The Ultimate Small Dozer

[Coleman396]

I'm planning to go with the kit version because I think it would be fun to build and also make maintaining it much easier. It's really more of a toy for me to play with rather than something that I need to do work with. I'm retired on disability due to a couple of bouts with cancer and I miss working on and running heavy equipment. I was a factory worker and mainly operated forklift trucks and my hobby was restoring and maintaining historic railroad equipment. I've got three Wheelhorse garden tractors that I'm working on now, which are ok but that little dozer looks so neat and I've always wanted to run a crawler tracked vehicle.

I see from your new photos that you've put the linear actuator on your blade. Is that an electrically driven screw jack? How is it working out for you?

Thanks for your reply. :

Hi Dave. Yes, I put the actuator on and it makes it a whole different machine. Just a bit of down pressure makes a world of difference either when going ahead or when back blading. I thinks the key is to have enough room for the end of the actuator to move around when the blade tips up from one side to the other. If everything is built with really tight tolerances the end of the actuator will like break off. I designed it so the actuator can move a fair amount with binding up when the blade follows the contour of the terrain.

Sure would like to see those wheel horses too as I love to tinker with the old G.T.'S.

I actually plan to paint my dozer in the future and and will do it to match one of the Case 222 tractors I have here.

 

[Big Dave]

Hi Dave. Yes, I put the actuator on and it makes it a whole different machine. Just a bit of down pressure makes a world of difference either when going ahead or when back blading. I thinks the key is to have enough room for the end of the actuator to move around when the blade tips up from one side to the other. If everything is built with really tight tolerances the end of the actuator will like break off. I designed it so the actuator can move a fair amount with binding up when the blade follows the contour of the terrain.

Sure would like to see those wheel horses too as I love to tinker with the old G.T.'S.

I actually plan to paint my dozer in the future and and will do it to match one of the Case 222 tractors I have here.

I need to get some shots of my 'horses, but I don't have a digital camera yet. That's a beautiful little Case you have there. I fell in love with one like that back when I was a kid because I saw another kid trying to drive it over the mower deck at the Case dealership that was owned by a distant cousin. My Dad was shopping for a riding lawn mower at the time, but he didn't like the tractor style mowers and wouldn't buy it. We ended up with a rear engine Murray that beat the crap out of our push mower.

As far as the actuator goes, it seems to me I've seen some sort of floating end for one of those that will do the trick for you. I'll have to let my brain chew on it for awhile since it sometimes takes me a bit to remember things. :beatsme

 

[totalloser]

If it's significantly for grins those are pretty neat. But keep in mind once that small, wheel machines can do the same jobs faster and with lower maintenance costs, noise and ground damage. Wheel machines also usually have the option of *practical* (three point) implement attachments and most are liquid cooled diesel engines. Your run of the mill mini excavator will do the same job as a micro dozer, plus is in excavator and significantly more durable and fuel efficient. It sounds like you are going in eyes open, I'm mostly saying this for the hundreds (?) of folks who will read the thread.

With a ROPS and limb risers, those things are parade winners.

 

[Big Dave]

If it's significantly for grins those are pretty neat. But keep in mind once that small, wheel machines can do the same jobs faster and with lower maintenance costs, noise and ground damage. Wheel machines also usually have the option of *practical* (three point) implement attachments and most are liquid cooled diesel engines. Your run of the mill mini excavator will do the same job as a micro dozer, plus is in excavator and significantly more durable and fuel efficient. It sounds like you are going in eyes open, I'm mostly saying this for the hundreds (?) of folks who will read the thread.

With a ROPS and limb risers, those things are parade winners.

That's a good point and I'm thinking of renting a mini to do a little work around the place, as well as see how well they work. The little dozer will be mainly a toy, other than snowplowing. Most of my equipment are really toys to me anyway. I'm just happy to still be around and able to play with these things. Thanks for your comment and I'm going to post some photos of other equipment I've operated on the Old Iron forum. Dave:usa

 

[dillon45]

In reply to "swamp rat" many years ago i owned a International 340 GAS w/ a 6 way blade that had a 3pt. set up and it had down pressure. I can't remember if it had a PTO.

 

[joah_movex]

 

[fast_st]

Have a short track JD350, works great in tight spaces, needs some regrousering though.

 

[304thomas55]

Hi.... Newbie needs some useful advice....I've got my eye on a 1976 Case 450 that has been basically been rebuilt. Does this size Case equal a JD450? What should I look at to make sure machine is solid? Thanks

 

[Jaybo]

Hi.... Newbie needs some useful advice....I've got my eye on a 1976 Case 450 that has been basically been rebuilt. Does this size Case equal a JD450? What should I look at to make sure machine is solid? Thanks

A Case 450 is quite a bit smaller than a JD450. Closer to a JD350, if that. Do a search on Case 450 weight and I am pretty sure There is a thread here on it.

 

[Jaybo]

Hi.... Newbie needs some useful advice....I've got my eye on a 1976 Case 450 that has been basically been rebuilt. Does this size Case equal a JD450? What should I look at to make sure machine is solid? Thanks

Take a look at this thread for weight info: https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/showthread.php?17278-Case-450B-Weight

 

[I AM IRONMAN]

John Deere 450H Dozer, 6-way, Cab, Ripper on You Tube

Here's a machine you can make a living with, small, but quick. Deere 450H Hydrostatic Transmission, power to both tracks with a full load turn, also counter rotates.
Easy to move with a one Ton Dually and a good traler. This one in the video below should weigh around 18,000 lbs as it is set up with cab, six way dozer, and rear ripper
A friend has this one and I got a couple pretty good video's and I will also try to put pictures also. He said he's thinking of trading it for a good farm tractor. It would be a good way to get a nice Dozer if someone has a spare farm tractor.


http://youtu.be/nzwbfL55IpA





.

 

[X Quad Operator]

Give me a good old 33000 serial number D8H with a ripper and a straight dozerblade. That the perfect dozer to run.

Mike Nebergall
X Quad Operator

 

[fast_st]

D8 slides just outside the ring of 'small dozer'

 

[JGibson]

A cross between a D4K2 LGP and a D37PX-23. The Controls and everything else of the cat, but with the Komatsu cab style. With a tier 3 engine.

 

[Tinkerer]

Here's a machine you can make a living with, small, but quick. Deere 450H Hydrostatic Transmission, power to both tracks with a full load turn, also counter rotates.
Easy to move with a one Ton Dually and a good traler. This one in the video below should weigh around 18,000 lbs as it is set up with cab, six way dozer, and rear ripper
A friend has this one and I got a couple pretty good video's and I will also try to put pictures also. He said he's thinking of trading it for a good farm tractor. It would be a good way to get a nice Dozer if someone has a spare farm tractor.

Out of all the different small dozers I have run. The JD 450 series with an angle blade were my favorite.

 

[maddog]

I owned a nortrac dozer it was/is a great little machine, came with 3 point and PTO, did A LOT of work with it. I looked at the struck dozer but for the price and what you get, could not see it????? I used my nortrac for logging, snow removal, pond digging, leveling and so on. It always started with ease even on the coldest of days, and never gave me any troubles.

 

[dillon45]

Single lever clutch/brake wet system with clutchless reverser and wide ratio direct drive transmission for a couple decent working speeds and a medium and tallish travel speed. Six way blade and true direct injection. Oh wait, Deere 350c 400 series and 450 series have all that! Hopefully I'll have mine on the pad this week.[/QU

I agree Deere does have it all I have had 2, just sold a 350 and I'm looking for another, this time something a little bigger.

 

[Tinkerer]

I agree Deere does have it all I have had 2, just sold a 350 and I'm looking for another, this time something a little bigger.

If you happen to decide on a John Deere 450, be sure to consider an LGP with the 24 inch pads. That is an awesome machine.

 

[dillon45]

350 C JD 8' 4" wide ??

If you happen to decide on a John Deere 450, be sure to consider an LGP with the 24 inch pads. That is an awesome machine.

Why do you recommend the "24 " grousers" I was under the impression they were hard on the chains and rollers ? I have a chance to buy a 350 C with
wide grousers, the width of the machine is 8 feet 4 inches according to the seller. When he told me the width I couldn't believe it, and still have my
doubts, the machine is a distance from me so I can't go look at it but it is selling cheap. What are your ideas on this information concerning the width.

 

[9420pullpan]

Cat "K" Series hands down
i love the ability to change the blade speed based on application, the balance and visibility is excellent! integrated accugrade controls
the new D6K is going to have a cross slope built in!