Wheeled Dozers vs Tracked Dozers

20/09/19

Bulldozers are large tractors used for pushing large quantities of earth material such as soil, sand, rubble, etc. They are equipped with a substantial metal plate, also known as a blade, which allows them to push bulk materials. Bulldozers are generally used in mines and quarries, large construction and engineering projects, and many more application where they may be required to move large quantities of materials.

Other uses of dozers can include, but is not limited to:

Preliminary road or ramp grading
Ripping and pushing coal
Movement of rocks or heavy material
Building roads and tracks
Excavator, shovel and dragline assistance
Towing and positioning of heavy equipment or machinery.

Bulldozers can come either wheeled or tracked. So, what is the main difference between the two? We’ll let you know below.

Tracked Dozers

Due to bulldozers size, weight and the jobs they have to complete, bulldozers use tracks similar to those found on military tanks. Tracks have several distinct advantages over wheels. When you think about the type of work bulldozers are completing, and the kinds of environments they are operating in, it can give you a better understanding. Tracks help dozers to stay above the ground, rather than sinking into materials like sand and dirt. This helps to convert engine power into pushing and pulling power. The tracks distribute the weight of the bulldozer, particularly around the engine itself. Due to this it allows for much greater pushing power, especially for those times when moving bulk heavy material.

Wheeled Dozers

Wheeled bulldozers are found few and far between, as operators tend to go for tracks instead. Wheels come with one major problem – which is they tend to get stuck whenever the surface becomes soft, whether this being mud, sand or even just soft ground. A bulldozers effectiveness comes from its pure power from the weight, converting engine power to pushing power. With wheeled dozers, the weight is distributed at the four corners, and in the very centre there is no wheel, meaning the power conversion is lost, leading to less pushing power then tracked dozers.

In summary, bulldozers have tracks to help them stay above the ground, and to distribute weight to convert the engine into the pushing power they are infamous for. A wheeled dozer is just not as effective as a tracked dozer in the work they perform.

Contact Yellow Hire

Yellow Hire offer a range of dozer equipment and associated services available for hire. We have the CAT D6T and CAT D8T tracked dozers, which are versatile and durable, and can provide the necessary requirements you need for your project. From our base in Swan Hill Victoria, Yellow Hire can service surrounding areas including Bendigo, Mildura, Shepparton, Broken Hill and Albury. So if you need the power of a tracked dozer for your project, get in contact with us today.

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