Dozers

A Dozer is a tracked machine that is also known as a Bulldozer. The very first dozers were modified tractors with a large metal plate mounted at the front. They were used to clear obstacles and move earth, stone and assorted rubble.

The metal plate soon evolved into a curved shovel blade that could be manipulated by the driver. Early dozers operated their shovels by way of pulleys and cables; modern dozers use hydraulic systems. Many modern dozers have a Ripper Claw with a hardened tungsten steel tip mounted on the end opposite the shovel. The ripper is used to break up compacted ground or paved areas.

Dozers are used in earthmoving, road construction, mining, and for military purposes. Military dozers are sometimes armored to protect the driver in dangerous situations.

A dozer's function is often determined by what type of blade has been installed on it. Some dozers have scoop shovels that are attached to massive hydraulic arms. These dozers are used to lift snow from roadsides into dump trucks and load ore into hoppers at mines, just to give a couple of examples. If the ground is sandy or wet and boggy, extra-wide tracks called "swamp tracks" can be fitted so that the dozer won't sink into the mire.

Dozers are made by many construction engineering companies worldwide, with perhaps the best known being Caterpillar. Other dozer-makers include Komatsu, Terex and Case. Although dozers have used the same basic design for many decades, they are continually being improved in the areas of power management, maneuverability, and operator conveniences. According to Construction Equipment magazine, 14 new dozer models were introduced this past year alone.

Pricing varies widely depending on the size, power, and accessories of each dozer and the range is from just over $50,000 for a small basic dozer to approximately $3 million for the ultimate dream machine. The largest dozer available is Komatsu's D575A-3 Super Dozer. Two of these monsters are at work in the Kiah Creek coal mine in West Virginia. The Super Dozer packs 1,150 horsepower behind its 90 cubic yard blade and weighs 336,420 pounds.