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@6k that's a good investment. Maybe haggle a little depending on how it looks in person. Make sure you put it through its paces to make sure the hydraulics work (and don't leak), inspect the drive sprockets and see how much wear they have. Check the road wheels as well for excessive chipping or missing chunks. It wouldn't hurt to do some research on it before going to look. Find out the procedure for performing track tension. There will usually be a spec for determining how much track wear/stretch has happened and when it needs to be replaced. The more you know the easier it will be to spot a hidden issue. If it's cheap but you need to buy new tracks within a month of purchase it could be a bad deal.
I have a 16k excavator (cat e70b) with street pads which would be similar traction wise to the loader you are looking at. Having tracked it around in snow and ice, and living on a hilly property. I avoid firing it up and tracking it very far on the property unless the tractor (2wd) or another piece of equipment is stuck in the winter on the ice. And then I pray a lot as I transverse hills. Fortunately I have the excavator attachment to move me around once I slide into things. Side hills suck, just plan on sliding it into trees and leaving it there till the ice thaws if there's much of a side hill and you loose traction. The one you are looking at looks to be a handy size for that money it would be worth it if the undercarriage is in good shape. If it was me, I'd either look at a skid steer or smaller 4wd tractor with chains. Unless you are doing a lot of dirt moving, then the track loader would be great. But I'd find another way to clean the drive other than the loader.
Just remember, when you are rolling on the off-camber stretches, keep the nose pointed uphill when on ice. Worst case when you start to slide, put the bucket down mouth first HARD. Ask me how I know?
1977 Cherokee Chief - The Blair Jeep Project III
A collection of parts flying in close formation
What he said ️ I always liken it to using a zero turn on a hillside. You crabwalk across the hill if it's really steep. With it loaded on the trailer that's a much better perspective of the size, what's it weigh? I wouldn't have passed it up either probably.
My dually with the vortec 8.1 liter (496 cubic inch) big block flat ran out of power at 9k feet coming over the pass. I had another buddy with me and we were kinda expecting that to happen, so we already had the Bubba Rope ready. He had to tow me a couple of hundred yards. My Gearstar Stage II 4L80E overheated a bit and spilled fluid out the vent. I think it is fine and only need an oil change now.
I have not been able to use the dozer much as I discovered that it has three broken bottom rollers. They should be here tomorrow...
My dually with the vortec 8.1 liter (496 cubic inch) big block flat ran out of power at 9k feet coming over the pass. I had another buddy with me and we were kinda expecting that to happen, so we already had the Bubba Rope ready. He had to tow me a couple of hundred yards. My Gearstar Stage II 4L80E overheated a bit and spilled fluid out the vent. I think it is fine and only need an oil change now.
I have not been able to use the dozer much as I discovered that it has three broken bottom rollers. They should be here tomorrow...
My dually with the vortec 8.1 liter (496 cubic inch) big block flat ran out of power at 9k feet coming over the pass. I had another buddy with me and we were kinda expecting that to happen, so we already had the Bubba Rope ready. He had to tow me a couple of hundred yards. My Gearstar Stage II 4L80E overheated a bit and spilled fluid out the vent. I think it is fine and only need an oil change now.
I have not been able to use the dozer much as I discovered that it has three broken bottom rollers. They should be here tomorrow...
So time for lower gears and more cooling?
yup.
I'm currently looking at the 2001+ AAM 14 bolts. Some come stock with a G80 locker and 4.56 gears. All have disc breaks. That will be a huge upgrade over my stock D70 open with drums and 3.73 gears.
The thought keeps crossing my mind to slap either a transfer case or some kind of underdrive unit on the back of the 4L80E so I can get some lower gears. Might be cool have a transfer case, but no front axle. As you know Gabe, the mountain is steep.
But I've already vowed to NEVER tow that dozer anywhere. If I need to go somewhere on the mountain, I will simply wait until it snows and drive it on the dirt roads.
Charles Kline wrote:Buying a bulldozer is just about the coolest thing a person could do. Sounds like you're fitting right into the homestead lifestyle.
Nope it is designed to do one job. On a homestead you want something that can be used on multiple jobs, clear off your roads and has a PTO to run your buzz saw and woodsplitter, and put in your garden
tedlovesjeeps71 wrote:You gonna build an enclosure for the cab and put in a heater?? I hope!
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HAH!
Real Men put on a flannel coat, Pack boots and wool pants then get busy! Of course a propane weedburner to warm up the floor helps
*Having flashbacks of operating a 1940s Bantam Yarder in -20 degrees with no heater in an enclosed cab*
1977 Cherokee Chief - The Blair Jeep Project III
A collection of parts flying in close formation
I'm also looking to get a little 4x4 tractor, maybe even one that has a hoe on it. My problem is $$$. I need to throw down about 4k for the building permit and then building supplies.
I already have that tractor/forklift thing and it is really good at lifting trees or anything else really. Then I have the honcho with front/rear winches which is really good around here.
as far as a cab for the dozer. heck no. like tats said: flannel coat and boots!
We called it Temperature Induced Motivation. The colder it was the faster you ran the machine so you could go jump in the running pickup with the heater blasting.
1977 Cherokee Chief - The Blair Jeep Project III
A collection of parts flying in close formation