SpartanDiesel
Member
Have been considering purchasing a dozer for quite some time now, and my tax situation for 2011 seems to be dictating that I do so before the end of the year- but I'm looking for some advice on choosing a machine.
I do know that I want a Cat machine, enclosed cab, Systemone undercarriage, and that I want to purchase new. My questions lie with sizing and some of the optional equipment available.
The machines that I've considered thus far have been the D4K and D5K. I had initially looked at the D3K, but given the D3 and D4 are pretty much identical in size and the D4 has more power, I can't find a reason to consider the D3.
My work for this machine will include house flats, driveway/light road cutting and some forestry/clearing. Most jobs will be small to medium size, nothing terribly large, but on the same note, I won't be working in any highly confined spaces where size should play a limiting factor (will use our CTL with 6-way blade in the event we do).
Hoping to get some user input on whether the D5 will be worth the extra $$$ over the D4, for sake of having the extra power and getting the work done more quickly. I haven't had an opportunity yet to run either machine for comparison.
Another debate is concerning whether to purchase the machine with Cat's GPS system, to install an aftermarket Trimble/Topcon or to not bother with it. I really do have my preference toward having SOME kind of GPS controls (I love gadgets and electronics) but it seems that there is a wide variation in different systems and the expense. I've priced fully-automated blade control systems upwards of $50K (including the Cat-installed one), which I would LOVE to have but am really wondering if it will be worth the money in the long run.
My last questions lie with whether to go with the XL or LGP tracks. I will be working on some reasonably steep slopes at some points in time, which leans me toward the LGP, but don't know if the XL would be nicer for the flatwork.
I only have a couple hundred hours under my belt running a dozer (have spent more of my time behind excavator sticks) and as such I don't know a whole hell of a lot about it, as you can likely tell from my post. So any relevant advice is certainly appreciated.
I do know that I want a Cat machine, enclosed cab, Systemone undercarriage, and that I want to purchase new. My questions lie with sizing and some of the optional equipment available.
The machines that I've considered thus far have been the D4K and D5K. I had initially looked at the D3K, but given the D3 and D4 are pretty much identical in size and the D4 has more power, I can't find a reason to consider the D3.
My work for this machine will include house flats, driveway/light road cutting and some forestry/clearing. Most jobs will be small to medium size, nothing terribly large, but on the same note, I won't be working in any highly confined spaces where size should play a limiting factor (will use our CTL with 6-way blade in the event we do).
Hoping to get some user input on whether the D5 will be worth the extra $$$ over the D4, for sake of having the extra power and getting the work done more quickly. I haven't had an opportunity yet to run either machine for comparison.
Another debate is concerning whether to purchase the machine with Cat's GPS system, to install an aftermarket Trimble/Topcon or to not bother with it. I really do have my preference toward having SOME kind of GPS controls (I love gadgets and electronics) but it seems that there is a wide variation in different systems and the expense. I've priced fully-automated blade control systems upwards of $50K (including the Cat-installed one), which I would LOVE to have but am really wondering if it will be worth the money in the long run.
My last questions lie with whether to go with the XL or LGP tracks. I will be working on some reasonably steep slopes at some points in time, which leans me toward the LGP, but don't know if the XL would be nicer for the flatwork.
I only have a couple hundred hours under my belt running a dozer (have spent more of my time behind excavator sticks) and as such I don't know a whole hell of a lot about it, as you can likely tell from my post. So any relevant advice is certainly appreciated.