Perhaps you have a plot of land that needs to be leveled out or cleared. You have a few options to get the job done: you can hire a dozer operator to come in and do it for you, or you can tackle the project yourself with a rented bulldozer and try and save yourself some money. If you have a little experience with operating heavy equipment, the latter can be the most logical option. However, bulldozer operation is something that will come along with some things you may not expect. Here's a look at some of the things you should know about using a rented bulldozer for property clearing. 

1. Make use of all safety gear on your rented dozer

Operating a bulldozer is not a job for the faint of heart. Most of them do not have shocks, which means you can be bumped and tousled around quite a bit during operating. Make sure you do keep your seatbelt on and lower the protective cage around the operator seat if the dozer is equipped with one. While you are clearing your land, you are bound to run into tree limbs and everything else that can spring up and head straight for you in the operator seat, so the protective cage around the sides will be important. 

2. Stop and clean the bulldozer's tracks regularly

The tracks on the bulldozer are a wonderful thing because they give you traction in areas where you would otherwise not even be able to move. However, to get the most out of the tracks on the dozer, you will need to keep them fairly cleaned off. After a bit of use, the tracks can get caked with dense mud and gravel, which will downplay their ability to dig into the ground and keep you stable while you work, so clean them often. 

3. Be prepared to fuel the equipment if you have a lot of work

A bulldozer is no doubt powerful, but it only moves at a certain pace, and you must work slow to prevent making permanent mistakes that leave your property damaged. Because of this, your project may take a while to complete, which means you will need quite a bit of fuel for the rented dozer. The rental company will fill the tank initially, but you can expect to use all of this fuel and then some if you will be working for a while. 

For more information, contact a company like El Camino Rental.