Slop/excesive movment in blade

[tantoy]

Question for someone that is a proficient dozer operator. I have a new to me Komatsu D21 small dozer. It has a fair bit of slop in the blade due to normal ware in the pins, and I have a hard time keeping a smooth grade when finishing. I have had zero experience running a dozer in the past. I do run a mini excavator for my work and it has a lot of slop in the pins and the quick connect bucket ,but I can grade, dig around utilities ect with great accuracy.
So for a good operator on a dozer, how important is it to you to have good tight pins in the blade?

 

[buckfever]

It takes time but you’ll get use to it. I’ve found that carrying some extra dirt on the blade when grading help hold things a little tighter.

 

[catman13]

I found that if I angle the blade some it helps also , like said above some dirt also

 

[John Canfield]

Even with 50 hours in the seat of my former D39P-1 I had a very difficult time trying to finish grade with it, also short track length will make it more of a challenge for you. You develop a seat of the pants feel after some period of time which I didn't have when I sold it. Having seat time with my dozer didn't help any with learning to operate my mini-ex and probably the reverse is true as well.

 

[Tinkerer]

I ran one of those sorry excuses for a dozer several times. A real b###h to finish grade with after running John Deeres and Caterpillars. If I remember correctly the blade control was backwards from all other brands of dozers in the US.
Push the blade lever forward and the blade would rise. WTH ???

 

[check]

My 1966 D4D has a ton of slop in the blade. When I grade, I just chain the blade into the position I need.

 

[Bls repair]

A lot dozers have shims to take out to tighten the blade up.