Dickjr. as to why the hydrostat machines came about, some customers wanted more in a dozer than to stop one track to turn, that started the idea of two speed turning IH/dresser and case offered in smaller dozers, many decades ago, then along came the big introduction of skid steers and that technology which evolved into a fully hydrostat machine, which is what we have in skid steers now and have had for many decades, [some of us remember the old belt drive models]. When hydrostat dozers came out, can't remember for sure who made the first one here in the US but a similar conversation was discussed, you can't put skid steer technology into a dozer, even though it was already used in many different aspects of the industry in larger still machines.
But customers have gotten used to it, and really like it enough to keep buying the machines, so size increased over time and now we're at in size of machines today, deere is testing the waters to see if people want and like this size of dozer all deere built. Deere has done this many times over and its not a new concept for them, cut a deal with someone on a machine, do a joint venture, and then after its proven and people want it, cancel the deal and build their own machine, same thing that they did with New Holland on skid steers and a few others, if they can't buy them out that is.
The big issue everyone is having who claim it won't work is reliability and cost to repair, smaller hydrostat dozers have proven themselves in both reliability and being cost effective to repair, or maybe the correct term is, the operator friendly hydrostat offsets the cost to repair or people like them enough they'll pay to fix them, however you want to look at it.
)Ron G
