Beginner Excavator Undercarriage Maintenance
A bulldozer is a powerful piece of heavy equipment used for many projects in many different industries. We've created the following guide to frequently asked questions to help you learn more about this iconic machine. If you have any questions or want to explore bulldozers for sale, head over to RECO Equipment. We offer dealerships in the Midwest, Southeast, and New England area, and proudly serve those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.
What Makes it a Bulldozer?
A bulldozer is a piece of heavy machinery mounted on tracks and equipped with a hydraulically operated horizontal blade. This blade can move an impressive amount of material, such as rock or dirt. The design of bulldozers also offers an impressive transfer of power into the ground.
What Other Terms are Bulldozers Known By?
Bulldozers are also called dozers, track type tractors, and crawler tractors.
Where Can Bulldozers be Used?
The combination of the tracks and the machine's low center of gravity give bulldozers great traction and stability on slopes and unstable ground. You can find bulldozers everywhere from the middle of a forest to the center of a demolition site. But due to the metal tracks, bulldozers cannot be used on paved surfaces.
What Industries Use Bulldozers?
Bulldozers are commonly found in industries that deal with large amounts of material, such as:
- construction
- mining
- agriculture
- forestry
How are Bulldozers Categorized?
Bulldozers can be categorized in a few different ways.
Finish Grade Dozers vs Production Dozers
Finish grade dozers are:
- smaller in size
- used for tasks such as finish grading and excavation
- equipped with variable power angle tilt blades that can be moved up or down, tilted up or down on either side and angled to the left or right
Production dozers are:
- larger in size
- used for tasks such as rough grading and projects where a large amount of material needs to be transported
- equipped with heavy-duty blades that are well-suited for tough environments
Crawler vs Wheel-Based
A crawler option is:
- the most common option
- designed to run off of tracks that offer impressive traction
- able to easily navigate uneven surfaces or terrain that easily shifts (such as gravel or refuse piles)
A wheel-based option is:
- usually much larger in size
- designed to run off of heavy-duty tires and hydraulic steering that allows the bulldozer to maneuver tight turns and handle tasks that need exact positioning
- able to offer increased horsepower, but offers less traction
- often used by facility maintenance
- commonly found on worksites such as college campuses and sport arenas
The Size of the Bulldozer
Small models:
- are under 20,000 pounds
- offer between 75hp and 125hp
Medium models:
- are between 20,000 pounds and 60,000 pounds
- offer between 125hp and 250hp
Large models:
- are between 60,000 pounds and 150,000 pounds
- offer over 250hp
Can Bulldozers be Upgraded?
One great advantage of bulldozers is their ability to use attachments. These upgrades get attached to the bulldozer, improving the efficiency and versatility of the heavy equipment.
Common bulldozer upgrades include:
- a ripper, which is a claw that can break through tough surfaces (such as concrete of frozen ground)
- a blade, which is a heavy metal plate that can push materials out of the way
How Do I Get My Own Bulldozer?
Head over to RECO Equipment where our expert staff is happy to help you find the best bulldozer for your company's needs. Simply tell us about your budget and the type of work you do, then we can recommend compatible models. We offer a range of bulldozers, including used bulldozers for those who want to stretch their budget farther. We offer many locations throughout the Midwest, Southeast, and New England, and proudly serve those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. Stop by your nearest location to find your perfect bulldozer today!