Pipe layer to dozer??

[Rough as Guts]

Does anybody know if it is feasable to convert a 572 pipe layer into a dozer?

[Rusted]

It's feasible, but would be a very expensive exercise, particularly on an old tractor.
I once worked for a big co that converted a surplus 561C to D5 specs when it was still a current model, and remember the workshop supervisor saying afterward that they'd never do it again as it simply wasn't cost effective.

[bigkit]

Sell it a pipelayer as its worth a good few bob to the right man. Take the cash and buy what you want. I've seen many dozers converted to sidebooms at vast expense, but the result is valuable. The dollars are going the wrong way if you convert back to a dozer!

(but I know someone who'd want the sideboom gear if you do fancy a challenge!)

[tctractors]

In the late 70's early 80's converting Booms to blades was the way forward, there was plenty of Boom kit about like Ex William Press iron and plenty of dogged out D8's and D9's with a blade on them, so building up a fresh Dozer out of the 2 items seemed great guns, the remains of the worn out dozer chunks were sold out for parts the winch gear was also sold, then booms were worth little but now things are the other way.

[martyn williams]

If you are after a dozer,I would sell the pipelayer to finance a good dozer.More cost effective than a conversion.
Good luck
Martyn

[Rough as Guts]

Thanks fellas, the pipe layer is on the market, unfortunatly I dont own it but thought it may be a good way to get a tractor which hasnt had a heavy load through the transmission all its life. Once a blade and controlls not to mention mounts are sourced and assembled it would be a bit expensive. It may be that the machine is a bit wider in the track than a standard model too.

Cheers and thanks everybody for all your thoughts!

[SRB]

There are others more knowledgable than me on here, but im pretty sure Pipelayers were rigid track frames, that is to say no moving equalizer bar, or at least a limited range of movement....

Just my £0.02 worth (or AUD 0.03 at current exchange rate.....)

SB

[FOWLER MAN]

There are others more knowledgable than me on here, but im pretty sure Pipelayers were rigid track frames, that is to say no moving equalizer bar, or at least a limited range of movement....

Just my £0.02 worth (or AUD 0.03 at current exchange rate.....)

SB

I bought a Challenger 33 sideboom Ex. Wm. Press in the 1980s. That certainly had ridgid track frames.
The tractor had new running gear and it became a donor of spares for my other Challengers.
Fred

[tctractors]

Stuart, the track frame thing was the tricky bit, thats why you needed a knacker of a blade tractor to make the job a "Go er" the sidebooms had all the good undercart engine trans' etc the blade machine had the hard front with cylinders hydraulic tank, pump, valves and so on, also the E/Bar and frames, the bottom roller bolt size changed on D8's at 1 point this was a head scratcher to get sorted as you had to use what was in the yard ( P.Strange. Pipeline Equipment) as nowt would be bought extra, I would have done at least 6 D8 swap outs 2 D9's and plenty of D7 17A-47A-48A swap abouts.

[FOWLER MAN]

Hi TC,
It was from Phill Strange that I bought the Ex. Wm. Press Challenger.
Fred