# Skidder or dozer?



## catbuster (Jun 3, 2010)

I'm bidding out about 20 acres to cut,skid out, and grub for a campground. I mighhte edn up doing more... I thought about doing it with my tractor, but that's a horrible i dea with the terrain. I can't move the loader I usually use (Cat 941B or 951) down to where I'm working, so I'll have to rent something local. I don't know what to use. The cat would probabaly work better for the sloope I'm working on, but the skidder would pull faster, but i wouldn't have to use a 2nd machine if I used the cat. So, I'm at horrible conundrum as to what to use. If it was closer, I know what I'd use. But it's not close, and so...


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## Oldtimer (Jun 3, 2010)

catbuster said:


> I'm bidding out about 20 acres to cut,skid out, and grub for a campground. I mighhte edn up doing more... I thought about doing it with my tractor, but that's a horrible i dea with the terrain. I can't move the loader I usually use (Cat 941B or 951) down to where I'm working, so I'll have to rent something local. I don't know what to use. The cat would probabaly work better for the sloope I'm working on, but the skidder would pull faster, but i wouldn't have to use a 2nd machine if I used the cat. So, I'm at horrible conundrum as to what to use. If it was closer, I know what I'd use. But it's not close, and so...



Big excavator with a thumb. You can "shovel log" the wood, bust the stumps, load the stumps and rocks, and grade the lot off.
I'd say Cat 315 sized minimum. 320 or 322 would be better.
Daewoo 220 would be perfect.


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## catbuster (Jun 3, 2010)

I've been trying to keep away from hoes.. Most people rent them with Deere controls, and I only run Cat. But, I've actually been thinking about expanding a bit, buying a triaxle, tag and a big hoe. But, I'll check on excavator availibility, and if they have pattern changers. I prefer blades, so I can balance myself on a slope, and not try and hang on on a 1:1 slope. That pretty much puts me in a 15 or less tonner, or ZTS machine.


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## D&B Mack (Jun 3, 2010)

If more than 50% of the area is too steep to efficiently skid, then I would go for the dozer. Best I can do with the info, hope it helps.


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## 371groundie (Jun 3, 2010)

check out the kobelco bladerunner. if that blade wont hold you on a slope the anchor from an aircraft carrier wont.


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## tlandrum (Jun 3, 2010)

nut up and run the skidder. i run my skidder up and down stuff steep as a horses face. just dont go sidling around a hill.


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## komatsuvarna (Jun 3, 2010)

tlandrum2002 said:


> nut up and run the skidder. i run my skidder up and down stuff steep as a horses face. just dont go sidling around a hill.



:agree2: 20 acres with a trackhoe? Better bring your mailbox. 15 or less ton puts you in a 315 cat @ about 30,000 lbs. You or the dealer can swap the hoses to your style. Its easy. All the new compact excavators have pattern changers, but alot of the bigger ones dont. I think the D series cats is the only big excavators with changers. Cat controls is a pretty standard thing in a 120 size machine(312 cat) and bigger. I had my dealer put patern changers on my bigger hoes when i got em.


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## komatsuvarna (Jun 3, 2010)

>



Somebodys been doing some blasting.


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## mercer_me (Jun 4, 2010)

A skidder is alot faster than a dozer. Just don't rent a John Deere 540 becouse they are wicked tippy. The John Deere 640 works great in steep terain.


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## redprospector (Jun 4, 2010)

tlandrum2002 said:


> nut up and run the skidder. i run my skidder up and down stuff steep as a horses face. just dont go sidling around a hill.



Hahaha. I was driving down the road today and saw some horses. It made me think about your post. I couldn't help but think that if you're going down stuff as steep as a horses face, you're doing it end over end.  That's yarder country.

I will say that you can use a skidder on some pretty steep ground. I've skidded on 46% slopes with mine. But if you're a skidder runner and not a skidder opperator, you may wind up on your side. Heck, even an opperator could wind up on his side on steep slopes. Oh, and I'm not really an opperator yet. But I'm working on it pretty quick.

Andy


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## cuznguido (Jun 5, 2010)

An excavator, especially a larger one, is a hard cat to clean after for almost any kind of work. The terrain is the only limiting factor. Any good operator can adjust from Cat controls to JD in a few minutes, but if you are going to rent one for more than a day or two the dealer can change the controls in just a few minutes. Some of the newer ones can actually be changed from the operators seat with a switch. Progress is wonderful.


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