If you only have weekends and want to spend it in the seat, you will want to spend a little more. I think it also depends on your budget, but it would seem wiser to spend a little more to get one in good condition and good working order, or you may have to deal with doing some hefty repair work, worn undercarriage issues like tracks coming off and the like. Helpful to know the true history on a machine when possible, so if you see a potential one get the serial #, have read that CAT dealers used to keep records, you might find the history on it. If the U/C is in decent shape, overall machine not been abused, sprockets tight on the hubs, no metal particles in the final drive housings, motor in good working order, steering clutches/brakes ok + maybe a few other things to check before buying, you will get some work out of them. I've read that the older D-6B ( early-midle 60's I think ) series was a real reliable well balanced machine attesting to Caterpillar quality years ago. Not too big in case your in semi-tight quarters, but enough power to tackle bigger jobs than you'd want to do with a 450 or D-3. Depending on the work your doing, you won't regret having an older D-6 in good working order, oldest I've ran was the D-6D series. Grey market I'm not sure about, but I'd be wary, rather just have an old CAT to keep things simple. from the past have varying reputations for reliability and can be prohibitedly expensive to repair due to parts being scarce, so I'd be careful and re-search 1st. I think both CAT & JD have good re-sale value, but CAT may have the better of the 2. Not too sure about JD, but have run a few, including the 450, seemed pretty reliable, not sure as far as working on JD's mechanically but by looking at them, don't seem too much different. Check out your local machinery dealers, trade magazines and papers, E-bay, Rock and Dirt, Machinery Trader, Equipment Trader, etc. Price? I live Downunder so I'm not much help in that department. The only other brand I think I'd suggest for your work would be Komatsu, somewhere around the same size as the D6, i.e. Service is still a bit of a question mark about them. I'm not a great fan of the grey market machines. They will do a pretty fair day's work for you too and may come a little cheaper. It might not outwork it in a day's work but which is more complicated to repair if you have to get the wrenches out of the box? If your budget will stretch to it and there are any close to you, My suggestion would be to look for a good Cat D6B, C or D or a Cat D5 of similar vintage. I'm no JD expert but I suspect that even an old 3-cylinder RD6 would out-push a JD 450. The Cat D6's have an enviable record for reliability through all their various models. How old? Your pocket book and supply and demand will determine that. I think, from what you are saying that the older D6 might be the way to go. Am I bised? yes I am I have to do all the repairs and down time cost's a lot more than just the cost of the repair. We now have a CAT d5c (what I recomend you get) and in the 4 years I have ran it (out side of the tracks that were wore out when we bought it) this year I replaced the powershift supply hose when a bolt that someone before we owned it had droped wore a hole in it. We then got a d3 and in the 10 years we ran it I put on a new starter, some track rollers, a track tightener seal, a battery, and some new hydrulic hoses, and some wear parts (cutting edges, bushings, ect.). well we have had both a JD450b and a CAT d3 and in the 4 or 5 years we had the 450 it cost about $13000+ in repairs the only thing that wasn't fixed on it was the steering clutches and tracks and you needed to tighten everything up before you used it. Re: Which Dozer : JD 450 or older Cat D6 ? in reply to Cliff, 01-02-2004 22:58:53Ĭlif you say you want a machine that won't cost a lot to maintain and repair.
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