"New guy", could really use some input and advise on buying my first dozer!

[MOJOWY]

Hello can some one tell me if a deere 650j will do ok for a driveway build? It about 1800 ft long in not to heavy soil i know it wont be fast but the next step up i can rent close by is a 1650 case cost to much and frt is high. Half the driveway is soild rock where my thoght is to push or load fill to cover then put j base on top of it all. Thanks for the help. Jerry

 

[Frank Dozer]

Deciding which dozer to purchase can be tough for a home owner with some acreage. I have 26 acres in Maine. Over the past 7 years I've had 4 dozers. First was a John Deere 350C bucket loader, nice dozer but had trany problems so I sold it and got my cash back. Second was a Komatsu D21A-5 with a 6 way blade. Also a nice dozer, but kind of too small, sold it got my cash back. Third was a Magnatrac MH4800 with a bucket loader and a 6 way blade. I got a great deal on it, 3 years old and it was like brand new. But it was WWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY to small, so I sold it and got my cash back. Earlier this month I purchased a 1984 John Deere 455D with a 4 in 1 bucket. I love it. I am building roads and I can now move dirt from one area to another. I highly recommend it!!!!!!!!! They are out there in the $10,000 to $17,000 price range. Buy one use it then sell it and get your cash back. Thanks, Frank

 

[sfchovis]

Great reading...

Hovis

 

[nickkal100]

d6 all the way!.....................the d6c is what i would go with..............model years commonly ran throughout the 70s. im in the diamond drilling industry up in northern canada.........we use these things to pull our drill shacks around in the bush(of course our configuration includes wide pads and a winch)but this machine has no trouble at all pulling around our biggest drills and or knocking over large sized trees. in my opinion this is a beautiful machine and i think u would like it too. you should have no trouble finding one within ur price range(evan with a ripper)! hope i helped

 

[Mishkin]

hey all I just bought a dozer. '85 JD 450D. I was told the U/C sprockets are worn b/c they are sharp. I called the original owner I bought it from and he said it's because he didn't use it in rock and they have 80% life left. I took some pics can someone help me out? I can't post new posts for some reason.

Pics:
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/5123/dozertrack4.jpg
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/7846/dozertrack3.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/4184/dozertrack2.jpg
http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/9720/dozertrack1.jpg

 

[balls2go]

Looks to me like it's about 80% worn out. Time to turn the pins/bushings and put on new sprockets.

 

[norite]

Hi Mishkin, welcome.

I think that u/c is pretty far gone, almost completely wore out. I would plan on repairing/replacing it in the very near future. If you were told it had 80% life left you were misled. I think balls2go's estimate of 20% is much closer and that may even be optomistic. Best get the Deere dealer or a local track shop to check it out and tell you what your options are.

 

[Mishkin]

yea thats exactly what I figured.. how much would replacing this stuff cost??

I had it shipped in yesterday and it wasn't near what he told me it was.

Thanks guys.

 

[norite]

I don't know the exact cost, you will need to have the u/c inspected by an experienced heavy equipment mechanic and then get a quote from a JD dealer or a local track shop if there is one nearby. I do know the u/c is usually the most expensive system on a dozer to replace, and probably the biggest operating cost after fuel.

Check around and see if you can find some good used u/c parts, the JD450 track loader has the same running gear except for a longer track frame and I believe an extra bottom roller. Loaders come with triple grouser pads which are different as are the chains (will need to be shortened), but rollers, idlers and sprockets should all be interchangeable and a used 450 loader can usually be bought relatively cheap compared to the dozer as they seem to be no longer very popular.

Keep us informed as to the results.

 

[Mishkin]

thanks for the reply.

I called the deere dealer and they want 900 to turn the pins and 237.00 a side for the sprocket and labor.

They said the can only turn the pins if the rails are 75% worn or less.

I know its hard to tell but do you guys think this is all it needs? I don't want to get it in there and they tell me its going to be 5k.

 

[Mishkin]

ok so a neighbor came over and just bought it off me.. so I guess that settles that..

 

[Digger321b]

you won't get anything good under about $60,000 - $70,000. you really need to buy a really good second hand dozer, because they can cost a lot to repair and cost you time!

good luck with it all