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Finally, make sure the tractor is spec’d to provide optimum performance on your particular jobsites. The combination of track lengths, gauges and shoe widths complicate dozer selection. “For a Caterpillar D6R, you are probably talking 15 to 20 different configurations,” says Lynch. “So it gets rather complex. I don’t think customers always know how many options are out there.”

These choices allow an optimum solution for almost any task. “There are so many different applications, the biggest asset any of these companies has is to work with their dealer,” says Lynch. “They are the ones that really understand what goes on in a particular geographic territory and what other customers are doing in similar types of work.”

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Hydrostatic vs. Torque Converter Drive

Dozers under 100 hp typically feature hydrostatic drive. This allows the tractor to maneuver more quickly in finish grading applications. “The hydrostatic transmission is beneficial in a utility application where maneuverability is required,” says Ronald Schultz, Caterpillar. But there is disagreement regarding the efficiency of hydrostatic transmissions in mid--size dozers.

Most mid--size dozers use powershift transmissions with torque converters. “With technology currently available, the best hydrostatic transmission is 5% to 15% less efficient than a powershift transmission with torque converter drive,” claims Schultz. “In cases where dozing performance is of key importance, a mechanical transmission will generate a higher percentage of engine power transmitted to the blade or ripper, given that both machines are well balanced.”