Test Run of Case’s DL550 Minotaur Dozer-CTL Combo | The Dirt #88

[@heresteven]

Hiring people who owned their own business is a plus. They understand the cost of mistakes and neglect and waste. They having that experience is an asset to your company.

[@dennisscott2592]

As a versatile operator running different stuff every few weeks reviews like this save me so much headache. And you communicate better than almost anyone doing these type of vids. Solid stuff dude 👌

[@shanekaiser770]

I really did not struggle learning to final grade with it, probably because I never spent a lot of time fine grading with a dedicated dozer. This was all new to me and so I didn't bring any dedicated dozer tendencies. I rotated the blade at angle for a while, until got a feel for it. After a bit of time (3-4 hours) I was able to look at the top of the blade and use that as a reference. I have been very impressed at how productive this machine is at dozing. Even having to rip the material and I have rubber tracks on mine. I am able to push 750-850 cy of material in 6-7 hours. Its hard to appreciate how well thought out this machine is until you get in it and run it. Pretty outstanding.

[@nicke1903]

One of these would be ideal, if not perfecr for wildland fire applications, sure it's not a full size dozer, but I think its size is it's strength, especially in a urban interface situation.

[@LatitudeSky]

It's impressive. I can see a lot of jobs where this would do everything, especially for a smaller company where they might have this and a mini excavator. That said, a used dozer and a used CTL by themselves would cost less. But they would not be able do everything it can do. Biggest caveat I did not hear in the video is the tracks cannot be swapped. Whatever you buy is what you get. If you go rubber, that's all you can run. If you go dozer grousers, that's all you can ever run. There's no way to switch after the fact. Ok sure, how many does a typical machine ever swap rubber to metal or back? Probably not many. Watched a guy last weekend swap his mini from rubber to steel tracks and that was the first time I've ever seen it done. Admittedly, all I've ever run was a Bobcat so didn't really see much track swapping.

[@lightning9279]

Refreshingly honest review. Impressive.

[@scottlee5997]

Awesome machine. This is cool. Here's something you'll like. I work for case. I put the lights and the buttons together. I'm Scott. Thought I would look the minotaur DL550 up. Learn more about it.

[@richardjohnson6053]

Great job with your video. Very informative to this awesome machine.

[@jacobbradstreet1622]

I'm going to go pre order one

[@kineticexcavation4503]

What a beast. Good review.

[@marcgamelin2514]

Thank you for this honest review...

[@derekdreke4990]

I feel like anyone getting one of these knows what it is and will enjoy it for it's flexibility

[@Dr.IanPlect]

its, not it's

[@heresteven]

I wonder if mirrors can be installed on the blade to see over the blade. That may shorten the learning curve on the machine.

[@roballan4944]

Compact track loader, full-size skidsteer, mini dozer. All the traction. This appears to be a landscapers wet dream.

[@KPVFarmer]

Great overview

[@chrisvanderpool7692]

Didnt know you had this channel. Just as interesting man

[@StefanBacon]

one of the biggest things I like to see on a machine is a left pedal. I have a really hard time convincing my right foot to do decel or geardown, probably because I've spent 80% of my driving time with a clutch or inching pedal. It would be nice to see a 2nd pedal so you can select 2 of those functions and get more work done on less fuel while not have your left leg fall asleep, say left trans, right accel, perhaps it's too niche to justify the hardware spend.

[@timo4040]

You are so spot on

[@waynevincent5448]

Excellent review Bryan, thanks for doing this. If I was going to pick an skilled operator to give an unbiased review, you would be it.

[@DieselandIron]

I appreciate it Wayne!

[@JHorvathCinema]

Little confused buy this, obviously some unique use cases, but you could buy a pretty new 650m AND like a TL10 for the price of this? I guess it’s for residential grading?

[@frankwarren9305]

I work for a case dealership. Had the opportunity to go over the prototype machine. Well one of them. Seen the goods and the bads. Put in my opinion on what should be changed and to keep. Machine is a really strong machine.

[@Dr.Ian-Plect]

What changes?

[@scottpullen9166]

Well said,,,,Good read on Everything,,,,Not really operating any more but enjoy the Vids

[@erikcourtney1834]

Wow I never thought about the skid steer and dozer turning different when backing up. I dunno How I haven’t realized this. I gotta find someone with these to test out. Sounds like the perfect machine for what I need. Just dunno which set of tracks I want. Steel is perfect for dirt but then that limits where I can take it.

[@jacobbradstreet1622]

Perfect for fire breaks and roads up here in the mountains

[@kevindavis7822]

Very good job very good job and you are so right about employees boy do I know they were teared it up and then tell you I didn't know

[@bair24]

awesome

[@davidybarrasr1980]

Awesome

[@bradkaberline5828]

For the size of it it's not a skidloader and would be hard to get in tight spots. So not compact. Something that size would better just to go with a 953 or 963 track loader with a 4in1 bucket or just use a D5 or D6. My opinion the 289 299 Caterpillar for a skidloader. But the metal tracks makes it not versatile on concrete or asphalt.

[@mark_Hershey]

Any rumors of an updated kubota svl series?

[@waynevincent5448]

Couple questions if you don't mind. First, you said it would really push a pile, that's great, but will it cut and strip? Second, why did Case go vertical vs radial lift? My experience has always been that the radial lift path is really better for flat work.

[@DieselandIron]

It will cut and strip. Again, it will take time to get good at this without gouging because of the short track base. The vehicle lift component is due to the desire to be able to reach into off road trucks and tall semi boxes. I can't remember the hinge pin height but it is up there.

[@ral3178]

I would rather take a small case dozer anytime in tight spots, so I can see the edge of my blade

[@irondarknessdarkness8900]

well now if i wanted to leave a finished surface and seeded from dirt work let me show you this MODEL 1204 | Kelly Tillage System there are also spiked chains to be had Kelly Tillage System - Spiked Disc Chain. if you just want to knock weedy lots down a kelly is also just the thing to do that and seed them over

[@98Pete]

Wish it werent so damn expensive

[@elvisfroh6040]

I want one!!

[@alphonsotate2982]

For me 🤓🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩Forget the dozer blade put a four in one bucket on it

[@dwightsnyder5985]

I've thought this way a wonderful concept ever since the reveal a couple years ago i had thought it since the beginning and you said it as well that the ripper sticks to far out the back it's supposed to be a more compact machine why not make the ripper tucked in tight to engine door i would think is an obvious idea the Australian company norm engineering makes the perfect designed ripper for it i think really sucks in tight to the engine door when it's up. As far as the tracks i would not have thought the rubber would do better then the tripples do i thought they would have been better off with a double grouser instead with the same width they would probably do a bit better with putting the power down for pushing if you think about it all the track loaders have a double grouser on them instead of tripple grouser and I'd think it's because you do a lot of pushing with a track loader some use em almost like a dozer that can carry dirt as well

[@tyvernon9422]

I’ve seen/heard about this machine for the last two plus years and I understand r&d process but damn I’ve bought multiple bobcat units as well as the new Gen Cat dozer since then. Will this unit EVER actually come out? And at what price point? Thanks for the content, you’ve done a good job.

[@DieselandIron]

It is officially out and up for sale. Pricing will have to be determined at your dealership. Unfortunately the way dealerships price machines is pretty complicated, similar to the auto industry so it's hard to just slap a general price on something like this.

[@Mvp-AngelOfGod]

215k with metal tracks in Texas

[@DieselandIron]

@@Mvp-AngelOfGod was that with the ripper package as well?

[@garyjansen113]

This is overkill for what I need...I need a high flow track loader with a quality brush cutter on the front for under $40K. Any opinions out there ?

[@michaelstrunk7820]

a genie and a lamp

[@charlesbelser7249]

Unless the operator videoed was 6' 8" tall, it looks like there is still not enough leg room . Why can they not add at least another foot of leg room ??? If I was only 4'10" tall , I would still think that I would like to stretch my legs a bit more. Of they add some more cab ( leg) room for big guys and make a tough forestry model for mulching also , I will consider it.

[@bradkaberline5828]

Kind of defeats the purpose of having a skid steer that's not compact honestly most people buy skidloaders for tight spots not a skidloaders that you can't get in tight or complex area I like them Cat 289 or 259 get bigger a 953 or 963 with a 4in1 bucket but cool machine man

[@belllpatrick]

I can move lose topsoil with a shovel

[@jameslindley924]

Tracks are too short for Grading hence dip up n down too much

[@fivewisemaranatha7402]

$170k-180k

[@scottmcquarrie7295]

It looks like Case ie improving it's equipment and Cat is going down. Way down. I have been on a Cat 374 next gen and it's probably the worst machine I ever ran.

[@fox13z400]

Really? thats interesting to hear. Theirs a housing development going in at the end of our street and they have a next gen cat 374 and 374F working on site. It sure looks like a nice machine but I have no idea how it runs

[@scottmcquarrie7295]

@@fox13z400 Good looking machine and very nice cab with good vision. Catwalks on it are great and should be standard on all Excavators and crawler cranes. But the hydraulic functionality of the machine is horrible. Powerful and sometimes smooth but other than that, a poorly designed machine. A 245D will run circles around it.

[@alphonsotate2982]

😍😍😍😍😍😍😎

[@stevenpeters2593]

The machine cost over 230,000$ whew

[@embarkllctreedebrisdirt4938]

These machines are getting terrible reviews when I ask people who own them and FB is littered with them with nearly zero hours. I wanted one so bad but it doesn't make sense to own one after talking to people who are trading them in.

[@JohnDoe-yq9ml]

It’s an over built skid steer with some extra options that should come on all skid steers. They should all come this way. It’s just more options. You won’t have enough sight of the corner or your blade. 6 hours and you could only glass off 50 foot of dirt. What a joke.

[@rp1645]

YES, All skid steers should come with angle tilt if Running a BLADE. I have seen more Mini Excavator come with at least a Angle front Dozer blade. Saw a 6 way Blade on Tac- A- Hoot- Chee sorry for spelling. They where demoing it for the Rental industry. I have seen these gosh awful company made complacent Dozer Blades, for curb and sidewalk grade finish work. Like you so Brilliantly said, They need to make more 6 way blades for Skid steers, with operator function that make them get feel of blade like Dozer finish work. Not just add on Hydraulic hose fittings, but still have same Levers in cab, even the Foot controls would be so strange to master.

[@DieselandIron]

I would encourage both of you to actually watch the review because both of these things are addressed fairly early on.

[@rp1645]

@@DieselandIron I just don't see a lot of angle tilt 6 way in industry. That's all I'm getting at. If he addressed this then my Bad.

[@DieselandIron]

@@rp1645 that's because any dozer blade that is a skid steer attachment doesn't actually couple to the frame of the machine and therefore isn't stable enough to do accurate grading. That is the whole idea behind this machine.

[@rp1645]

@@DieselandIron I guess the CASE engineer don't have as much though into this as YOU. What's your background besides being just a operator. There is so much coming to the industry with self digging Excavator. They won't Need you anymore.

[@JoeCraig-s4b]

Seems like a pointless machine from what I see . 😂

[@JohnDoe-yq9ml]

Wearing a seat belt in a skid steer 🤣 what a joke. Case is lost.

[@DieselandIron]

I feel like you have a bit of a personal beef with Case and it's not really about the machine...

[@downfour47304]

Ran a demo unit the other day in a pond job. It was not a pleasurable experience. I didn’t get into to many of the features of it. But it would definitely hog some material.

[@platypus1287]

People buy case skid steers😂