Farmers wanting a smoother field after fall drainage operations now have access to a machine designed with finish as the foremost factor.
“The biggest benefit of the Pulldozer is ease of finishing compared to conventional scrapers,” says Dale Kotzer of Bridgeview Manufacturing in Gerald, Sask.
“We saw that farmers wanted a more level field surface after they did their fall drainage work. That’s why we designed a new machine.
“Zero till fields never level themselves or smooth themselves out like cultivated fields, so when you do your surface drainage work, you want the smoothest possible finish without another trip to the field.”
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Kotzer said conventional scrapers pick up a load and dump it in a pile. Producers need to come back with another implement to spread and smooth the soil.
“And that’s what we wanted to change. We think of this machine as being more of a land leveller than a scraper or ditcher,” he said.
“We promote the concept of raising the elevation of the potholes rather than digging a lot of ditches. You move less soil this way. If you run shallow drains and pull the soil up into the potholes, they become shallower. There’s a bigger surface area for evaporation and a bigger area for water to be absorbed into the soil.”
Producers also use the machine to knock down brush, pull out roots and big rocks, and put a dirt cap over willows and cattails.
Kotzer said shallow, wide ditches with soil pulled up into the depressions eliminates the problem of earthen dams and side ridges along the edges. Water flows freely into the drain.
Another obvious advantage is that implements can work through the ditches without slowing or breaking down.
He said the Pulldozer is not intended to be a hauling device.
“If you try to move soil any great distance, you’re dragging it. That’s not efficient. That’s what scrapers are for,” he said.
“The Pulldozer is intended for short runs and drain cleanout. It’s for situations where you want a final finish in the first pass.”
The Pulldozer swivels left or right but does not go into a V-plow configuration.
Kotzer said it’s best described as a box scraper type of blade.
The end plates tilt to control dirt release. Producers gradually lift the blade when they want to dump the load. Kotzer said the hydraulic controls are so precise that the operator can lay down a smooth, thin layer that will not require further machine work.
Bridgeview recently added an optional trencher shank that mounts in the centre of the blade for operators who want to use the Pulldozer to create new ditches.
The trencher serves the same basic purpose as a V-plow but makes a deeper cut. The 4,000 pound trencher shank slices a trench down the middle of the path that’s 24 inches deeper than the blade edge and up to 28 inches wide. The blades catch the soil and spread it left and right.
“People ask us about running implements over a deep trench like that. It’s really no problem,” Kotzer said.
“You have to farm at an angle to the trench, but the big implement tires just roll right over it. It’s not bad to drive across.”
The hydraulically operated trencher pulls back into the blade when not needed for cutting new ditches and does not interfere with the normal function of the blade. The same trencher fits either the 18-foot or the 24-foot Pulldozer.
Kotzer said Pulldozer owners found another use for the machines this summer.
“Rural roads in Saskatchewan were terrible this year. Frost boils were everywhere. Many of the RMs hired farmers with Pulldozers to cut through the frost boils and level the roads. The blade edges we use are the same as grader blades, so replacement is simple.”
The 24-foot model was the big seller when Bridgeview introduced the Pulldozer three years ago, with the 18-foot lagging in development.
“Now, we’re selling more 18 foot models than 24 footers. I know that’s opposite of what usually happens, but that’s the way it is.
“I think the first buyers were the big farmers, the trend setters and early adopters. Those are the guys with the 535 horsepower tractors. They wanted the 2400 (24 foot).
“When the medium sized farmers saw how well the thing worked, they bought. But these guys don’t farm as many acres and they probably have 350 horsepower tractors. Those tractors won’t do a good job pulling the 2400. So this group is buying the 1800 (18-foot).”
He said the 1800 is easier to transport between fields. Both models come ready to mount laser or RTK controls.
The 24-foot Pulldozer weighs 24,000 pounds, drags up to 25 cubic yards and sells for $68,000. Horsepower requirement is 400 to 550.
The 18-foot model weighs 18,000 lb., drags up to 18 cubic yards and sells for $58,000. Horsepower requirement is 250 to 375.
For more information, contact Kotzer at 306-745-2711 or visit www.bridgeviewmanufacturing.com.
