What is a Komatsu D85 dozer?

When it comes to construction, mining, and large-scale earthmoving projects, there are only a select few machines that mean serious business.

The Komatsu D85 dozer is one of them. 

Designed and manufactured by Komatsu – one of Australia’s true titans of the earthmoving industry – the D85 crawler dozer is known specifically for its high-powered durability, versatility, construction, and advanced onboard features, making it a perfect choice for such jobs such as grading, levelling, and heavy-duty earthmoving.

So if you’ve ever wanted to know everything you’d ever need to know about the Komatsu D85, we’ve put together a blog that will explore why it’s one of the most cost and time-saving pieces of earthmoving machinery you’ll find.

Komatsu D85 dozer specs

The Komatsu D85 dozer comes in a standard EX track model (D85EX-18) and a low-ground-pressure PX track model (D85PX-18). 

The choice between the D85EX-18 and D85PX-18 depends on the specific needs of the job site and the ground conditions. The EX track model provides versatility for a range of applications, while the PX track model is designed to excel in situations where reduced ground pressure is essential.

Here are some other key differences between the two:

D85EX-18 specifications

D85PX-18 specifications

Komatsu D85 dozer uses

• Construction: Excels in grading, levelling, and earthmoving tasks on construction sites, including site preparation and foundation work.

• Infrastructure development: Used for moving earth for road and highway constructions, as well as other large-scale infrastructure projects.

• Mining and quarrying: Suitable for certain medium-duty mining applications, such as moving and shaping material.

• Land clearing: Efficiently clears land for development, agriculture, or other purposes, removing vegetation and obstacles.

• Agriculture: Assists in tasks such as land levelling and clearing for agricultural purposes.

• Waste management: Used in landfill operations for compacting and shaping waste material.

Key features and benefits of Komatsu D85 dozers

Customisability

The Komatsu D85 dozer offers various blade types, including straight, Semi-U, Sigmadozer, and Full U (exclusive to D155), to suit different operational needs. Track shoe width and horsepower can also be tailored to meet specific requirements.

Fuel efficiency

These dozers are equipped with an advanced Tier 4 engine, balancing robust performance with fuel efficiency. Features like auto idle shutdown, adjustable between 5-60 minutes, help reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Operator comfort

Designed with ergonomic palm command joysticks, the D85 enhances operator comfort and reduces fatigue. The easy selection between auto and manual shift modes further aids in precise operations, contributing to operator ease during extended use.

Manoeuvrability

The hydrostatic steering system allows operators to smoothly execute powerful turns by transmitting engine power to both tracks without interruption, while also minimises the turning radius through counter-rotation while in neutral.

Durable undercarriage

The Parallel Link Undercarriage System (PLUS) is a notable feature for extending the lifespan of the dozer's undercarriage components. Incorporating rotating bushings, this design potentially doubles the lifespan as compared to traditional undercarriages and reducing the need for frequent replacements

Enhance productivity

The inclusion of a lockup torque converter improves work efficiency, which is a feature that selects the optimal gear based on load and conditions while the lockup mechanism efficiently transfers engine power to the transmission, thusboosting drive train efficiency.

Intelligent Machine Control (iMC)

The integration of iMC technology in these dozers supports operators from the initial rough cut to the final grade. It allows for nearly complete automatic control in certain situations, adapting to operator input, and providing an accelerated learning curve for new operators.

DPF regeneration

Tier 4 machines employ diesel particulate filters for engine soot removal through regeneration. To further minimise operational impact, D85 models utilise continuous passive regeneration and active regeneration, often without requiring the dozer to stop.

Takeaways

We’ve gone over a lot of details about the Komatsu D85 – but one of the most important one that should be leaping out to you is that this is a machine that’s most likely to deliver exceptional results for your earthmoving job. 

Whatever your needs, the D85 is a machine you can rely on – so if you’re interested in hiring a dozer now, the online construction marketplace at iseekplant can help connect you to the right suppliers for your plant hire needs with no fuss, hassle, or stress. For the best machinery for hire and construction services, hop over to our platform now and we’ll find you the best partner for your business.