Buying a dozer

[Jakebreak]

I was wondering what everybody's opinion is on a d5h dozer we're looking at buying a dozer and we're thinking a 4-5 size machine to do firebreaks some road work in the mountains and helping out to backfill ditches on jobs when it's needed I'm thinking a 6 way blade and rippers don't want anything to new with electronics

 

[JS300]

I was told to stay away from the H series machines because engine parts were getting hard to find. This may or may not be true but would be worth looking into before purchasing. Also the older dozers seem to have tougher built bodies and don't get banged up as easy. Good luck

 

[Bluox]

D5H has a 3304 engine you can get new parts anywhere.
Bob

 

[Shimmy1]

Problem is most of these vintage tractors are getting so many hours on them. You might get lucky and find one with less than 10,000 hrs and been used relatively easy.

 

[DMiller]

I really get aggravated hearing 1980's/90's machines called vintage, makes me feel ancient!!

 

[Jakebreak]

thanks for your replies we figured a d6 would be nice but it might be a little to big for what we are wanting to do with it moving it is easy for us I have never ran a d5h only a 4 and a 6 and I loved them both shimmy your right about trying to find one for a low price with low hours on it but high hours don't scare me to bad as long as the machine has been taken care of hopefully I can find one with a good undercarriage on it we would probably only put a few hundred hours a year on it if that depending if we put it on a job and use it and I definitely don't want a cab

 

[Shimmy1]

I really get aggravated hearing 1980's/90's machines called vintage, makes me feel ancient!!

After I typed it, I thought about rewording it to say "tractors of that vintage", LOL. I certainly wasn't trying to call a D5H a vintage tractor, to me it has to be a "D" for most dozers to be considered vintage. Sorry for makin you feel old, DMiller.

 

[Shimmy1]

.........and I definitely don't want a cab

Yeah, machines "of that vintage" (for you, DMiller)were not known for their comfort level. If the A/C works at all, they are still noisy and hot with the doors closed, you might as well be in the open air. It does get old eating dirt, though. Spent quite a few hours on a open station 7H. You were ready to be done at the end of the day. Just for the record, since I know some of you older guys get pissy when you hear us young punks complaining about A/C, I started operating in 1990, and did not get to run a machine with air until 2004. It took until 2010 for me to get a truck with air.

 

[crane operator]

and did not get to run a machine with air until 2004. It took until 2010 for me to get a truck with air.

You're in north dakota, are you sure you even need air? I hear you only get three days of summer, a spring morning, a fall afternoon and its winter the rest of the time....

 

[catman13]

go with the d5h , i have a d5h xl series 2 and love it , good all a round machine

 

[Jakebreak]

go with the d5h , i have a d5h xl series 2 and love it , good all a round machine

What is the difference on a series 2 compared to a regular h I understand xl means extra long undercarriage

 

[old-iron-habit]

After I typed it, I thought about rewording it to say "tractors of that vintage", LOL. I certainly wasn't trying to call a D5H a vintage tractor, to me it has to be a "D" for most dozers to be considered vintage. Sorry for makin you feel old, DMiller.

You say D series is vintage. My most modern machine is a very early D4D. I thought it was state of the art compared to the rest of the iron.

 

[DMiller]

You must have a yard as bad as mine!!

 

[Shimmy1]

You say D series is vintage. My most modern machine is a very early D4D. I thought it was state of the art compared to the rest of the iron.

Ok, I'll try again. "Built before 1960." Does that work for everyone??

 

[Junkyard]

You must have a yard as bad as mine!!

Just bigger with more stuff to tinker with. No Allis though.....

 

[DMiller]

Damn, Best projects are Allis, harder to fix with parts scarce!!

As to shimmy1, young whipper snapper!!

 

[Junkyard]

Any old iron is a good project.

 

[DMiller]

Aint it the truth! You bought that Terex Euc yet??

 

[Jakebreak]

Man thats good stuff cabs don't bother me I just used to running open cabs for awhile I love it even when's it's hot or cold if any of you guys come across a d5 let me know been looking around on the internet today came across one in Washington but the grouser look really worn down and the tracks are dang near touching the tensioner ram on it I appreciate the advice and the conversation

 

[DMiller]

Around here a rails overhaul with DECENT aftermarket, replacing all the worn components and rebuilt idlers you are looking around $14,000 undercarriage for one of these. Does NOT include labor. Just throwing that in for a mindset of expenses to follow purchase.