Earth moving is dirty business. And, that?EUR??,,????'???s exactly the way we like it, isn?EUR??,,????'???t it? Dirt, mud and heavy machinery – rarely has a combination of words ever sounded better. Leveling terrain can involve excavating, removing soil, adding fill, cutting into hillsides, and building retaining walls. Landscapes need to be graded – that is leveling soil to a specified contour.

For a flower bed, handtools may be the only necessary equipment. A small front lawn may require littler more than a pick, shovel and elbow grease. But for a larger landscaping project, whether it be residential or commercial, machinery will be needed – a dozer, tractor or loader with scoop and grading attachments.

For most leveling projects outside of the agriculture and highway construction industries a dozer or a loader will more than suffice.

The Track Type Cat

The Caterpillar D4G Track Type Tractor combines the power of a larger tractor with the versatility and maneuverability of smaller machine. This powerful package is built to meet a wide range of job applications including grading and leveling projects.

The D4G has a comfortable operator station, excellent visibility and is operated with a simple-to-control joystick.

The D4G has a Cat 3046 engine (87 gross horsepower / 80 net horsepower) and a weight topping 17,00 pounds. The tractor rumbles forward at a maximum speed of 5.6 mph and in reverse it can hit 6 mph. Blade rakes are also available to attach to the D4G.

This machine was built to move the Earth.

Another Kind of Cat: Bobcat

The Bobcat T300 Loader offers versatility as well as the ability to level and grade.

A unique feature of the T300 is its 17.7-inch rubber track system, which produces just 4.1 psi of ground pressure, giving it both excellent flotation and tractive effort, further adding to the machines usefulness.

The T300 has a Landplane attachment which offers the user controlled grading and leveling in both forward and reverse. A grader attachment, with an optional laser package, also allows for precise grade control in flatwork contracting.

?EUR??,,????'??The T300?EUR??,,????'???s dedicated rubber track system was designed to keep contractors working in soft and muddy ground conditions, while providing extra traction for digging applications or pushing materials,?EUR??,,????'?? explained Mike Fitzgerld, a Bobcat product specialist.

Much like the D4G, the T300 was built to get grimy while moving and manipulating dirt.

To learn more about Caterpillar and Bobcat equipment visit them online at www.cat.com and www.bobcat.com. The D4G has a base price in the range of $110,000 while the T300 starts around $48,000. For exact quotes contact a dealer.