My type of work requires a small dozer. I have had 3 previous (smallest made) American dozers. No American co. to my knowledge has made a small dozer since around 1985. I was looking to up date my dozer. I wanted to get a small d20 or 21 Komatsu. I knew they would be alot eaiser to get parts for and serviced if needed. I had talked to several dealers who sold both grey market machines (Komatsu and Mitsubishi) all said they felt the Mitsubishi was a better machine but would be hard to get parts for or service. My pholophsy is to pay a little more if you can and purchase the best equipement you can afford than buy one and fix it up because it gets very expensive very quick buying any thing for a dozer or backhoe. (example, I just bought a JCB 212 backhoe, with a 3 ft section of burned wireing harness, byond repair and a new one is $1,100.) I lookd at several Konatsus and ran onto a Mitsubishi with little hours. I purchased it. It does a real nice job for a small dozer and I think it has a better engine than the Komatsu. The parts distributor for them I think is Rhine Equipt. in Wash. I dont know what all they are able to get. I had a very hard time even crossing the oil filter over to a U.S made one. NAPA or no one had a cross over or even referance to it. I do 98% of the maintaince myself. Tracks, rollers, are available on E-bay from time to time. Be very careful in buying either brand as most are pretty well wore out even at low hours, (rusted) inspect it very closely and take someone with you who knows about dozers. Having work done on these dozers can cost more that the same job on a larger dozer. For example mine had very, very, low hours and from it sitting so long to be shipped from Japan to US and sitting on dealer lot, 5 pins on one chain had frozen up. I worked on it for 3 months, soaking it with every kind of penetrating oil I knew of, heated it, took the pads off and jacked it back up, drove it on pavement, but every time it came around the sprocket, would bend back the other way and would bind up. I called a Komatsu dealer and he gave me a estimate of $90. if I took the track off and the pads off, to simply press the pins out, buff them off and press them back in. I felt I had no choice and could live with that. When I went to pick it up it was $300. Just to press 5 pins out and back in. I thought that was a little high as I can purchase a new set of chains for $1500. I love the dozer for my type of work and it is not near as tireing as the older dozers were. PS. I still love the way Allis Chalmers made the little HD4. If only a newer one were made.
You may be able to get engine parts thru a local mitsu dealer, or an auto parts store.
