Tips On Dozing

[duke12]

Hey
I plan on renting a nh D75 dozer. Just so you know, this will be my first time operating one!! currently the job calls for an area of 400x515 ft and a depth of 6 feet. Basically the fill will be trucked in and I will just push it in and level.
So my ? is, what do you recommend, going forward and level or back dragging the blade to level off the area.
Do the pros use the full blade to push or do you guys use half the blade?
Like I said, I'm a new jack when it comes to dozing.
By the way, the reason I'm going with nh is because my dealer has the best rates in town and Ive done business with him in the past.
I'm sure I'm missing some things.
Thanks for your help

[Dirtman2007]

I'm not familiar with that size of dozer, but with mine I just go into the piles with the side of the blade. Take about 3' of the pile with each pass. It helps if the trucks can back all the way to the edge, that way you are just have to push the dirt over instead of across the area. Being 6' deep what are you using for compacting? If your just tracking the dirt in you will need to spread it in 8- 10" lifts and track it in before going any higher.

[SpecOne]

I agree with Chris on this. I load the blade about a third of the way or so. If you need a more finished look on the pad, then I would back drag after getting to your finished grade. However if this is just the sub grade for the pad and different material is being brought in for the finished grade, then I wouldn't bother back dragging, IMHO.

With a fill this deep I would compact with a sheepsfoot, but that's because I have them available. If the fill is to be compacted by track then I would do lifts no more than 8" like Chris said.

[Scag48]

What's the purpose of this pad? Reason I ask is compaction, that will play a part in the plan. Fill material is what? It'll be a big help if you can run the trucks right through the fill and have them spread as they go. The key to dozing is to keep the blade full as much as possible. Dozers are more balanced front to back when you're carrying a load. Also, when you start a pass and drop the cutting edge, the front of the dozer will drop. If you over-react and yank up on the blade too quick, you'll get a nice rookie bump and things will only get worse from there on that pass.

[duke12]

Thanks guys for the wealth of information. Yes, it will be compacted by a tak
140 excavator. That will be the job of the gc. What happened was that the builder decided to call it quits due to funds. So now I have to back fill the area and hydro seed about 5 acres. So the gc is going to sub out the trucking and they will take care of the compaction.
As far as the trucking goes, as much as I would like to have them dump to the edge of the hole, it would be way unstable for them to back it up that close.
What I plan on doing is, have them dump about 6- 7 feet away from the hole.

[Junior M]

What's the purpose of this pad? Reason I ask is compaction, that will play a part in the plan. Fill material is what? It'll be a big help if you can run the trucks right through the fill and have them spread as they go. The key to dozing is to keep the blade full as much as possible. Dozers are more balanced front to back when you're carrying a load. Also, when you start a pass and drop the cutting edge, the front of the dozer will drop. If you over-react and yank up on the blade too quick, you'll get a nice rookie bump and things will only get worse from there on that pass.
so when you start a cut with a dozer and you drop into that cut, do you bring the blade up? just let it do its thing? or is it one of those things you learn to do by yourself and cant explain to someone else?

[Scag48]

so when you start a cut with a dozer and you drop into that cut, do you bring the blade up? just let it do its thing? or is it one of those things you learn to do by yourself and cant explain to someone else?

It's kinda hard to explain, but essentially, once the cutting edge starts cutting, the front of the dozer is going to drop. It's physics, really, the blade encounters resistance and since you're cutting a cavity for it to fall into, that's where it goes. You have to feather up on the blade to level it out, then continue the cut. Takes a little getting used to and it's different on every dozer.

Like I said, if you don't pull up on the blade, you'll continue cutting in the downward direction. Likewise, if you pull up too quick, you'll get a nice waterbar to hop over, which will continue to get worse if not corrected.

[Junior M]

It's kinda hard to explain, but essentially, once the cutting edge starts cutting, the front of the dozer is going to drop. It's physics, really, the blade encounters resistance and since you're cutting a cavity for it to fall into, that's where it goes. You have to feather up on the blade to level it out, then continue the cut. Takes a little getting used to and it's different on every dozer.

Like I said, if you don't pull up on the blade, you'll continue cutting in the downward direction. Likewise, if you pull up too quick, you'll get a nice waterbar to hop over, which will continue to get worse if not corrected.
thats kind of what I figured. I am just curious because I've got an oppurtunity to work for a guy who is building a pond and owns some of his own equipment, but between running a fab shop and working fulltime he doesnt have time to do it so he's looking for an operator and I believe he's got a dozer, so like I said, I am just trying to read up on some stuff so I've got an idea on what to do or look for..

[ksss]

Hey
I plan on renting a nh D75 dozer. Just so you know, this will be my first time operating one!! currently the job calls for an area of 400x515 ft and a depth of 6 feet. Basically the fill will be trucked in and I will just push it in and level.
So my ? is, what do you recommend, going forward and level or back dragging the blade to level off the area.
Do the pros use the full blade to push or do you guys use half the blade?
Like I said, I'm a new jack when it comes to dozing.
By the way, the reason I'm going with nh is because my dealer has the best rates in town and Ive done business with him in the past.
I'm sure I'm missing some things.
Thanks for your help


The 75 is the same as the CASE 650 about 19000 pound dozer. Easy to run, great hydrostatic system. Very nice dozer and newby friendly.

[BIGBEN2004]

When using a Dozer the key is never stop moving the blade. Your arm will look silly but it will never stop moving the blade up and down in very small amounts. A blade is designed to cut in and since it has no flat bottom like a bucket it has no area of mass to keep it out of the ground. I always say you spend all day trying to get a bucket to cut in the ground on a track loader and you spend all day trying to keep a blade on a dozer out of the ground. Go slow at first until you get the hang of it.

[Dirt Digger2]

for a new guy push with your blade angled...it will help you get a smooth finish instead of washboarding

[Scag48]

for a new guy push with your blade angled...it will help you get a smooth finish instead of washboarding

Good point, it's definately easier to learn that way.

[Junior M]

for a new guy push with your blade angled...it will help you get a smooth finish instead of washboarding
you mean angle it all the way to the right or left? Why is it easier?

[J. Peterson Grading]

If you angle the blade out, you can see the corners better. Thus making you see (Instead of feel) what your machine is doing.

J.

[SiteSolutions]

you mean angle it all the way to the right or left? Why is it easier?

It gives the blade fore and aft length, so not all the cutting happens at the same distance from the tractor... I am not real experienced on dozers so I can't think of a good way to say it. I know it made it easier for me on a dozer with a 6 way blade. The older bigger ones with just up-and-down I've never been able to do much with.

[Dirt Digger2]

Junior just like SS said...it gives the blade depth

imagine taking a pencil and pushing it across a bumpy table...the pencil will follow all the bumps if it is perpendicilar to the way you are pushing it...now turn the pencil at an angle and push it in the same direction and you will have a much smoother ride

the downside to pushing with the blade angled is you can't push as much material because it will start to turn the machine for you...push your bulk material with a straight blade then finish with the blade angled

[duke12]

Thanks gentlemen for all your assistance. I will surely take the advice.
As soon as I start the project, I will post some pics.
Thanks again for all your help..

[SpecOne]

Try operating a cable dozer without washboarding :hammerhead: it will drive you nuts. My grandfather used to have two D8 cable dozers and I never could do a push without washboarding. Now my grandfather and uncle could make a cut as smooth as glass. I just never got enough operating time to master it. But talk about being able to knock down some trees :)