Bulldozers are a mainstay of the construction industry, effortlessly shifting tons of rubble and dirt and clearing ground for new roads and buildings. These machines were at the forefront of the 20^th century construction booms, and our urban areas, transport network and communications infrastructure would not exist without this humble yet powerful workhorse.

Many plant vehicles are referred to, incorrectly, as bulldozers, but the definition is actually very narrow. The term ’bulldozer’ refers to earth-moving machinery fitted with some type of dozer blade attachment at the front. Of course, this definition incorporates a huge array of adaptations and subtypes, but they all fulfill pretty much the same basic function.

The vast majority of bulldozers are tracked, enabling them to crawl across extremely tough terrain and push huge loads without loss of traction. Other types are fitted with metal spiked wheels, for operating in the soft and unpredictable surface of a landfill site. For any business or organization, purchasing or leasing bulldozers is a huge outlay of capital, so you want to make sure that you spend time making your decision. It is crucial to understand exactly what you need, rather than falling for the sales pitch of a smooth-talking sales representative.

Choosing the best bulldozer for the job is a matter of carefully weighing up the various options, selecting the right manufacturer, type, and size for your specific needs. The other major consideration that you should take into account is whether you should take a loan to buy a bulldozer outright, or sign up for a lease or hire-purchase agreement. This decision is largely down to the tax regime and financial laws in your state or country. For such a large investment, it is worth making an appointment with an accountant or independent financial advisor with experience of dealing with your particular industry.

Budget is always one of the biggest considerations for any business, and being successful is always about reducing the bottom line costs. However, saving money does not mean cheapest and appealing to the lowest common denominator often costs much more money, in the long run. Think medium and long term rather than next year, because a good bulldozer will run for well over twenty years with a good maintenance regime. Quality, durability and yearly running costs are extremely important and are far more important than saving a little money on the purchase price.

Buying the lowest budget machine possible is a huge gamble; you could uncover an absolute gem or you could end up with a bulldozer that requires a lot of maintenance and repairs. If you need to wait weeks for parts to be shipped from the other side of the world, then the loss in productivity soon wipes out your initial savings. If you have to replace the machine after a few years, then this money is lost forever. Many countries offer excellent tax incentives for heavy equipment purchases, especially in a time of economic hardship. Again, your accountant will be able to advise you of any applicable grants or incentives.

The most important factors to evaluate when deciding upon the best bulldozer for the task are finding the correct power and size for your particular needs. For heavy work, where sheer power and brute strength are paramount, size, horsepower and torque are the most important traits. For smaller jobs, a large bulldozer can be an expensive liability, and a small and nimble earthmover is a far better choice.

A large, powerful and cumbersome bulldozer is extremely difficult to operate with any degree of finesse and precision, and the large quantity of fuel burnt by these machines is a large expenditure, especially given the tendency of oil prices to rise but rarely fall. An average bulldozer consumes more 120 gallons of diesel fuel during a day’s work, and this adds up to a considerable bottom line expense during the course of a year.

Deciding upon the best bulldozer transmission is the next consideration and this, once again, depends upon the exact task you have in mind for the earth-moving machine. Manual transmission is the cheapest and most common type, where the operator uses levers to operate the brakes on one of the tracks, locking it and causing the machine to pivot. This is fine for light bulldozers, or where the earth mover is used infrequently, but automatic differentials, which regulate the type of power to each track, are a good option for frequent use. This push-button operation makes life much easier for an operator working a long shift.

Manual transmission is still very common for the largest bulldozers because the mechanism is robust and loses little torque. In addition, where the earthmover is subjected to heavy punishment there is less to go wrong in such a simple and durable system. Automatic differentials are the way to go for agile machines, because reassigning power to each track allows a fine degree of control and maneuverability. These systems are a little more high maintenance, but a high quality differential will last for many years.  

Now that you are a little more aware of the size and type of bulldozer needed, you can begin to hunt around for good deals, fully aware of the right questions to ask the salesperson. In the current economic climate, the customer is king, so you should be able to negotiate from a position of strength and save a considerable amount of money.

You can also look at the used market, because a good bulldozer is designed to last for many years; a ten-year-old earth-moving machine is rugged and reliable and will still give many years of undisturbed service. Repossessed plant machinery is another ripe market where bargains can be found. If you decide to go down the used machinery route, you should pay an independent mechanic to check the machine over before handing over any money.

Choosing the best earth moving machinery from amongst all of the various options can be a difficult task. Now that you know exactly what you are looking for, you will be able to see through the sales pitch and find a machine that combines efficiency, durability and suitability with the all important budget. Bulldozers are a long-term investment, so it is crucially important to make sure that you do not end up with an expensive machine that eats money and is hated by your operators.