best/smallest dozer to pull trucks in/out??

[Justmizell]

I operate a water well business in FL and was wondering what might be the best and smallest dozer to assist with getting trucks into and out of properties when its wet/muddy. My heaviest truck is roughly 45k lbs loaded. It would need to be something that I could pull with my 3/4 ton pickup. This company has managed fine for 30yrs without one, but my mind wonders when I can't work. Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CavinJim]

I really doubt you'll be able to do that with anything you can pull behind a 3/4 ton. Heaviest machine you're looking at would be in the 12K range. Just picture a 12K machine on tracks in mud trying to move 45K on tires mired in mud.... ain't happen'n

 

[Justmizell]

thanks for the reply. I was thinking largest would be something in the 450 range, idk? its not pulling dead weight.. the truck is trying. when i do stick it, i usually pull it out with the other truck on site with either a chain or large rope.. drain water if necessary.

 

[Justmizell]

guess I'm wondering whats the cheapest/hardest pulling machine i could buy/customize to haul on a 10t gooseneck or under to do what I need.

 

[lumberjack]

A tracked skid steer with a hydraulic winch attachment (attachment being ground engaging) could pull very hard relative to its weight.... also might make the machine more versatile. A mini excavator can anchor with its blade and out pull a CTL for a short distance of its arm retraction. I've used mine to pull my grapple truck out, several times. It weighs 46klb empty.

 

[Backcountrybackhoe]

I worked in the alberta oil fields. Deep sticky mud during break up. Smallest we ran was a D6 dragging in tankers and b trains. Mounted a pin on the ripper with a big cable. I wouldnt do it in anything smaller as I stood that D6 up on her rear idlers a couple times draggin those poor truckers through mud up to the top of their fuel tanks.

 

[Backcountrybackhoe]

You may also want to look at a tractor or skidder as an option with a winch..

 

[bdog1234]

I have an international 4800 4x4 truck with some oilfield equipment on it. Weighs 24k fully loaded. It gets stuck often. Normally a D5 sized dozer moves it no problem but I have had it stuck before where one D5 couldn’t budge it. Had to hook two up to get it out. It was stuck bad as in both differentials buried in mud. Being buried and just not being able to get traction are two completely different things. With a 46k truck I wouldn’t want anything less than D6 if you wanted to be able to get it out of anything.

Since weight and hauling are a major concern look into this http://www.winchskid.com/

A small dozer isn’t the answer.

 

[crane operator]

Everyone who's been in situations like this before, should get that same sick feeling in their gut, and know how bad that is......

And I actually looked at that picture and still managed to laugh a little, because I've been there and it really stinks, but somehow everyone gets through it. But its such a pain in the a$$.

Thanks for posting that picture, it gave me a little smile. I've been that guy out goosestepping in muck and I can hear the words in his mind. And they aren't fit to print.

 

[Backcountrybackhoe]

Yeh it was ugly that week. I was in the D6 with dry feet so it was only ugly for some haha. I had just pulled that truck into the lease.

Everyone who's been in situations like this before, should get that same sick feeling in their gut, and know how bad that is......

And I actually looked at that picture and still managed to laugh a little, because I've been there and it really stinks, but somehow everyone gets through it. But its such a pain in the a$$.

Thanks for posting that picture, it gave me a little smile. I've been that guy out goosestepping in muck and I can hear the words in his mind. And they aren't fit to print.

 

[CavinJim]

I feel sorry for the poor bloke who had to clean all the muck off the Cat carriage!

 

[td25c]

guess I'm wondering whats the cheapest/hardest pulling machine i could buy/customize to haul on a 10t gooseneck or under to do what I need.

John Deere 450C with winch ..... https://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/construction-equipment/for-sale/23973693/1980-deere-450c

 

[td25c]

Everyone who's been in situations like this before, should get that same sick feeling in their gut, and know how bad that is......

And I actually looked at that picture and still managed to laugh a little, because I've been there and it really stinks, but somehow everyone gets through it. But its such a pain in the a$$.

Thanks for posting that picture, it gave me a little smile. I've been that guy out goosestepping in muck and I can hear the words in his mind. And they aren't fit to print.

I always wondered " What's Up ? " with trying to plow high dollar equipment through a mud hole ?

Might be more cost effective to blade the mud off & haul in some stone for the trucks ?

 

[crane operator]

Oilfield is such a strange thing. The oil process costs big bucks, but some of it is on the backside of nowhere. They may be 400 miles from a quarry. Maybe further. Backcountrybackhoe was working alberta, and I think some of that stuff is way out there. So they put a dozer up there, and drag everything in and out.

The oilfield stuff closer to me (oklahoma area equipment) has usually been used really, really hard. They don't care about anything but getting the oil out.

You know dragging trucks like that through the muck tears up all kinds of stuff underneath. Pulling out airlines, wiring, plugging axle breathers, filling drums with mud, and all kinds of nasty stuff. And about the time they have the equipment all full of mud, is when it freezes up, and then its twice as bad. But every day that the pumps aren't running is big big $$$, and they don't care about the "consumable" trucks.

They aren't like some people trying to keep 70's equipment running forever (and I know you know what that's like ). And they don't care about the repair bills, or the labor to do it.

 

[crane operator]

The best winch box I've seen is the trebron (old Iowa boy- yes.........)

Built out of a holmes

 

[redneckracin]

You couldn't give me enough money to run that winch like that. If one of those cables snaps, he is done for.

 

[Backcountrybackhoe]

I feel sorry for the poor bloke who had to clean all the muck off the Cat carriage!

Yup I shoveled them every day at the end of the shift. It was starting to get cold and freezing at night.

 

[Backcountrybackhoe]

I always wondered " What's Up ? " with trying to plow high dollar equipment through a mud hole ?

Might be more cost effective to blade the mud off & haul in some stone for the trucks ?

Not 2 hours out in the bush. Plus 2-3 hour haul from the closest rock quarrie. As soon as you get a week of dry weather this mud drys right out. But when it's wet you sink pritty good. The oil company's need these trucks getting in and out. So if they say get the truck in you get it in. No matter how big of a cat you need to drag it.

After you tow you blade the mud to help bit you can just push it away. There a too much and no where to put it. And then you start digging a hole that way too.

 

[chroniekon]

I had a well put in this time of year here in Oregon, needless to say it was wet a muddy. He had some kind of mats he put down to keep his rig from sinking in. Granted, he only had about 100' of soft ground to get over.

 

[Backcountrybackhoe]

I had a well put in this time of year here in Oregon, needless to say it was wet a muddy. He had some kind of mats he put down to keep his rig from sinking in. Granted, he only had about 100' of soft ground to get over.

They use rig Mats in alberta if they need to. But if they can drag the trucks in they do that first. Matting takes time and money