Earthmoving Equipment: Three Critical Tips for Choosing a Bulldozer

If you are planning on purchasing or hiring a bulldozer for your earthmoving operations, you should not only think about the price. The financial factor is important for every business investment, but if you rely on this aspect only, you might select and acquire an unsuitable machine. If your chosen bulldozer is not ideal for your projects, you will experience inefficiencies. Moreover, the heavy equipment will experience undue strain and fail prematurely. Here are some selection tips to help you acquire the right bulldozer and avoid these problems.

Compare the Undercarriage Options

You should check the undercarriage of your preferred bulldozers before choosing the ideal equipment for your applications. The right undercarriage design will depend on the environment and terrain on which you will be working. In general, there are two options to consider: standard and heavy-duty. The standard undercarriage is designed to handle general purpose bulldozing tasks during construction and landscaping projects on normal terrain. The heavy-duty alternative has a stronger undercarriage construction. For example, the bottom of the bulldozer will be fitted with steel plating for the protection of internal components. This type of equipment is more expensive to acquire, but it can handle earthmoving tasks on rocky and sloped terrain.

Check the Controls

You should examine the controls installed in the different bulldozers on the heavy equipment market. The controls will determine the ease of operation and the productivity of your workers during earthmoving processes. In general, you should look for intuitive controls which will not necessitate special training for the operators. Also, the dashboard should have tools and indicators to help in the efficient monitoring of the bulldozing activities. You should check the condition of the hydraulics and the attachments, especially if you are purchasing a used machine. You should make sure that these elements are functioning smoothly, and they should also be highly responsive to the controls.

Plan for Maintenance and Repairs

You should evaluate your preferred bulldozers and determine if the equipment will be easy to maintain and repair. It is important to select an earthmoving machine which will not require any special considerations for servicing. For example, you should make sure that your chosen bulldozer brand and model has spare parts readily available in your area of operation. If you have to source your parts from another locale or out of the country, you will experience a lot of unexpected downtime. Also, you should ensure that you will be able to receive convenient maintenance and support from skilled technicians after purchasing your bulldozer.

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