Cat Vs. Deere

[BCB]

I'm new to dozers but i've been around and operated heavy equipment all my life. we are starting to branch out into full size machines and i've only got a few hours on a 650 Deere (loved it!) but i've never spent any time on a Cat dozer this size. I've been asking around and from just about everyone i ask, from a D6 down deer all the way. anybody think the opposite? and what makes the deers so much better?

as for dealer support we have both a large deere and a large cat dealer in the area, so they are pretty much equal in that aspect.

 

[Hans 1]

Deere seems to specialize in the small to mid size machine. Up to about the 850 in dozers.

 

[LonestarCobra]

Thats a question of personal favorites. Everyone will like one or the other the most for one reason or another. Around here all you see is Cat D6H and D6R. There is alot of John Deeres, but they are 450's and 550's for the most part. Most of our work is oilfield, and farm/ranch. The D6 with a winch or a ripper accounts for 90% of the dozers I see. A good friend of mine had an early 80's JD 550 until 3 years ago. They tried their neighbors new JD 650 and were set on buying one. They then took a D4G out on demo, and ordered one 2 days later. They claim the cab is tighter, and the machine seemed more responsive while operating. Also keep in mind that the after the sale service counts for alot.:guns

 

[BCB]

nobody has anymore input? come on everybody has an opinion.

 

[LDK]

Out with the Deeres, in with the Cats

Up until recently I was a Deere convert and as far as handling and performance I still am but their representaition and back up lets them down badly. We have a 700J XL and 750J amd in my opinion they run rings around any equivilant sized CAT dozer that I have run (I have not run the 6K).

With 40 years of experience, I have never had so many hoses fail and if something other than a hose fails it has not been uncommon for us to have to wait 20 to 30 days for parts. We had one of their tracked skid loaders down for a month, an excavator for 2 seperate weeks and the 750 went back to the dealer last week to have the engine stripped down, it has 2500 hours on it and as per the local dealers recomendation it has been serviced every 250 hours (half the normal interval), using genuine filters and the oils they specified. It has been in there five days and they still dont have it stripped out?

I am not pro one brand or the other, these are just facts. I will say that it is very, very unlikely that we will be having more Deeres, I think that we will go with CAT when the time comes to replace them, just because of the back up.

 

[tuney443]

I don't think the opposite.Nothing runs like a Deere.Period.Why?---Dedicated engineering,customer feedback,testing and more testing before a new product gets released,plenty of beef where needed.

 

[BigIron25]

Id say Cat when it comes to dozers. Theres history in thier track type tractor line. Although I have never operated anything smaller than a D7 on the Cat line. And on the Deere line i have never operated anything over a 650J. After getting used to the Deere and thier "T" handle controls it was a decent machine for finishing. I, though am still personally bias when it comes to the cat yellow. The operator station and controls are just so much nicer...once again, that is only my personal opinion though.

 

[BigIron25]

*If you get a chance look at the interior of the new D6N its the "Cats Meow" no pun intended!

 

[Greg]

From D3 to D8 here it is all Cat and nothing else.

Deere Hydraulics at least around here are a nightmare. The Deeres in general are a nightmare to work on too.

 

[KY Jim]

I like a Deere but for SERIOUS Work(non-forestry) I'll take the Cat every time. We go through a LOT of hoses on the Deere's. Give yourself a day or two to adjust to the Cat and you'll never miss a Deere.
KY Jim

 

[CAT D9H]

I have operated from a D4up to a D10T push Cat , skipped around a bit operated 4,6,8,9 and 10 , Cat all the way , ran some deeres 450H, 650G, 750? and wasnt impressed doesnt seem like they are heavy enough , and have the hyd. power and speed , the only thing I liked anout the deere was the forward/reverse/L+R control setup ,
but to each his own , everyone has a differant operating style, test them all and see what you like best

 

[Digger1000]

This is like arguing Chevy Vs. Ford.

Everybody can say what they want but it all comes down to personal preference. Talk to people who actually own machines or have run them, not those who have "heard" about issues or haven't operated or worked on a machine that is new enough to have an opinion.

 

[gasfield315c]

yeah i agree with digger on the chevy and ford thing...i have run deere's from 650 to 1050 and i have run alot of cat dozers also...they all have there drawbacks and pluses, i like a deere better myself because they have infinately variable speeds witch is good for finishing work, stout winches, and are all around smooth machines, but i have always wanted to hook a D6T and an 850J together to see who would win

 

[Knucklehead]

The last dozers that I ran were all Deere's , with the exception being 1 D-4C(?). The bulk of the work that I was doing was regrading the slope of railroad tracks, working in front of and behind a undercutter. This machine pulled the ballast out from under the tracks,and dumped it in a spoils pile.

That being said, we were almost always in tight conditions,and with the way the tracks on the Deere equipment would counter rotate, well lets just say it got me out of trouble in more than 1 occasion. But my opinions are obviously 1 sided since I haven't ran much cat equipment. For what we were doing,a 650 J LGP was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

That's just my opinion, I could be wrong. Heath

 

[Greg]

Chevy and Ford thing? How right you are. Lets hear it for Ford and Cat!! I go along with KY JIM on the hose thing on the deeres and oh ya, try to put the things on. The deeres in my experience are a b---- to work on. Like I said before in here. From a D3 to a D8 around here it is all Cat. I have even been accused of wearing Cat underwear.

 

[Cretebaby]

Chevy and Ford thing? How right you are. Lets hear it for Ford and Deere!! QUOTE]

Fixed it for you

 

[stevenbryant19]

Nothing runs like a Deere . . . with a CAT on its @$$ had to say it since noone else had. I've ran both a D4C series 3 and a Deere 650G bother were nice machines I liked the cat it just seemed to do everything better (started easier in cold, took gear quickly, hydraulics worked quick and smoothly) The operator that took over the Deere liked the Deere more then the cat though and claimed the blade lifted much higher although thats all he ever seemed to point out that was better? :beatsme

 

[Greg]

Cretebaby,

That is Ford and Cat!! You have to get this straight!!

 

[dieseldave]

Up until recently I was a Deere convert and as far as handling and performance I still am but their representaition and back up lets them down badly. We have a 700J XL and 750J amd in my opinion they run rings around any equivilant sized CAT dozer that I have run (I have not run the 6K).

With 40 years of experience, I have never had so many hoses fail and if something other than a hose fails it has not been uncommon for us to have to wait 20 to 30 days for parts. We had one of their tracked skid loaders down for a month, an excavator for 2 seperate weeks and the 750 went back to the dealer last week to have the engine stripped down, it has 2500 hours on it and as per the local dealers recomendation it has been serviced every 250 hours (half the normal interval), using genuine filters and the oils they specified. It has been in there five days and they still dont have it stripped out?

I am not pro one brand or the other, these are just facts. I will say that it is very, very unlikely that we will be having more Deeres, I think that we will go with CAT when the time comes to replace them, just because of the back up.

I completely agree. I'd rather run almost any Deere vs it's Cat counterpart- dozer, excavator, TLB, etc- BUT the Deere will be down far more often, which is compunded by inferior parts availability and service. And heaven help you if you have to wrench on it yourself, they're an itch with a capital "B" to work on.

 

[LDK]

This deere aint tough

I completely agree. I'd rather run almost any Deere vs it's Cat counterpart- dozer, excavator, TLB, etc- BUT the Deere will be down far more often, which is compunded by inferior parts availability and service. And heaven help you if you have to wrench on it yourself, they're an itch with a capital "B" to work on.

Dielseldave, it will be a month next week since that 750j went back to the dealer and it's still not fixed, it only has 2500 hours on it?
At the start of this week out of 5 assorted Deeres, none more than 2 years old, we had one running. The only way I would touch them again is if they gave them to me and threw in a mechanic. Once bitten twice shy!