Almost every little boy had a toy bulldozer as a kid. The iconic symbol of heavy equipment, the bulldozer is an awesome machine to see at work. From digging and ditching to spreading soil and removing tree stumps, this versatile machine is one of the must-haves of most construction and landscaping companies, and of most forestry, mining, and agricultural applications. In fact, bulldozers were invented in 1923 for use in plowing fields. Over the years, the bulldozer has become a heavy-hitting machine, and one that you should know about. Wagner Used Equipment is proud to offer used Caterpillar heavy equipment. We offer dozens of machinery, from bulldozers and skid steers to tractors, asphalt pavers, draglines, feller bunchers, and more. Caterpillar has been around for almost 100 years, helping supply the equipment to do the heavy lifting in this country. Our top-notch customer service representatives can offer up advice and help when you need it. In addition, our Cat Parts Store offers every part you need to repair and maintain your Caterpillar machine. We offer genuine Cat parts at any of our Cat dealers in Colorado, New Mexico, and west Texas. We also offer remanufactured parts, exchange parts, and a parts drop box. Wagner Used Equipment also has over 230 field service technicians ready to service your Cat heavy equipment as well. We believe in supporting you in all of your heavy equipment needs. Below, we'll take a look at the parts of a bulldozer. Contact our Caterpillar parts store today! Browse Used Equipment For Sale

History of the Name

We couldn't start a blog on bulldozers without first explaining the name. Many people think the name derives from the fact that this machine could plow over a bull. While that is certainly the case, the name did not come from there. Instead, the name comes from an expression used in the 1800s. Field overseers would manage their men by using a "dose of a bull" or a bull whip. "A bull's dose" of lashes was the punishment for misbehaving, which became bull-dosed, or bull-dozed. Bull-dozers then became a slang word that was sometimes applied to those doing the punishment. Eventually, this word was applied to equipment. In 1910, a boat that pulled a device to scrape out and clean a canal was called a bulldozer. This then turned into any machine with a front piece of metal that pushed objects around. By the 1920s, bulldozers were what Caterpillar tractors were referred to. Finally, the name settled on our beloved bulldozer of today.

PARTS OF A BULLDOZER

The Engine All machinery need an engine that contains the components that create power that make the machine do the job it was meant to do. More precisely, an internal combustion engine converts energy to torque that is then applied to the wheels to make it move. Engines have pistons that move up and down inside tubes called cylinders. These pistons are connected to the crankshaft vai rods that then move up and down to spin the crankshafts to power the wheels. Fuel and oxygen ignite in tiny explosions called combustion, or the power. All bulldozers have diesel-engines because they can develop the torque necessary to do its job of moving rough terrain. Most diesel bulldozer engines can generate anywhere from between 50 and 700 horsepower, making the terrain it has to negotiate easy. The Blade The most distinguishable part of the bulldozer is its front blade. Powered by hydraulic arms, this blade can be raised and lowered to move materials, such as dirt, snow, trees, mining material, and more. The blades are made from heavy metals, so they won't bend under the weight of what they are moving. As you can imagine there are many different types of blades available. Some of these include the PAT (Power-Angle-Tilt) blade, which is easy to maneuver and can be angled, tilted, and lifted in almost every direction. These blades are used for land clearing, scraping, backfilling, leveling, and grading. Another type of bulldozer blade is the angle blade. It can move debris to the side since it can close to a 30 degree angle either left or right. It can spill, but you'll see it on snow plows and on construction and road-building sites to move gravel and soil. It's also great for stumping, stripping, and ditching. Another bulldozer blade is the U-Blade, which has side wings in order to keep the material in. It is one of the largest blades in both height and width and is great with soil. Popular uses for this blade are crowning, pushing, hauling, and ditching. With Caterpillar heavy equipment offered by all of the Wagner Used Equipment dealers in Colorado, New Mexico, and west Texas, you can easily switch out the blades of a bulldozer in order to suit your needs, so whether you are looking for an S-blade for backfilling work or a U-blade to clear snow and ice, Caterpillar has a blade to fit your needs. Reach out today! The Tractor or the Cab The cab is where the driver sits and is the body of the bulldozer. It's where the controls are located. Modern bulldozers come with all the bells and whistles, including a heated and cooled cab with an ergonomic, comfortable seat, and even a cup holder for your morning coffee. Many cabs now come with heavy glass to help reduce sound and absorb impact when you're moving around on the jobsite. Many modern safety features contribute to comfort since most heavy equipment operators sit in their cabs for long periods of time. Noise, stress, and fatigue are all problems that heavy equipment operators, including bulldozer operators, face on a daily basis. Steering is made to be low effort, and many operators now add machine control systems (which are offered by SITECH Rocky Mountain, a partner of Wagner Used Equipment) to make their jobs faster, resulting in less time in the cab overall. The Ripper You can think of the ripper as a claw. It looks like a claw and sits on the back of the bulldozer. They come with one giant claw or multiple claws. The job of the ripper is to rip open the ground and break up rock so that the front blade can then more easily move the rock and grading can take place. It also helps to break up farmland and break up land for laying pipe. One popular attachment to a bulldozer is what is called a stumpbuster, which is a single spike that splits tree stumps so they can be hauled away. The Final Drive Wagner Used Equipment mentions the final drive because it is the bulldozer part that is most likely to wear out and need replacing. It's purpose is to distribute the load across the tracks of the bulldozer and lift the drive motor away from the suspension. It's the final stage of gear reduction that helps to decrease the RPM and increase rotational torque. The final drive is connected to the differential. For front-wheel drive vehicles, this is located inside the transmission case. For rear-wheel drive vehicles, this is located in the rear of the vehicle. The differential is what allows two wheels to be driven and rotate at different speeds while going around corners. Because of its function, the final drive will take the most beating in your bulldozer. You have two final drives, and when one goes out, the other is likely to follow, so most people have them replaced at the same time. If you notice that an outer seal is leaking or the gearbox is heating up too much, you should replace your final drive. The final drive gears can get worn down as well and will need to be replaced. Other parts you may need to replace are the shafts, bearings, gear plates, seals, o-rings, drain filters, and charge pump. Cat Parts Store carries final drives, seals, charge pumps, gears, and more for your Cat dozer and other heavy equipment. Shop today! The Tracks or the Tires The bulldozer needs a way to move, which is where the tracks or the tires come into play. Tracks are essentially heavy metal links that move in one motion and grab onto the ground and move in a fluid motion. Also, as you can imagine, bulldozers weigh thousands of pounds. Tracks and tires help to distribute the weight so the machine can move more easily with less power outage. This also helps prevent the dozer from sinking into the sand or mud as the pressure on the ground is less. Bulldozers do come with extra-wide tracks for even better traction in wet terrain. A bulldozer with tires operates in much the same manner, but with wheels. Tracks are better on more uneven terrain, which can suit different industries better, such as forestry. However, tires are nice so that the bulldozer can drive itself between job sites. These kinds of bulldozers are popular with construction and landscaping companies.

CHOOSE WAGNER USED EQUIPMENT FOR ALL YOUR HEAVY EQUIPMENT & PARTS NEEDS

Caterpillar bulldozers are engineered to be the best at what they do. They create smooth finishes and grades, move dirt and debris where you want it to go easily, and can help break up the land for farming and more. Our cabs are top-of-the-line nice, featuring an electronic monitoring system that tells you all of the gauges, armrest, adjustable pedals, coat hook, cup holder, floor mat, storage compartment, and an air suspension seat. Truly, all you need is a bed! Constructed with stability in mind, our bulldozers are made to last years. Our service department can help you when your Cat machine decides to be uncooperative. We have over 230 field service technicians who can come out to your location and get your machine up and running. Our Cat Parts Store offers factory Cat parts for every piece of heavy equipment. Odds are, we have the part you need in stock at one of our Colorado, New Mexico, or west Texas dealers near you. Simply give us a call, and we can direct you. You can also utilize our Wagner Parts Exchange program. Here, you can save money and time by bringing your parts to us and we'll replace it with refurbished parts. We remanufacture the Cat parts you bring to us and test them before being exchanged, so you can rest assured that the refurbished parts you receive are top-notch. Caterpillar is the proven name in heavy equipment. From mining and forestry to agricultural and construction, you can find our Cat machines performing work all around you. In fact, without our machines, we'd be centuries behind where we are now. We've invested heavily in technology, offering not only machine control systems and surveying rentals through our partner, SITECH Rocky Mountain, but we also offer fluids analysis so you can better gauge the health of your heavy equipment. Staying on top of maintenance requirements will go a long way in the longevity of your machines. Wagner Used Equipment is dedicated to ensuring you have the Caterpillar heavy equipment you need, including bulldozers, along with the Cat parts, to keep going strong all day long. Visit us online, or stop by a Cat dealer to get started today! Contact Us To Learn More