BULLDOZER: Facts & Figures Bulldozer

The bulldozer, so called because of its pushing power, is a track-wheeled, driver-operated heavy equipment machine fitted with a broad flat blade. Its main purposes are for pushing large, heavy objects or piles, and for flattening and grading. Properly speaking, a bulldozer whose blade has been replaced with a hydraulic scoop is a tracked loader, not a bulldozer.

The origin of the name "bulldozer" is uncertain, but it is interesting to note that in the 1880s a "bull-dose" was a large amount of medicine suitable for a bull, and a "bulldozer" was a large calibre pistol and the person who wielded it (ie., someone who intimidates others).

Bulldozers were developed by the Holt company (today known as Caterpillar) from tractors used to plough fields. The tires were replaced with a rotary track system, allowing these vehicles to move effectively over soft and muddy ground. A military application was also recognized, and the first armoured tanks with rotary tracks rolled across Europe toward the end of World War I. Today, bulldozers themselves may be armoured for construction in a military environment, as they are in Israel.

The blade of a bulldozer comes in three main varieties: the Straight blade, a short blade with no lateral curve or sidewings, used for fine grading; the Universal blade, a tall curved blade with sidewings used for gathering and moving more material; and a combination blade, called the "S-U" blade, which is less curved and has smaller sidewings, and is used for pushing boulders and rock piles. Bulldozers may also be fitted with either a single- or multi-shank ripper on the back, useful for breaking up hard surfaces either into rubble for removal or ploughable land.

While demolition companies or companies specializing in road construction may find it practical to purchase bulldozers for regular use, smaller companies or those with more diversified services may find it more practical to rent or lease their heavy equipment, depending on the project size. Prices for new bulldozers can range anywhere from $100,000 to $600,000, depending upon the manufacturer, size, and features of the machine. Rental costs may vary from $1800/$2500 per week/month to $2500/$7600 per week/month, or even more, again depending on size and features.

Source : heavyequipment.com