Tag Archives: bulldozer

Caterpillar D6K Bulldozers

If you are in the construction zone, you may understand the importance of a bulldozer in this industry. Right from demolishing an existing construction to leveling the roads, you need a dozer for all the activity that is pertaining to this industry. Having proper roads is considered to be the backbone of any developing economy and a dozer plays a pivotal role is constructing smooth ones. Also, it is used extensively to clear snow during the winters. Winters are a nightmare for most of us in the US especially when it starts snowing and the snow get laid over the entire road. In such a scenario, a dozer along with other heavy equipment is used to get rid of the mess and bring life back on track.

Many construction equipment producing companies are in the business of making quality dozers but the one that people trust the most is of CAT. The heavy equipment that are manufactured by Caterpillar are known for its supreme quality and durability. It stays on with you for years and when you feel the need to change the machine, you can expect a good resale value for it. You will always find buyers available to buy a CAT machine but for brands other than CAT, it may take some time to resell the stuff.

Caterpillar’s D6K bulldozers are one such make that is known for its long lasting utility. We will be speaking about its specification in detail.

Coming straight to the engine of the machine, the net power of the machine is 125 hp with a displacement of 403 cu in. The number of cylinders that is installed in this equipment is 6 with an operating weight of 13467 kg. If we check its fuel, cooling system fluid and engine oil capacity, it is 295, 24 and 16.5 liters respectively. The hydraulic fluid capacity is 58 liters and the final drives fluid capacity is around 23 liters with an operating voltage of 24 V and alternator supplied amperage is 95 amps. The transmission type is hydrostatic with a forward and reverse speed of 10 km per hour.

Moving our focus to the undercarriage, the ground pressure of the machine is 4.7 psi and the ground contact area is 6200 in2. The standard shoe size of the dozer is 30 in with 40 shoes on each side. The total number of track rollers on each side is 7 and the track gauge is 6.6 ft in. If a standard blade is installed, its width will be 11 ft in and the capacity will be around 3.8 yd3. The length of the machine with and without blade is 16.3 ft in and 12.4 ft in respectively. The height of the dozer from the ground to the top of the cab is 9.7 ft in and the length of track on ground is 8.7 ft in with a ground clearance of 1.2 ft in.

Buying this dozer will not hurt your wallet as the price has been kept quite modest and within the reach of most of the people engaged in this form of a business.

Tips on how to run a dozer

Operating heavy equipment is no child’s play and it requires good deal of skill and knowledge to operate any kind of machine. People who possess years of experience can also experience tough time operating equipment and if we consider someone who has just taken the cabin, he needs to ensure that he does not bump it off to people working on the site. Construction companies usually take due care of their machines and do not let it out to a novice. It will be a big risk to let a beginner operate heavy equipment without the presence of a senior person or veteran operator inside the cabin. He will definitely need guidance that will help him to learn to operate the machine and will eventually make him a better operator.

Out of the many machines, a bulldozer is the one that has been found to be extremely difficult to operate in rough terrain. If you try to work with a big dozer in a place which has been affected by some kind of natural calamity, you will get to know the sort of toll it can have on a person. When the land is hit by a storm or a hurricane and leaves everything wrecked, you need a dozer along with other set of heavy equipment to set the place back to normal. Few basic tips one should follow when they make their way to run a dozer.

Wearing good pair of boots:-

Wearing good pair of boots is a must when you are making your way inside the cabin of a dozer. Wearing anything below average can have serious consequences. Your legs may skid from the brakes when you try to apply them and that can lead to serious injuries. In order to avoid any such misadventure, one must invest in quality boots. Along with it, it is also advisable to wear a good pair of gloves as that will keep your hand protected from heat and dust.

Make proper use of the joystick:-

The joystick in the bulldozer is the eye and brain of the machine. You give orders to the dozer by moving the joystick to the desired direction. Make sure that you know which move of the joystick will take the machine to the direction you want it to go. When you get yourself inside the cabin, check if the joystick is in order and if it is moving freely. That ensures that the machine will move smoothly at your command.

Have good control on your pedal:-

In order to slow the dozer, you should make use of the decelerator pedal. You will locate this pedal just next to the brake. You may not want to make use of the brakes too often and can use the decelerator pedal to slow the machine whenever required.  It is important to check if the decelerator pedal and the brakes are properly oiled and are easy to apply or else there are high chances of you bumping off the person that comes in your way.