Popular Caterpillar Equipment & Their Uses

When it comes to construction machinery, the big yellow Caterpillar equipment seems to dominate. With a huge product range, spanning from mini excavators to huge 100-tonne dozers, there’s something for almost every worksite and job.

Caterpillar Equipment Overview

In this article, we’re going to have a look at some of the most popular Caterpillar equipment on Machines4U and give you a quick breakdown of what they are and what they can do.

In this article we cover:

• Dozers
• Excavators
• Wheel loaders
• Skidsteers
• Forklifts

We’ll talk about what makes these machines so popular and why they might be the right choice for your project.

Dozers

Starting us off, we’ll take a look at the Caterpillar dozer range. Dozers (shortened from bulldozer) are heavy machines, generally equipped with a large metal plate on the front. They are designed for clearing and grading, and can push large quantities of materials, like soil, rubble and construction debris.

There are 4 categories for Caterpillar dozers (separated by HP):

• Small
• Medium
• Large
• Waste Handling

The broad range, starting from 74 HP up to a huge 850 HP of power, provides a great selection of machines to suit anything from residential construction to mining and civil construction grading and clearing.

Like most Caterpillar equipment, there are a number of variations between dozer models, engine emissions, engine power, attachment capability, operating weight, etc. which can help you pick the right machine for your needs.

While there are dozens of dozers available, the most popular are the mid and large dozers like the D6T and D8T. The D6T is the mid-range dozer with a Tier 4 engine, 215 HP of power and a 21,382 kg operating weight. While the larger D8T packs a 354 HP, Tier 4 engine, and has an operating weight of 39,750 kg.

If you want to know more about popular Cat dozers, check out our article on the top 5 Cat dozers.

Caterpillar dozers are compatible with a range of attachments and software as well, including:

• Drawbars
• Rippers
• Straight, curved & multi-shanks
• Front & rear striker bars
• Cat Product Link

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, so make sure you browse through available Caterpillar dozer listings and do a bit of research to find the right machine for your needs.

Excavators

When it comes to versatility on the worksite, not much can compare to a good-quality excavator. Designed for digging and excavating dirt, soil and rubble, excavators can also be used for brush cutting, demolition, drilling, pile driving and more. The range of Caterpillar equipment and attachments for their excavators means these can sometimes be an all-in-one machine for your worksite.

Much like their dozers, Caterpillar has 4 categories for excavators:

• Mini (1-10 t)
• Small (11-18 t)
• Medium (20-35 t)
• Large (36-90 t)

There are currently 40 excavator models available from Cat, but after so many years in the industry, there are dozens of variations and older models available that can be just as good. In fact many operators prefer the older models over new ones.

On Machines4U, large and mini excavators hold the top spot, with the 336DL and the 308E2CR-SB (and other 308E2 variants) being the stand outs. The 336DL is part of the large excavator range, and weighs in at 35,020 kg (with the long undercarriage) and has a Cat C9 engine with 268 HP of power. The 308E2CR-SB is part of the mini-excavator range and is ideal for working in tight, compact areas. The Tier 4 compliant, Cat C3.3B engine brings 65 HP of power and the excavator has an operating weight (with cab) of 8,400 kg. And has a max dig depth of 4150 mm.  

Of course, to go with your excavator is a selection of Caterpillar attachments and software that will make your workday easier. Available attachments include:

• Buckets
• Augers
• Booms
• Grabs
• Hitches
• Pulverizers
• Rippers
• Blades

Check out our previous article on some popular excavator attachments and their uses if you want to know more.

As you’d expect, there’s not going to be a single excavator that is perfect for everyone, so don’t hesitate to browse through new and used Caterpillar excavators or some excavator auctions to see what’s available.

Wheel Loaders

Our next machine is the trusty wheel loader. They can easily scoop and dump dirt, soil, concrete, rubble and other materials across a variety of worksites and industries. They are often seen in construction, mining and demolition applications.

You’ve probably guessed, but Cat also separates their wheel loaders into 4 categories:

• Compact
• Small
• Medium
• Large

When it comes to popularity, the small and medium loaders like the 930K and 950GC are ahead of the pack. Of course, there are dozens of loaders of all sizes available. The 930K, with its 160 HP, Cat C7.1 engine and 13,135 kg operating weight is a powerful workhorse. Of course, the 950GC pulls ahead with a 202 HP engine and an operating weight of 18,676 kg.

Unlike a lot of Caterpillar equipment, there isn’t a huge range of attachments that are compatible with their wheel loaders. But different styles of buckets are available to suit different types of materials and payloads.

Skidsteers

Like excavators, skidsteers are one of the most versatile machines Caterpillar has to offer. Designed like smaller wheel loaders, base model skidsteers are equipped to handle digging and grading work in agriculture, landscaping, roadworks and general construction applications.

In a change of pace, Caterpillar doesn’t have 4 categories for skidsteers, they only classify them as skidsteers or track loaders. When it comes to Machines4U, the D series, including the 259D and 299D pull ahead of the pack, though there are plenty of wheeled and tracked models listed.

Related: Caterpillar D Series Overview

So why is it so versatile? Well, there are 22 possible attachments for compatible Caterpillar skidsteers, including:

• Augers
• Backhoes
• Blades
• Brushcutters
• Forks
• Mulchers
• Saws
• Snow Plows
• Trenchers

With so many attachments, it’s easy to see why skidsteers are a popular choice for many worksites. Browse through skidsteer auctions to find the right one for your needs. 

Forklifts

The final group of Caterpillar equipment is their range of forklifts. While not construction machinery, Cat does make a variety of forklifts (also called lift trucks), including the popular GP25N. Cat forklifts are available in diesel, LPG or electric.

Not sure whether diesel, LPG or electric is best for you? Browse through our diesel vs LPG vs electric forklift article to find out which suits your needs.

So there you have it: some of the most popular Caterpillar equipment. Of course, there are machines that didn’t make it to our list. Cat makes a huge selection of machinery, and it’d be impossible to mention them all.

But, if you think we should have included something we didn’t, feel free to leave us a comment below and tell us why.

Sources: Cat.com, Cat 336DL Product Brochure, Cat 308E2CR-SB Product Brochure,  Catlift.com.