may need help tearing this down....safely

Ok so yesterday on my way to work I found a old bulldozer sitting n a field in a fairly nice neighborhood. I can tell its been there for a good while due to all of the (shrubbery) that has grown up and into it. I haven't spoken with them yet but if it turns out for the better Danny suggestions before I start cutting this thing up. I also plan on speaking with my yard first to make sure it's legal...thank you bad guys... also on a funny note I'm hauling it in a 88 ranger. Should be interesting. Thanks again guys

Do you know what brand/model it is? There is a market for used parts for Caterpillar and a few others. If its a smaller dozer and old, there are people around (like me) that collect old crawler tractors. I might be able to help you identify it if you posted a photo. You might get more than scrap for it.

As to scrapping it, other than confirming who owns it and getting ownership yourself you will need to drain fluids and take it apart into pieces you can handle. A gas axe is your friend here. Be careful when taking apart the recoil springs on the tracks front idler. They are compressed and will come apart violently. They can be removed while they still are under tension but don't cut the rod that holds them that way!!

Jon.

I looked at it again today and it looks to have tires not tracks. I think it used to be a small crane truck. will try to find out more tomorrow

Dont forget that anything like a blade, scoop or whatever can many times be sold for more than scrap value. Alot of things like that have generic hookups orjust needs new brackets atattached.....Iie most equipment guys can modify it to work if the price is right. Just saying dont start hacking too much until you ecplore that just a bit...you might be surprised at what some of those "parts" can sell for.

sorry it took so long my truck has been down. I found out its an old telehandler. the guy said he would call me n a few days and let me kno. (belongs to his father)
ill try to keep y'all posted

yep that's it. just a little smaller. I'm really wanting to tear into this thing..can't help it. do u know of any thing I should watch out for if I do wind up getting this thing?

Is it a real telehandler, with the extendable boom like Mech 688 pictured? They are not a particularly old machine, even though the one you are looking at might be pretty tattered. It seems to me they started to come into general use in the '80's. Prior to this time high-lift forklifts used a forklift mast on a big loader-like boom to get the high lift.

It might be worth checking into the resale value, even if just for some of the parts. Especially if the boom is still in decent shape. A buddy of mine picked up a telehandler with a bent boom section for $25K. He happens to have a fab shop so he was able to fab up a new boom section with the help of a local engineer, and ended up with a $100K machine. It wasn't worth repairing without being able to get a boom section cheap.

Can't think of any oddball safety hazards to watch out for on dismantling these machines, other than you're dealing with heavy stuff. And lots of hydraulics. (Hydraulic oil + oxyacetylene torch sometimes = fires)

If you can get it for the right price you stand to make some decent coin.

Jon.

Regardless of the condition I would not scrap it until I was sure the engine was not seized, hydraulic pump did not work, lift was inoperable, etc. Equipment like that brings big money from farmers at auctions and the parts are valuable. I would spend the time trying to get it running. If you cannot get it running and time was a priority I would haul it to an equipment auction or equipment salvage yard. If time was not a priority I would take it apart to see how it works, sell the parts, and scrap the rest.