one of dropping a stone, or the all day dust issue on the operator. Such a machine need only move its own length with no turning in each cycle. Modern track loaders I've never had the opportunity to watch. I assume they must either run long trips, or turn constantly to load. Those with Drott buckets seem much more versatile, able to bulldoze, or load. I certainly grasp the value to a landowner, as one machine takes the place of several. For contractors with a variety of machines they seem to be a compromise at best. The soil I experience in VT is different from other places. Willie
A wheel loader is a loader, a track loader is by far a more versatile machine, especially when the going gets tough.
I find a track loader is a far more multipurpose and effective machine then a wheel loader. I have been running one for almost 4 years now and I can excavate a back alley, separate the asphalt from the dirt, work through cuts/soft spots, and then cut the subgrade to grade within 10mm. I can do a whole 1 block long alley, 14' wide, 12"-20" deep within 8 hours of operating. And that is including loading on trucks, and transport from the cut to the end of the alley to dump on the trucks. Now I own a 973c, and in the summer on the farm I can do pretty much anything needed. Sure an excavator would be nice, but try short hauling bucket by bucket with an excavator. I cleaned corrals, cleaned creek bed, piled the dirt, let it dry for a few weeks, and then spread the dirt in low spots. I transplanted 20 foot tall trees. And can push bush like no hoe could ever do, not to mention moving the piles of bush. A dozen and a hoe are a good combination, but that requires two machines, two operators, and more upkeep/money. Myself being a single operator can do most jobs by myself. Sure my loader likes to drink fuel being a larger machine, and might take a bit longer then two machines working together. But my costs will still be lower then a two machine operation. https://youtu.be/d7zxBSkZ2Hw
I'm the OP. I'll throw in a parallel: I have a customer, (I'm primarily an electrician), I own equipment, I can dig my own ditches. This customer is brilliant, but feels it necessary to prove it constantly. Recently he needed a 6' deep 15 foot square hole in heavy hard soil. He needed the spoil stockpiled 100 yards away. The bottom had to be dead level and smooth. I charged him $770. He complained he could get it cheaper renting an excavator. I responded; "How you gonna move the dirt away" He responded; "Rent a skid loader" He rents machinery for $300 per day, per machine. He uses his truck, and trailer to transport. The rental company is 1.5 hours away. Renting two machines and returning them requires 12 hours trucking. One at a time it'd be 9 hours on the road. A big F450 doesn't travel free. He doesn't run the equipment he rents. He enlists employees to run it. They must neglect other work to run the equipment. I'm only sort of good at math, but renting does not appear to me to be a bargain. Now I explain the parallel I mentioned. I used a backhoe. I dug with one end, moved piles with the other. Trucking included, working alone, I did it in 11 hours. Typically, one machine that can do multiple jobs is more efficient than several specialized ones. In the world I live in I haven't yet felt compelled to own a track loader, still don't fully understand why my friend had 10, but I'm beginning to understand why a farmer might want one. Stuff I've found on the internet about Drott Skid Shovels Mostly on IH tractors, is very exciting. They are remarkably versatile!
70$ an hour on a backhoe seems light , unless its a mini of some sort. Backhoes here go from 95$ to 120$. I was told once rule of thumb is .01% of new cost is what the hourly rate should be. CTL's are getting 90$ here. I think the guy got a hell of a deal to be honest. Sometimes I will use the loader to get the bulk out then use the backhoe to put it on grade but that's if it has to be less the 1/2 inch or less.
I don't make a habit of working for others. I did eight hours work for a neighbor just across my fence. I priced it at $150 per hour for the 951-C and did his job. He was happy and so was I.
Old thread but I will chime in. A crawler loader is like a Swiss Army knife of heavy equipment. Would you rather have your toolbox with exactly the perfect tool always.... absolutely; but in the real world you can't own ever piece or have it on every job. My dad started his business with only a 955H in 1983. Did everything with it, dug basements, built building pads, tore down houses and buildings. There is still no piece of equipment more versatile. A crawler loader will do everything your dozer will Plus carry and move material, load truck dirt, bucket gravel into a basement. It seems in my travels Crawler loaders are very regional based on history and soil type. In northern IL and Chicagoland almost every contractor has 1. Why? Clay subsoil that gets wet and sloppy where wheel loaders don't always work. My wife is from Colorado and you never hardly see one working there. They have rock, thinner soils and a lot less rain. I find it funny when guys are like crawler loaders are out dated, or if you figure out how to use an excavator you don't need one. Almost everybody knows the value of a CTL. How about a Cat 963 which is a 40K lb CTL with 160 hp and 2.5 yard bucket. We did a job last summer with a new house construction walkout basement on a 1.5 acre lot. Site was steep and odd shaped working around. Not easy necessarily. Clay ground. We finish graded with with our 650H dozer and had our 955L helping finish grade and bucket topsoil from the only place we could stock pile on one side of the house. Site was too steep to use a site truck to dump dirt. Would have been awfully slow bucketing dirt with an excavator or a CTL. Yes I would prefer our 750 dozer with root take and excavator for clearing trees and fence Line work when doing AG work absolutely but if I'm working alone and only have one choice I will hands down take the 963. I watch guys with hoes and thumbs do that work alone and carry trees all over creation with their excavator and think boy a Crawler loader would be way more efficient and faster.
I second that, ilcorngrower! I have a JD 350 crawler loader that I've found almost indispensable, I had a JD 555B with a 4-in-1 that I sold prematurely. I really wanted a dozer with a 6-way, but ended up with a 955K with a 4-in-1. Just can't get away from the versatility. It's like having a dozer, loader, and excavator all in one. I can push over a tree then pick it up and carry it to the pile much faster than just pushing it there. And if you work at it, the 4-in-1 is a very good scraper. There's folks who'll claim a GP bucket is better--and a GP bucket will indeed load faster--but I'd like to see them pick up and carry an old telephone pole or cedar tree! It's the same regarding a woodworking shop--gotta have the table saw, miter saw, band saw, planer, and jointer. Yeah, you can get by without one of those, but by golly having them all makes things so much easier! (and yeah, the router and router table's a given.) Bottom line--I'd love to have every style earth-moving toy out there, a dozer (with a 6-way), a loader, a scraper, an excavator, and a CTL. But if I have to choose just one, give me a loader with a 4-in-1 (a.k.a. Drott bucket).
The neighbors watch me use the old Allis and comment they wish they had one then as it shakes something loose they look back and say Whew Don't need that!! Old iron is usually tired but I still get a lot more done with my antique than many do with a conventional backhoe loader which has become the choice around here. I would still love to have the 16B sitting in Kingdom City, still cannot afford it anymore than could afford a newer TBL or a skid steer CTL.
Bringing up this old thread because I'm trying to decide between a track loader (like this https://www.rbauction.com/1994-JOHN...=10567448&id=ci&auction=SACRAMENTO-CA-2018211 ) with 4n1 and hoe attachment or a 10-12k lb excavator. I've been wanting a track loader forever but have rented a mini ex once or twice a year the last several years. I have to admit I was skeptical of the mini ex but have been impressed by how much they can do and how easy they are to operate. I use them to dig trenches, stack brush, do a little clearing on my ranch. I realize the 555 is a much more versatile machine but I already have bigger equipment (Cat D4E, TD25, JD690E with thumb) so am looking for something I can move around my walnut orchard with to dig out and remove boulders. One of my main concerns is side hill maneuvering: my orchard and most of my property is fairly steep. The D4E does fine up and down the slopes but try and side hill and it just wants to bury the lower track, always fighting to keep the machine from heading downhill. I have an old D47U with a dozer and 22" pads that I use for cultivating and it is much better at running around the steeper areas, very stable feeling compared the the D4E. So, I'm concerned the 555, being a heavier machine than a mini ex, may also be less nimble when gravity starts pulling in the direction I do not want to go. If I was rich I would have one of each. Any thoughts or comments are appreciated.
mfowler, from what you describe, go for the excavator. I had a JD 555B loader with a hoe and 4n1 just like that G but about a decade older. It was a great machine, but I would never take it across anything resembling a semi-steep hill. Loaders are much more top-heavy than a dozer, and usually narrower, too. And with the hoe on... well, that's just asking for trouble. You can use the hoe as an outrigger of sorts, but it's a royal pain to do and I wouldn't recommend it. But that's almost a no-brainer on an excavator. Granted, I don't have much experience on excavators, and maybe they're just as bad on a slope, but I do know that if you bought that 555 you should buy a couple dozen extra pairs of pants to replace the ones you soil.... Of course, you can go straight up and down the slopes no problem, just never, ever across.
CavinJim, Thanks for sharing your perspective, that's kind of what I was thinking. I really want that 555G, going to look at it tomorrow or Monday. But I think my immediate need is more for a mini ex. The ones I've been renting go pretty much wherever I want as long as it's not too wet to get traction. When it start getting steep I just put the boom and stick on the uphill side and keep right on going. I agreee using the hoe on the loader in the same fashion won't work as well, seems like it would make the machine way to bulky to move around if your working around trees.
If I had the choice of one machine, it would be a track loader, the most versatile machine ever built, for clearing, we use a track loader and excavator, a blade machine hardly ever goes to the job site. As for wheel loaders, most are in quarries loading trucks, never seen one ever leave hard surfaced or graveled lots, many are used to load manure out of feedlots, silage and have many uses on farms, for the ag industry as a whole, they hardly ever leave the yard, I've never seen one ever out on dirt doing much of anything, come to think of it, never seen one ever do anything period, don't know of anyone who ever has done anything with one, that's just not done in my area. I've run dozens over the years, mostly in quarries loading trucks and have never really found anything else they are really good for. As for the rubber tracked skid steer thing, those were a fad here years back, most got tired of them and really got fed up with the high upkeep costs to them, they do have their place, but will never take the place of a steel tracked crawler loader, the rubber tracks work fine for in town work and around houses or on concrete or paved roads, but those types of jobs the steel track loader was never really big in anyhow. It depends on what type of work you do and where you do it, but there are dozens of steel track loaders in my area and they are used a lot and I don't see them leaving anytime soon, mine will be the last thing I sell. MFowler, if you already have a 690 with a thumb, why not use that, as for using a mini ex for removing boulders, if your dealing on ground that steep, you'd better be digging them out facing downhill or your'll end up with the boulder in your lap, if you dig downhill, you don't have the weight with a mini to handle much of any rock, with a track loader, you can dig them up going uphill, the more you dig and lift the more traction you have, with either machine once over a certain size, your not going to handle any boulder, the rock will out weigh the machine and bad things happen. The next thing you'll find out with any mini is on steep terrain if you have to pull yourself up, excavators don't have much swing power, on the level is where they are best, on steep grades they have to swing the weight of the house and what your picking up, the swing motor isn't large enough to do much, on feller bunchers they run much larger swing motors and have the power do much more, a mini will basically move itself and that's about it. You'll also need a thumb on a mini to do much of anything, you'll also want a blade on it to help with stability somewhat. But your right about the track loader being top heavy and narrow, it is and it depends on what your used to, whatever you decide to buy, I'd practice and get comfortable on much more level ground and work your way up to steep terrain, best of luck.
The Hitachi UH07 and UH045 (mid 80's model numbers for EX200 and 120) changed the face of excavation dramatically when they arrived in Seattle. I had a friend that was running about 25 track loaders at the time most ly Deeres JD855, 755 655 and IH 175 and 125's. He did mostly residential plat development and mid size commercial footing 500 to 15000 yard excavations. Clearing was done with a mix of dozers and loaders material stacked in piles and burned whenever possible. Nobody except utility guy's used excavators much prior to that. Many utility companies at the time were still working in the street with large TLB's Dynahoe and Fords. Enter the grey market machines. Things changed overnight (like 24 to 36 months) people that had run 977's 955's and IH 250 and 175's for decades, were suddenly seen sporting UH07's and PC200's. It is even now almost unbelievable how quickly the cheap affordable grey market excavators changed how we did business in the PNW. They were affordable, abundant and intuitive to operate. By about 89 or 90 after the "attack of the greys" and as we started to develop ground that for years had been deemed undesirable because it was wet, had poor access, a outcrop or some other "problem," finding a loader on a job site as more than a convenience item was getting rare although the big demo outfits hung onto their 977s and in some cases 983s (with Petersen buckets) for sometime as the loaders do a great job at grinding demo while loading trucks and moving from point to point. Reducing material size to something that would efficiently pack into the demo trailer without leaving voids was essential to reduce truck expense I would suspect although I haven't been around it in awhile that some demo outfit's are still following that model. Excavators just don't have the ground pressure to efficient "grinders." I knew a guy's that could make a 55 sing and freakin' dance and I also know guy's that would be hustling to keep up with them even now with an excavator. Track loaders like the dinosaurs faded away. They are still out there just hard to find in most places. I was working a hard face a couple years ago with a nice 980G it was my machine and I loved it... however there were places in the pit I would have loved to be once again perched on a 977L listening to the turbo stack note and effortlessly pushing the face back. They have their place even now.
Last month a crew near me started work prepping a 6 acre lot for a couple of warehouses and parking. Two 13 tonne excavators, two 7-tonne capacity forward tipping dumpers, and a roller. Took them about a week to strip, stockpile, grade and roll the site. Plus 5 operators. Next to it another crew did a similar job on a five acre, Cat 320 and a D6K, all the soil exported. About a week and a half. Both of those jobs were crying out for a 963. Over here the site agents and engineers have forgotten what a tracked loader can do, and how quickly. I've spent about equal time with a GP and 4 in 1 buckets, whichever one I've got I think the other would be better, but objectively the 4 in 1 is most useful for what bit of productivity you lose loading trucks.
Agree with this completely. Just this week, I started a commercial development for a retail center to include parking lot and retention pond over a three acre site. From this site, you can’t look more than 1/4 mile in any direction without seeing at least one more commercial development packed so full with iron that they can barely move around each other. I’m using a 953D, and with this single machine and single operator, I can complete every task on this site (clear, grub, build and finish building pad, cut and rough in parking lot, dig and build retention pond) except installing the storm with my ‘53 in about three weeks. I will use an excavator only to dig and lay pipe simply because I don’t care to have to install the storm in an 8’ wide ditch. A track loader is absolutely the most versatile machine I’ve ever run, and I’m not really sure how I got along without one for years.
I wish general knowledge folk knew what these machines are capable of. I have been trying to find work with my 973c, but people are always uneducated and have never seen a trackloader so they are reverting back to getting a hoe and a dozer to do their work for them. I know I can do the work cheaper and just as fast with a single machine vs two machines and two operators. I was often curious about a 4in1 bucket. The only part I would see it being useful is trying to be clean, that last bucket of material sitting on the subgrade. There will always be that little pile you end up just pushing around. The 4in1 you could grab it. I don’t know how the backblading would be. For what I do, I often use the teeth and backblade pieces back into my cut, makes it cleaner and stops it pushing. I’d be curious if the 4in1 could handle the stresses of trying to bring back a large piece of asphalt like that. If I had to choose on my machine a 4in1 or a GP and a ripper. I’d definitely choose the ripper. For what I do anyways. Ripping asphalt, I’ve had times where it has been over 1.5 feet thick, and trying to get through it just starting your cut, is hard on the machine and time consuming. We had a ripper one year at work, and it was awesome to have. Could just drop it into the asphalt a few times and it would loosen it up to start the cut so easy. Having a ripper on my person 973c would make pushing Bush really easy effective as well, after I pluck all the trees out, and pile them. I could come through with the ripper and root it all, and get what never came out with the stumps. Then just rake it with the teeth after to grab all the roots and leave the dirt behind.
They certainly are more cost effective to run in my opinion. At least for an operation like mine as an owner/operator. One trip brings machine, operator and ground man, along with any necessary hand tools, and you don’t spend nearly the time or money trucking in and out with multiple pieces of equipment.
We reverted back past that …. Just show up with a skid loader & drag line . Those two make a good team just don't tell them I said that . They will get to felling " Big " & want a pay hike ….. You fellers keep this under your hat ! Last thing I need is equipment protesting about wages . HeavyEquipmentForums HeavyEquipmentForums LOL !
That drag is pretty cool. How far away is the reach? We could use that to clean out our dugouts in the pastures.
recently I just saw for the first time in a while someone do a 10 acre clearing, house pad. driveway install with a john deere 160 a cat 953 and a d5 dozer they done it all in about a week did a good job wish I had the 953 was a newer one to so pretty penny
That is amazing. I have been on a clearing job on day 13 now. Have not even made an acre yet. I would guess I have removed 300 trees, 650' long driveway, 6 30 yards cans out so far, 7 dump loads of gravel in, installed 40' of driveway pipe. I currently have a tree top pile that is 60 feet wide by 90 feet long and 4' crushed down by 953. Two men running chain saws not including me. I just bought a sawmill so I am keeping all the butts and quality logs. The pulp pile is large... Several loggers offered to clear the trees for free. I told owner i would not touch it unless I get to keep what ever logs i want. And I would not touch their mess unless he was willing to put a 325 sized hoe on site... which i dont have.. Big stumps.. He decided to meet my demands.. I keep thinking I should have charged more. I was hoping for a 3 week in and out .. but I don't believe it will happen... I have been selecting the logs i want and pulling 8 ton loads of logs each day out with the f550 and a 14k trailer. I have been stuck 4 of the last 6 days... the trailer ubolts and frame hits the dirt and down we go. Pushed out with 953, pulled out with tl150, pulled out with a dodge 3500, etc. Break and bend metal all under the name of "normal" wear and tear.... The Stihl 461 had me about ready to look for a day off!
They work great for that . Good reach & no need to drain the water . 55 to 60 foot reach in that setting on top of the dam . What's old is now new today .
well ill be fair with one it was already a home site once so they just had to take down junk wood so they dint have as much to do as you do but still they where rolling
What my boss and I found after bunches of research, a track loader beat other machines down. Now I'd like a dozer for some work that he has, but the IH 175C we found is gonna be better all around machine for what we need it for.
i think at this point a excavator and a track loader would be a mean combo that could do anything and be a money making pair kind of been looking at them now
We looked for a mini or mid sized excavator but, TOO MUCH $$$. I found this trx loader on craigslist.... cheap... so I knew what I was gonna work get with! I got a thread over on track loaders, here... HeavyEquipmentForums
Old thread here I know. We did a job this summer where I thought almost every thank God we had our 963 there. We dug a 70 X 200 X 10' Hog Building. Our 963 was the first machine on the job and last to leave. Stripped topsoil with it. Stockpiled clay with it and support Excavator while digging the hole. The going really got tough right after we dug the building we had 9 inches of rain in 3 days. The concrete crew fought mud the entire time. Due to the wet conditions we had to bucket stone around for the concrete guys. We ended up also having to backfill the load out for them which was about 11 tandem loads of clean 1 inch stone. The whole time I was bucketing stone I thought.... Boy good thing we didn't bring a dozer to this mess or we'd be ***.... Sure you could have backfilled that stone with an excavator. Of course you couldn't get within 75 yards of the building due to soft conditions.
At certain points the function of a low slung, tracked loader beats all other machines, don't care how great they are at what they do EACH machine has a optimum point of use and function.
It's pretty clear..a crawler that can round up loose materials and at the same time traverse some difficult terrain..But if you need a dozer don't buy a "loader dozer"(as some put it when trying to sell them). Even if you can swap the bucket for a custom made blade though my experience is only with an old cat ht4. I thought i was gonna do it all lol.. driveway, clearing woods etc.. it would push a small tree over if the roots where loose..and could smooth dirt if I back dragged the blade..Maybe the gearing changed as newer models came along and track loaders became diggers too..At first I just wanted to try another model but an excavator was the ticket for me!
Dozers specifically are pushing machines, they are used to strip flat or to grade smooth or remove large objects that are not intended to be loaded on other machines. Loaders are just that, they remove bucket loads of materials and position them elsewhere or to load them out, excavators do not have the mobility of a loader but can load as well and can manhandle trees or stumps better as well trench or rapidly stockpile a dig site. Have seen them used in place of loaders or dozers as single machine operations but as for stripping a large site belly pans are primary or track loaders as they can build stockpiles as well. Is up to the individual company as to how they intend to use, types of hauling equipment, numbers of machines and materials to be moved or the site as to agile machines for space.
My dad has a old John Deere 555A with a clam shell bucket (don't know if it is considered a 4in1) that was bought by his boss many years ago. They used it for a lot of things like clearing and digging basements and ponds. We used it to move some debris around a few years ago. We haven't used it lately because the under carriage is worn out. But we did use it to hold a tree from failing down on my aunts house during the last couple of hurricanes