littledenny
Well-Known Member
Anyone have any experience with dozer blades on skidsteers - something like a Grouser 1300 blade on a Bobcat S250 with over the tire tracks?
Short Story - Just spent the better part of two weeks operating a rented Cat D3GXL dozer - was cutting down a driveway approach through some hilly areas, and moving the dirt to build up a "yard" on the downside of a house.
A dozer was the obvious choice here, needed it to cut the road some 150 feet lengthwise, from mere inches on the high end to some six feet deep on the low end, then pushing the dirt 100 feet around the house and down a bank to the new back yard. Considered a bucketed skidsteer, but figured that it wouldn't cut the existing hardpacked road as easily, nor handle the grades to the back yard. Had no room to move a truck, so an excavator and truck wasn't an option. Still the dozer, though small, it was really kinda tight to maneuver in and around the obstacles - trees, the septic tank, etc. The other problem was that I spent half my time backing back up the hill, at 3MPH tops.
Was thinking that a larger tracked skidsteer with a 6 way blade might have been an option in this case, and just wondering if anyone has any experience with one. I'm curious as to how well they work for actually cutting hard packed dirt, or are they really only suitable for finish grading and the like.
Yep, I realize that the Cat is well over twice as heavy as any skidsteer I'm likely to rent, and much better suited for sidesloping and nose down work - but I'm contemplating another job that will involve reworking a long driveway, with a need to cut some side ditches and recrowning. I'm wondering if a heavy, tracked skidsteer has enough ooophm to do some ditchcutting, and can make up for the raw power of a real dozer with a smaller bite, but a higher track speed.
I'd appreciate any insight anyone could offer.
Short Story - Just spent the better part of two weeks operating a rented Cat D3GXL dozer - was cutting down a driveway approach through some hilly areas, and moving the dirt to build up a "yard" on the downside of a house.
A dozer was the obvious choice here, needed it to cut the road some 150 feet lengthwise, from mere inches on the high end to some six feet deep on the low end, then pushing the dirt 100 feet around the house and down a bank to the new back yard. Considered a bucketed skidsteer, but figured that it wouldn't cut the existing hardpacked road as easily, nor handle the grades to the back yard. Had no room to move a truck, so an excavator and truck wasn't an option. Still the dozer, though small, it was really kinda tight to maneuver in and around the obstacles - trees, the septic tank, etc. The other problem was that I spent half my time backing back up the hill, at 3MPH tops.
Was thinking that a larger tracked skidsteer with a 6 way blade might have been an option in this case, and just wondering if anyone has any experience with one. I'm curious as to how well they work for actually cutting hard packed dirt, or are they really only suitable for finish grading and the like.
Yep, I realize that the Cat is well over twice as heavy as any skidsteer I'm likely to rent, and much better suited for sidesloping and nose down work - but I'm contemplating another job that will involve reworking a long driveway, with a need to cut some side ditches and recrowning. I'm wondering if a heavy, tracked skidsteer has enough ooophm to do some ditchcutting, and can make up for the raw power of a real dozer with a smaller bite, but a higher track speed.
I'd appreciate any insight anyone could offer.