Tips on Grading with a Dozer

Using a dozer to spread material can help complete jobs quickly and effectively. However, land grading is not a simple job, and if you end up making mistakes, you can end up costing the contractor and the construction firm a lot. Therefore, it is essential that you learn the right way to grade land so that you can save time and potential expenses. 

How to Use a Bulldozer for Grading Land

Bulldozers are an earthmoving machine that uses a blade to flatten the land. Bulldozers use gravity to level ground on roads and construction sites. The blade at the front of the machine is what collects the earth that it moves over. The person operating the machine should control the blade and use it to move the soil to the designated location without spilling it on the tracks. Many of these skills are acquired over time with experience, but there are tools available now that can make the process quicker. 

Tips

No matter at what stage of your career you are in, it is never a bad idea to learn something new. Learning how to save time and preserve your efforts while grading is only going to help you be efficient. If you are planning on taking up the task of grading with a dozer, it is a good idea to first familiarize yourself with the equipment as well as learn all the tips and tricks to grade successfully before you go out searching for new or used dozers for sale.

Make Smaller Cuts

When you are using a bulldozer to grade, be sure to make smaller cuts on the ground rather than dragging the equipment over a huge area. Overdoing the cuts can cause too much soil to collect, resulting in spillage from the sides of the blade. It may seem like making smaller cuts is more time-consuming, but it actually saves time as your work would be done more efficiently. You will not have to go back several times over the same strip of land. 

Grade Controls

Making use of the technologies that have been incorporated in heavy equipment in recent years is a great way to achieve your desired goals. You can use automated control options on your dozer for a more accurate grading job. Grade control technology has made grading more efficient as it significantly improves the speed and accuracy of the dozer being used to grade. By installing this system, you can make your bulldozer into a finishing tool, and you can get the job done with just a dozer rather than having to get both a dozer and a grader.

Technology provides the opportunity for people to become experts at grading without having to ease into it gradually over the years. This is because it makes operating the machine so much easier. As a result of this ease of use, even new employees can learn along with the professionals about grade controls for a safe and efficient land grading job.

Monitor the Tracks

Avoid keeping the tracks on too tight. This will cause excessive tension and wear them out before their time. You should tighten the tracks according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. Once you clean the track, avoid adjusting the tension. 

Increase Blade Capacity

Another way to speed up the grading process is by increasing the capacity of the blade. The capacity of the dozer blade can be increased by up to 30% if you use the slot sides. Work your way from the front of the slot to the back and let the sides hold more soil in the dozer blade.