Dozer vs Track Loader

[Acoals]

I'm not sure where you're at in WI but I don't see many beyond the SE part of the state. I'm just south of the border in IL and track loaders are everywhere. I have a 953 and while running it one day I realized I can think of 11 other track loaders just amongst friends and acquaintances in my immediate area.

I am Northern WI.

 

[Willie B]

953 hands down for what you want to do.

If I only had one machine to put food on the table it would be a 953 trackloader.

Funny, Charlie Abbott was a good friend. He got into the excavation business before an excavator was a thing. His choice was not Caterpillar, all his tracked machines were IH. His choice was the 175, (1.75 yard bucket. Charlie had a dozen or more 175, ranging from the 175 model, through several letter suffixes, some Dresser, not IH. Only machine he cleared land with.

Last year I asked his younger brother how many he still has? "Just two" he said. I've since counted four still in his possession. Might be two in daily use.

 

[Willie B]

You know the capabilities of a track loader, a 953 would be similar but faster. I’d say rent a dozer with a 6 way blade and try it, you’ll know if its the right machine or not. I’m a big fan of track loaders for thier versatility, but since you already have an excavator I think it is a little redundant. The popularity of excavators has cut into the 953/963 market, skid steers cut into the market for the small ones. An excavator and a 6 way dozer is a hard combo to beat IMO.

I will confess I imagined a dozer as laying a perfectly smooth surface. I bought one. I lay a rough surface except when smoothing out processed material. Plowing over roots, stubble & tree debris. I do find frozen ground to be the perfect opportunity to smooth it out. Frozen ground I can shear off stubble big as 2" diameter like a razor on a face.

 

[bebobe]

You don't need to see the teeth on a track loader to do finish grading. You will learn from the feel of the bucket contacting the ground and looking at the position of the bucket from the seat.
The same is true for a dozer.
The tilt and angle blade capability's of a dozer is something you should consider in your choice. IHHO.

Yes sir, I agree. I was just speculating that if you put a brand new person, who has never run either one before, on a track loader and a dozer, he might be able to learn to finish grade with a dozer quicker due to being able to see the cutting edge and the ability to tilt the blade. Maybe that's why the track loader is less popular? I know my Dad has more trouble than me grading with the loader.

 

[bebobe]

You know the capabilities of a track loader, a 953 would be similar but faster. I’d say rent a dozer with a 6 way blade and try it, you’ll know if its the right machine or not. I’m a big fan of track loaders for thier versatility, but since you already have an excavator I think it is a little redundant. The popularity of excavators has cut into the 953/963 market, skid steers cut into the market for the small ones. An excavator and a 6 way dozer is a hard combo to beat IMO.

I think this is great advice. Although I am somwhat experienced with earthmoving in general, I obviously am ignorant to the capabilities and ease/difficulty of use of a dozer other than watching youtube videos. I'm going to go visit a couple of dealers and scratch around a bit.

 

[Catsparky1]

Back in the 80s when I lived in socal I was working for a grading contractor . We had a guy we would call to dig house pads on extremely steep slopes . He had a 977L with ripper with a winch that slid into the shank pockets . It had a 4&1 bucket with dual slope boards on the bucket . Didn't really talk to him much but watching what he could do was absolutely amazing . How he built it don't know .

 

[Evening Digger]

I know this isn't what the OP asked, but I have a rubber tire loader and love it. Mine is a Deere 544K on skidder tires, a must for our soft south GA dirt. It's much less expensive and smoother to operate than a track loader (I have a large CTL as well). It's also fast enough that I'll drive it between job sites even 8 miles or so apart. Having a bucket, rake, and forks gives me quite a bit of versatility.

When things get really soft or slippery, I'm sure the track loader would be a better option.

 

[bebobe]

What he said!

Also a new large compact track loader could move brush around fast using a grapple bucket. If you pull up the trees with your excavator.

The new tl12v2's can do a lot of work and still be moved with a f450. The hydraulic functions and machine speed are fast and they can carry big logs. For plain dirt moving and stumping the the 53/63 will smoke it. The 53 and 63 will also make a large brush pile quick.

I did not see what area you are in but I have seen a few nice 963 loaders online up for sale for fairly decent prices lately.

Sorry, I updated my profile. I am in Georgia, near Athens.

 

[Welder Dave]

Wheel loader wouldn't be good unless you were on flat ground with very little slope. They have a higher center of gravity and will tip over a lot easier.

 

[Evening Digger]

Yep, flat ground with little slope is what I have.

 

[Bumpsteer]

Pretty sure I've only seen 1 trackloader around here in 20 years...that one was on a demo job at a GM plant.

Ed

 

[Welder Dave]

Yep, flat ground with little slope is what I have.

Then a wheel loader could be a good choice. However if you're digging in hard clay or other difficult material, a track loader would be a much better option.

 

[bam1968]

Have a bucket for it as well. Works good for for my needs.

 

[BC Placer gold]

Have a bucket for it as well. Works good for for my needs.
View attachment 305975

Nice!

 

[skyking1]

My first machine was a J350 crawler loader. I learned the ways of spinning in a track or dumping a pile to get started.
When I got to a 6 way that could quickly crown a road, I never looked back. Here in rainy country that crown is so essential, and really advanced stuff for a loader.

 

[bebobe]

My first machine was a J350 crawler loader. I learned the ways of spinning in a track or dumping a pile to get started.
When I got to a 6 way that could quickly crown a road, I never looked back. Here in rainy country that crown is so essential, and really advanced stuff for a loader.

That's funny, when I'm grading a crown in a road with the loader Dad asks me sometimes, how do you get it to tilt over like that, and I say, "I don't know", lol.

 

[Willie B]

I looked at a dozer once with only up down hydraulic. I vaguely remember I could adjust tilt manually. I commented I would prefer a 6 way blade. He said "All you gotta do is back up on a rock to get started, then it cuts the road to shape."
I believe it can also be done backing off the edge of the road to start, come on diagonal. Even a 6 way blade, you run the edge parallel to the tracks as soon as the road under the machine is tilted.

I believe a six way blade is useful, but not essential. Angling the blade is not often used. Angle the blade more than a little, I can't see the corners of the cutting edge. My friend is magical on a small dozer, he explains angling the blade slightly avoids the digs & humps you will create affecting both tracks at once. Next pass angle the other way, tends to reduce the digging & piling.
Tilting the blade only happens at first when you crown a road. As soon as the tractor is tilted one side of a road, you go back to parallel with the tractor.

I have friends, they are highly skilled people. They get the job done with the machine that is there. Kenny, (61 years of age) is still a kid in the eyes of his father (82 years), can do more with a machine than I could believe. If they had a track loader on site, they would crown a road. If a dozer with a 6 way, it'd be more efficient. Each project brings 8? 12? machines. They do the job, ever conscious of the cost of bringing, then removing each machine.

One special tool is some of the International Harvester track loaders (175) in the fleet had Drott Skid Loaders. A Drott bucket allows you to doze & load.

 

[Georgia Iron]

The trick to crowning a road with a skid steer or a loader is to only fill the bucket up with material on the side you want to bring the crown up. After your basic flat or tilted grade is done then use the material on the middle or side of the road that you want to build up. Since the bucket is only full on one side it will bring the crown up as you spread out the material. Once your tracks are on the higher material the machine is on a tilt, so the blade (bucket) is tilted that way, and so it goes.

Once you get the hang of it, nothing to it.

 

[IceHole]

Have a bucket for it as well. Works good for for my needs.
View attachment 305975

Don't see them with cabs often. I started wondering if the 2 I've seen plus mine were shop built.
Mine even has a/c (not working though)

 

[CM1995]

The trick to crowning a road with a skid steer or a loader is to only fill the bucket up with material on the side you want to bring the crown up. After your basic flat or tilted grade is done then use the material on the middle or side of the road that you want to build up. Since the bucket is only full on one side it will bring the crown up as you spread out the material. Once your tracks are on the higher material the machine is on a tilt, so the blade (bucket) is tilted that way, and so it goes.

Once you get the hang of it, nothing to it.

This ^^^

If there is enough room especially with a CTL you can dump a couple of full buckets on either side of the centerline and create the crown that way. Cut my teeth learning how to grade on a Bobcat 843 making swales between garden homes.