How to Operate a Bulldozer (ep. 061)

Have you ever wondered what goes into operating a bulldozer? At Extreme Sandbox, we not only let people operate our heavy machinery for fun, but we like throw a little education in there as well!

In this episode, Randy will take you through the controls of the Komatsu D61 bulldozer that we run at both our Minnesota and Texas locations. He will go over everything from track controls, blade maneuvering and backfilling with the bulldozer to give you an idea of what it takes to operate this amazing piece of equipment.

^^^^^^^SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL^^^^^^

A truly unique heavy equipment adventure company that lets clients PLAY on construction equipment. Multiple locations, check out our website. Come play on an excavator or bulldozer for FUN!

Toll Free (855) DIG 4 FUN

[Kryten]

Dozer vids always remind me of a story I read years ago about knowing what your skills are worth in the job market.

A man arrives at a job site and talks to the boss. "I'm here about the ad for the dozer operator"
"Good, the job pays $20 - $25 per hour so lets go see what you can do. I want you to grade down to the barrel then grade coming back".
Man grades down to the barrel but leaves lots of little high and low spots. He makes the turn and the grade coming back would make a pool table jealous for how level it is.
Boss comes over "you did a good job but it looks like it took you a little time to get used to the machine".
"What do you mean"? asks the man.
"Well coming back it's nice and smooth but going out it's a little choppy".
"Oh. that's not getting used to the machine. Going out is $20 per hour, coming back is $25 per hour, do I get the job"?

[CajunGreenMan]

I'm in training, and was on the dozer for the first time day before yesterday. Found out the hard way about that pivot point when I slammed the dozer over a rise that I thought wasn't large enough to be noticed, much less slam something as heavy as that dozer. Seemed loud enough that the instructor and the other students even inside their machines would have heard. LOL! Very startling. Too bad I didn't get to watch this video first. Our instructor uses a lot of your work in our training, keep up the great work!

[jeremyjohnson]

I'm about to do a job for a Port authority with a dozer. It will be the 2nd time ever operating a dozer! The 1st time was at an Operating Engineering apprenticeship interview / competition, which I was offered the job but turned it down. Thank you for the video's. They have given me a good idea how not to/how to do this job. Thank you.

[edwinhamson]

Back blading is an art and has a purpose on fine grading, smaller the dozer the harder to run.
A tip for new guys, pick it up a gear and reduce your rpm to get a better grade.
Add throttle and dump material if you feel it starting to bog down.
Ive been a Cat skinner for 43 years now and still working.

[aashishraymallick]

An awesome trainer. So beautifully explained.
And also the camera-man and editor got superb skills in recording, cinematography and syncing all the shot futages.
A strong and well balanced team.

[WILSON.]

Grading truly is something you can’t master unless you put in lots of hours practicing. By the time you can flatten land exactly how you imagine it or as required by a plan, it’s been three years or so.

[SquierStrat]

It certainly looks a lot more comfy than what I learned to operate. Back in the late 80s/early 90s, my grandfather had an old Allis-Chalmers dozer. It was big, loud, stiff to control, and left you open to the elements. From the nostalgia perspective, I kind of miss the old beast. BUT, if I had a need to operate one these days, yours looks a lot more :D

[petemartinez]

Im a grateful subscriber and you sir are a skilled trainer. Im not a heavy operator tho. I'm a local heavy haul Driver. My 1st year of have my CDL is this August 24th. I have never worked in the construction industry before . As soon as I got my CDL A local construction company gave me a job in a tandem or dump truck. I would see the heavy haul guys come into the yard and I knew I wanted to do that. Talk to one of the heavy haul guys he talk to his boss next thing you know I'm getting trained to be a heavy hauler. Training was with their fastest guy who told me this lever does this this does this and that does that good luck. Felt like I was more of a burden then the trainee. Either way I was grateful to get the opportunity get my mouth close just did whatever What's asked of me. Challenge on. Discovered your videos every night I would look at various Like I was back at School. All I have to do is know enough to load and unload the machine. I learn more from your videos then they ever showed me. I learn so much that I got a job from one of the biggest construction that works globally. Where there's a will there's a way.

[werkspartsllc]

Fun to watch. But using the term Operator might be misplaced. Running a dozer is perfect for this! There is a WORLD of difference in running the smaller dozers ( this size and smaller for instance ) and the larger dozers. Dozers have really improved as far as operating conditions. I ran open cab D8's that started with gasoline engines in all weather conditions when young. Thought I was in heaven with the first D8K with a heated and air conditioned cab. You don't know what a hard shift of work is until you have pushed out of a shot to a loader for 10 hours. These would beat you up pretty bad in rock piles. Last day at work I was running a D11N Caterpillar. These and some of the other larger dozers had the bogey roller system that worked like a suspension to soften the ride. That really helped! I ran some 355/375 Komatsu, 750/850 John Deere, a D3, many D6's, D8's, D9's, and D10's. I wish I had a Go Pro back then!

[allywilkeforsenate]

I am going to be enlarging our pond to a lake.This video is awesome on explaining it to newbies.

[imafriend]

I was a operator, but I can still learn, you pointed out the tips and tools that we all use and they are so polished that they are often overlooked especially when it comes to training others, great video, , by the way on the if you had a wench on that machine the control is on your right side, the thing that was strange was that pushing the lever forward let cable out and pushing it back pulled it in, , opposite of all other machines, , messed with your mind late at night in the mud.

[jimmyfrancois]

Thank you very much Sir, I think I have to watch it multiple times for more understanding. Jimmy François from Haiti🇭🇹 Thanks a lot, good job.

[kidgamer]

Excellent point on your comment about feeling the grade with your behind. That has always worked for me.

[matttaylor]

New operator jd 850 this is what this does and this and that dose here you go been 3 months what a experience wish I had your video sooner but seat time is crucial to learn it thanks for your videos awesome work your doin

[lawrencefure]

WOW! That dozer is a far cry from the Allis Chalmers HD-5 end loader and HD-15 dozer I used to run. The dozer was a cable lift machine that really gave you a workout in a ten hour day.

[TecumsehRulesbcserk]

Well this is a whole lot easier than I thought it would be. Advancing technology really makes life easier

[gracelikerain]

It all started when I was blocked by a dozer that had keys in it (friend of a friend)… but I needed to With no one to be found- This video helped me out! No one was hurt, btw
BUT…. Coincidentally, a year later, I have the opportunity to operate a dozer (at my leisure), and here I am again 🙃
Ready to learn. Feels like I know you from the past hahaha anchor bias in full effect

[MrPaulf]

Great video, ive spent a fair bit of time operating diggers but never used or had a close look at a dozer. I found this really interesting.

[BarryHull]

Watching these dozer videos helps me with my Bobcat compact track loader and dozer blade. Thanks.

[moaisibulu-bgjd]

I'm from Solomon islands, I'm a new learning thanks for your time