DOZER TECH with JOHN DEERE

Dozers are an important part of the equipment fleet for many utility contractors. Professionals rely on these rugged machines on projects that involve land clearing and finish grading, as well as myriad other tasks on a variety of jobsites. The origins of dozer date back to the 1920s, and although they are tried-and-true, they continue to evolve.

To understand the state of the dozer market, Utility Contractor sat down with Cory Brant with John Deere. Brant has more than two decades of experience in the industry, including design and testing across Deere’s construction equipment line. He has been in his current role as crawler product consultant for the past 7 years.

UC: Grade control systems are a big part of equipment development. Can you tell us about some of the grade control options that are available for today’s dozers? What should contractors consider when deciding on which options might be best for their needs?

Brant: When it comes to grade control on dozers, there has been a lot of development in recent years. Many people equate grade control with a full 3D GNSS/GPS system, and while that is extremely popular and works really well, it’s not always the best solution for every project.

For example, if you are in situations where tight tolerances are not required, you may end up making extra passes to make a perfect grade when it doesn’t have to be perfect. Deere offers a range of grade control options, starting with the most basic, EZ Grade, then moving up to Slope Control, Slope Control with laser, and then SmartGrade, which is the full 3D GNSS/GPS solution with sensors and inertial measurement units (IMUs).

EZ Grade is fairly new and available for smaller units from the 450 P-Tier up through the 650 P-Tier models. EZ Grade is like cruise control for your blade; it senses when the machine may pitch and roll due to encountering an underground obstacle, and automatically puts the blade back on grade, allowing the operator to make smooth passes with less effort.

The next step up is our Slope Control system, which is often referred to as a 2D system. That allows the operator the ability to set targets for the fall line and cross slope, and the blade will snap to those predetermined targets and provide a smooth pass. There are two modes – target mode and joystick mode, with joystick mode allowing the operator to dynamically change the slope targets via the joystick.

Moving up from there we have Slope Control with Laser, which combines Slope Control with an external laser reference to dial in the vertical position to achieve very tight tolerances.

Finally, we have the John Deere SmartGrade 3D grade control system that uses external references from GNSS satellites via receivers mounted on the machine to tell us exactly where we are on the globe. And, if you have the SmartGrade system, you have all the levels beneath it, so you are able to use the best system for your particular job. Or, if you have EZ Grade, you can upgrade based on your comfort level or the types of jobs that you are bidding.

Using grade control technology can help operators complete the work more efficiently, using less time and fuel, and also helps less experienced operators get up to speed quickly, which can be especially important in today’s labor market.

How can dozer operators increase their efficiency?

When it comes to extending the life of dozers, the No. 1 thing is the undercarriage. It’s such an expensive part of the machine and it’s a wear item that’s going to be impacted every time we make a grading pass. It is important to keep your track sag set within spec and keep your undercarriage clean. Having good dozer operating habits can also add life to your undercarriage. Sometimes there is a tradeoff between maximum productivity and maximum machine life, and it is important for customers to understand that balance.

Another consideration is the blade pitch or cutting edge angle. Taking a few minutes to properly set the blade pitch can make the machine significantly more efficient. An incorrect blade pitch can make a dozer difficult to operate, yet this is often overlooked.

In addition, an incorrect blade pitch can result in a machine feeling unbalanced during operation. If it feels like it’s too heavy on the front, chances are the blade pitch is too far forward. If the machine feels like it doesn’t want to engage the ground, chances are the blade is laid back too far.

One of the biggest mistakes that I see newer operators make is overgrading. If you’re overgrading, you are taking more passes than you need, which burns fuel, wastes time and causes more wear to the undercarriage components. Knowing your grade tolerances for the project, and then hitting those as quickly and as closely as possible is one way to really make your machine efficient.

Aside from the grade control features, what other technical improvements are we seeing on today’s dozers?

While there is a lot of talk about grade control, even the best grade control systems are not effective without a good dozer, and we have been making improvements in that area. One of the things that stands out is our hydrostatic power management system that goes into all our crawler units. The hydrostatic power management allows the operator to run the machine at speeds that they’re comfortable with, and it’s going to automatically tailor the speed of the transmission to the load that the engine can handle. It works behind the scenes to make sure that the operator is going to get the most performance out of that machine. Whether you are grading, slot trenching or ripping, you know the transmission is working with the engine in one harmonious system.

Another recent advance is the Eco Mode, which is kind of like an overdrive transmission that allows the engine to idle down and run at peak horsepower and torque at a lower engine speed. It’s remarkable how much fuel it can save while remaining productive. Then there are things like auto shutdown and auto idle, which are also great technologies built into the machines that help capture as much fuel savings as possible. The auto shutdown system can reduce idle time which reduces unneeded hours on the machine, while prolonging the warranty as well as the life of filters and fluids.

What advice can you give contractors looking to purchase a new dozer?

The biggest tip that I tell people is just because you’ve always bought a specific type of equipment in the past doesn’t mean that it’s the best solution today. What’s your goal for the machine? What are you going to be using it for? Is it going to be an all-around dozer to do a little bit of everything? Or, is it going to be a finish grade machine where you want it to hit really tight tolerances? Answering these questions can help you get a machine that is configured for your needs. The best place to start is by talking to your dealer. They are great resources for configuring the machine, and also helping choose which attachments may be the most useful. There is a wide range of attachments out there that can boost productivity.