Can a bulldozer knock down trees?

It may be necessary to scour the soil deeper if you need to get rid of vegetation that has roots going deep down, but for the most part try to keep as much natural topsoil as possible, because you will need to replace it otherwise.

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The same sorts of actions that make bulldozers so effective also have a tendency to destroy quality topsoil. Keep this in mind if you plan on using your cleared land for farming or cultivation.It may be necessary to scour the soil deeper if you need to get rid of vegetation that has roots going deep down, but for the most part try to keep as much natural topsoil as possible, because you will need to replace it otherwise.

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What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

g60

Posted 1/6/ 16:20 (#)
Subject: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

I have been thinking about buying a used loader dozer to clear out some trees that are getting to be a problem along the creek and fence lines. The construction market is down and there are some fairly inexpensive machines on sales.

What size would I need in a CAT, John Deere, or Case in order to do a reasonable job of digging and pushing trees over. I want one I can also haul on the road with out a special permit.... an 80,000 lb D 9 is to heavy.

Thanks for any info redrivervally

Posted 1/6/ 16:24 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

I would look in the D6 area, we have a D8 which is plenty big but we do a lot of ditch work every year. BCFENCE

Posted 1/6/ 16:30 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

Ive had my nephew with his D6 over at my farm pushing fencelines out, The hedge iron trees were a pain but the biggest one may have taken an hour to get out after digging all the way around it but he got it done, the rootwaud was as big as the dozer. THOMAS Topshot

Posted 1/6/ 16:43 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

Near Richmond, IN

I've been told that the most versatile machine is an excavator. We have a neighbor that has one and does a lot of clearing of fence lines, etc., for others and he's very fast with it. Also you can dig a hole with it and shove the trees in and burn them, then cover it back up easily.
I thought about buying one myself but think I'll wait a while. It was suggested to me to get a Komatsu 200 or 220 (in the range of 45,000#) to have a big enough machine to tear out the trees.

You can go here to look up weights, etc. http://www.ritchiespecs.com/ iseedit

Posted 1/6/ 16:43 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

central - east central Minnesota -

central - east central Minnesota -

What ever you get, consider a frost ripper shank on the back. Makes for quicker work ripping at the roots. 

I'm sure someone will suggest this consideration - skippig the traxscavator and consider a excavator - simular sized excavator will dig'em out and pile them up faster then a traxscavator. (something like this example: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/grd/.html )

Just considerations . . .

cr39

Posted 1/6/ 16:48 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

We've been hiring a guy who uproots the trees with a trackhoe, then piles them up with a dozer. This goes way faster than a dozer alone. If you have a small amount of trees, a dozer alone will be fine. dt

Posted 1/6/ 17:00 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

Fairbury, NE (Southeast)

I would second this. We have a dirt guy with two D6 and a larger excavator, if you have med-large trees he can really knock em down with the excavator since you have leverage half way up the tree. Of course really large trees you will have a lot of digging to do either way.
Every time I watch him work, even at 110/hour I remind myself why I never bought one. iseedit

Posted 1/6/ 17:04 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Seems like a lot of money - but . . .

central - east central Minnesota -

central - east central Minnesota -

Seems like alot of money per hour, but, as you say - a good operator can get alot of work done in a day. Hard to justify a $ machine (of choice) with professionals that have the time and machinery to do the job . . . . Savage

Posted 1/6/ 17:04 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: I Vote for the Excavator too

Gresham, Nebraska

Gresham, Nebraska

We bought a very used CAT 225LB excavator to clean out irrigation re-use pits when the drought started here several years ago. $40,000. Idea was to complete the job and sell it. Well, multiple ponds, tree lines, old building sites later and it's still here. Paid for itself many times over. RodInNS

Posted 1/6/ 17:14 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

How big are the trees? That's the biggest factor.
We've cleared a lot of land with a D4H which is a 90 horse, # machine.
If you're looking at older stuff then a 6C would be the smallest I'd consider really.

I think the excavator is the best option tho. A 20 tonne machine should suffice. Excavators are much more efficient at piling too.

Rod msb

Posted 1/6/ 17:16 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

Lapel, In

The size needed is directly proportional to the expertice of the operator. I once hired a guy to push out some trees. He had a little dozer. Don't remember the size,but it was small and he got them all out except one big one. I thought, oh well, will only have to go around that one tree. Well he started pushing dirt and pushing more dirt until he had quite a ramp built up to that tree. He went up that ramp and the next thing I knew the tree went over with him teetering on the edge of the ramp. I would not have given him a chance in hades of pushing it out , but he did.

Don't know how much work you have to do, but I rented a big (855?)Deere a few years ago and took out about a half mile of trees in a short order. That way you get a machine that will go out and do the work with worry of it breaking down and you get a machine with the latest controls. I soon learned if I started pushing from the farthest point away from the pile, the branches do a very good job of grabbing loose limbs and debris. Left very little to hand pick up that way. Used an old chisel plow every which direction to get most of the remaining roots that broke off. ekeller2

Posted 1/6/ 17:42 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

So. IL

What works for me!

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midwest

Posted 1/6/ 18:01 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

Excavators are nice for making a clean (very little dirt) pile of trees for easy burning. These excavators usually have a "thumb" on them to help stack the trees. They are also nice for getting trees out of ditches and creeks. DevinF

Posted 1/6/ 18:02 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

Nwmo

Nwmo

We bought a Hyundai 200 and you can't start it up without spending $250 dollars. Construction equipment is about double farm equipment to repair it seems like. Some things are just always cheaper hired done and excavator work is one of them.

Devin retento

Posted 1/6/ 18:55 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

Eastern North Carolina

Trackhoe with a hydraulic thumb... You can do some "purdy work" with that machine. nuckenfutz

Posted 1/6/ 18:59 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

wilmington ohio

i have a dozer,trackhoe,trackloader and my choice for dropping trees is the hoe. i can knock them over,pick them up shake most all the dirt off and drop it in a row quicker than you can imagine.the trackloader is better for piling[less dirt].if i had to do it with one machine i would get a trackloader. better for piling and you have some reach to get up and knock it over. last year we took out 1 1/2 miles for a friend once we got done we walked it with a metal detector to get the rotted off steel posts that we missed. he was happy, the last guy that did dozer work on the farm shaved off a fencerow.was told a missed post got the front,back,and disc tires before they knew what happened
my choice is cat but deere make good stuff too. Mackenzie

Posted 1/6/ 19:55 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

I have owned two excavators in the past 4 years. The first one I bought for a Kobelco 200 LC and put 400 hours on it and sold it for . Currently we have a JD 690 ELC we purchased for . Both machines are around lbs and do a great job for anything and everything. Be careful if you buy one, you'll create far more jobs than you can ever imagine. Best machine by far. Pile, dig, tear down, pick up, FAST. We do own a D4 dozer which is handy for the finish work. However, when it comes time to fill in a big hole you just made with the excavator, the excavator will fill the hole in three times as fast as the dozer. Each machine had around hrs when we purchased them. Jay NE Ohio

Posted 1/6/ 19:58 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Can a Bulldozer Knock down Trees. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

northeastern Ohio

northeastern Ohio

I have a Case e dozer and a CAT 215b excavator. The dozer is great for moving dirt, but the excavator is the best tool for taking down trees. Most trees can be knocked down without any digging. I have a manual thumb and it makes it easy to stack up the trees for a good clean burn (no dirt in the pile). I think the 215b is a # machine and seems to be right size. As far as repairs: Yes you are going to have some repairs on these older machines. I put about 100 hours on per year and spend less than $10 per hour in repairs and burn less than 5 gallon per hour. The machine was pretty much depreciated out when I bought it, so total cost is less than $30 per hour. Locally I cannot get anyone else to do it for less than $80 per hour and most are over $100. So I save about $ per year and I have had this machine for 8 years. chadh

Posted 1/6/ 20:35 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

NW Indiana

we have a e70b cat. that we do most of our clean-up work with and a skid steer with a grapple bucket. the excavator is only a 17,000 lbs. machine it does almost everything we want. you just have to be careful.

chadh plowboy

Posted 1/6/ 20:37 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

Brazilton KS

Brazilton KS

We've owned a couple machines like that over the years.  Finally decided it was cheaper to buy more expensive stuff which didn't break all the time. 
plowboy

Posted 1/6/ 20:43 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

Brazilton KS

Brazilton KS

We have a Case , which is about lbs and 160 hp. It will take out about any tree you can find around here out. It will take a while on the big ones. A 70,000 lb D8 will handle big tree lines better, but too big of a tractor is a waste on smaller stuff. The will trade around against a D6H or D7G. The bigger machine will out do it pushing dirt or large trees, but the hydrostat will allow our Case to outperform them when working with stuff which it can handle because of the maneuverability and quickness.

I don't think anything will beat a 20-25 ton hoe for clearing brush. They will move a lot of dirt, too, in some applications. suntan

Posted 1/6/ 20:49 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

MD. eastern shore.

We have a D4H Cat which is good til you get to the big stuff. For most tree removal we use a 200 clc deere that will knock trees out faster and easier. If i was getting a dozer it would be 5 or 6 cat or mabe 750 850 deere.
D6Joe

Posted 1/6/ 22:50 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

east central ND

how big are the trees? a good 60k to 70k D-8 makes short work of 60' cotton woods , but is kind of a waste in 30' trees, then a excavator with a thumb or a track loader with a big grapple will be faster. But an excavator will beat most cats punching holes in the ground for burying. karl

Posted 1/7/ 00:55 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Maybe one of these?

Central Nebraska

I hired a guy to take out about ten acres of trees last year. A lot of them were big cottonwoods and he got most of them with this 973 Cat with a loader on it shown in the first picture.

With the loader he could reach up in the tree about 10 ft. and get some pretty big trees as shown in the second picture.

On the very biggest trees he used the excavator and in a few cases, both machines as shown in the third picture.

The fourth picture shows some guys cutting up the cottonwoods and hauling them to a sawmill to be made into pallets. 

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Mackenzie

Posted 1/7/ 06:24 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

What ever you guys intend to clear, check with your local conservation office and make sure it is not a wet land. I am meeting with our local conservation official today to discuss my appeal on a converted wet land notice that I had received. RodInNS

Posted 1/7/ 08:05 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Maybe one of these?

Out of curosity, why wouldn't they just cut the trees down and then dig the stumps out? There's nothing worse than pushing on something like that only to find you can't push it over and you can't get away from it...
Seems to me like a lot of extra work and chances to do it this way.

Rod iseedit

Posted 1/7/ 08:17 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Cut trees first ?

central - east central Minnesota -

central - east central Minnesota -

RodInNS - 1/7/ 07:05 Out of curosity, why wouldn't they just cut the trees down and then dig the stumps out? There's nothing worse than pushing on something like that only to find you can't push it over and you can't get away from it... Seems to me like a lot of extra work and chances to do it this way. Rod

 

It is far easier to use leverage of loader arms or excavator stick to reach up as far as possible and push then to cut and then try and dig, pull a rootballed stump out - especially with a trackloader or dozer . . . . Once the whole tree is out, then cutting the "log" off the rootball is alot easier . . . .

RodInNS

Posted 1/7/ 10:28 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Cut trees first ?

It might be more about how you think about it....
I've taken a lot of stumps out with a dozer and root rake. I've also pushed trees over. If you can push the tree easily, then yes, it's easier to push the tree over. When you get to the size of tree where the machine is at it's limit, I'd much sooner cut the damn thing and dig the stump out.
Most stumps come out in a few minutes with a good root rake if you know how to go about taking the roots off and breaking the stump... and they're a lot less likely to kill you if you find you can't push it out.
Ever had a tree land on your roof?

Rod iseedit

Posted 1/7/ 14:29 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Cut trees first ?

central - east central Minnesota -

central - east central Minnesota -

I hear ya . . . . Seems the method of choice "today" is tip'em out first with the rootball attached . . . The method of cut and dig works too Bluepaint

Posted 1/7/ 22:34 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Cut trees first ?

Manitoba canada

Manitoba canada

I'm in the middle of clearing 70 acres with a D7e and wish i'd bought bigger but.????
The only way to do it is push em over wholesale ...Leaving a stump slows the job down too much and too much digging..? bharzman

Posted 1/8/ 08:25 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: What size dozer do I need to clear some trees?

North Central Kansas

If you are not in a hury, you can use your loader tractor.
Take your chain saw and cut em down. Put Toradon on em and wait a couple years till they are dead.
then use your tractor and loader that you currently have. RodInNS

Posted 1/8/ 15:37 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Cut trees first ?

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I suppose it depends on the trees and whatnot... but I find that if you take a sweep at the roots on one side, then to the other side you can then often pop the stump right out or if it's got some age to it, break it in half which is even better. Then you can knock a lot more dirt out of the root ball.
The best cure we've ever found for dealing with big hardwood is waiting about 2 years. They pop out pretty clean then, a lot easier... and you get it all done in one shot.

Rod