Caterpillar D11

Caterpillar D11 - General Characteristics
Engineering Role:	Heavy bulldozer
Propulsion:	Caterpillar tracks
Engine model:	CAT 3508 (D11R) CAT 3508B (D11R CD)
Gross power:	698 kW (935 hp)
Flywheel power:	634 kW (850 hp)
Operation Weight:	230,100 lb (104,400 kg) (D11R) 248,600 lb (112,750 kg) (D11R CD)
Length:	10.918 m
Width:	3.802 m (track D11R) 6.706 m (standard blade D11R)
Height:	4.484 m (D11R)
Speed:	11.8 km/h (forward) 14 km/h (reverse)
Blade capacity:	16m³ to 63m³ (21yd³ to 82yd³)

The Caterpillar D11 is a large Bulldozer, manufactured by Caterpillar Inc. in East Peoria, Illinois, and mainly used in the mining industry. Primarily designed as a Bulldozer, it also used for push loading scrapers, and ripping rock overburden.

History

The D11N which was introduced in February 1986 to replace the D10. The D11N had some major improvements over the D10, it includes a bigger track and blade, a longer track by 21 inches. The U blade was just under 21 feet long and 7 inches high. This increased the blade capacity to 45 yards. The D11Ns weight was 204,517 pounds (lbs). It was 770 horsepower (hp) powered by a 2,105 cubic inch 3508 V-8. The D11Ns improvements made it over 10 percent more productive than the D10. In 1987 an hydraulically powered impact ripper was added to the D11N which raised the weight up to 225,950 lbs. This would be come known as the D11N Impact Ripper.

The D11R and D11R Carrydozer were introduced at the Las Vegas, Nevada at Minexpo 1996. Both were 770 hp and that would be increased to 850 hp later in 1997. Other improvements made to the D11R were Fingertip Controls and Electronic Clutch and Brakes. The Finger Tip Controls (FTC) allowed the D11R to be steered with a single lever (joystick) on the left hand side. The D11R now weighed 230,500 lbs. The Carrydozer version has a special blade with a curvature that allowed 57 yards to be pushed. The "Carrydozer" had the structure strengthened considerably for the extra weight and much bigger blade that it carried up front. Both D11Rs received a new Caterpillar 3508B EUI diesel engine with electronic controls at 915 gross hp. The Carrydozer versions weight is just a shade under 120 tons at 239,550 pounds. According to Caterpillar by the year 2000 over 3,000 D11s had been produced at their plant in East Peoria.

The current D11T was introduced in early 2008 and is also 850 hp. This comes as a regular bulldozer and a Carrydozer like the previous model. As with the D11R the D11T Carrydozer can push 57.9 yards while the regular D11T can push 45 yards of earth. The Caterpillar D11s were designed for massive dozing and pushloading of scrapers on mine and construction sites around the world. A new D11T was on display at the Caterpillar display at Minexpo during 9/22-24/08 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Shipping

These machines are so big that they have to be broken down for shipment to most sites. Some are shipped in the United States by flat railcars, with just blade and frame removed. Others are broken down into several units for transport.

Blade options

The dozer blade on front of the tractor usually comes in 3 varieties:

1. A Straight Blade ("S-Blade") which is short and has no lateral curve, no side wings, and can be used for fine grading.
2. A Universal Blade ("U-Blade") which is tall and very curved, and has large side wings to carry more material.
3. A "S-U" combination blade which is shorter, has less curvature, and smaller side wings.

Applications

D11s are primarily used for moving large quantities of material (dirt, rock, aggregate, etc.) short distances in relatively confined places. For example, they are often used in quarries. The D11 is most commonly found in use in large scale forestry, mining, and quarry operations.

D11s can be adapted for agricultural and rock ripping by fitting a ripper, a long claw-like device on the back of the tractor. Rippers can come singly (single shank) or in groups of two or more (multi shank rippers). Usually, a single shank is preferred for heavy ripping.

Ripping rock allows the ground surface rock to be broken into small, easy to handle and transport rubble which can then be removed so that grading can take place.

Agricultural ripping allows rocky or very hard earth to be broken up so that otherwise unarable land can be put to use in agricultural applications. For example, much of the very best land in the California wine country consists of old lava flows. Ripping shatters the lava, allowing practical agriculture for the wine industry. Hard earth can also be ripped and decompacted to allow the planting of orchards which otherwise could not grow on the land.

Competition

The nearest direct competitor to the Caterpillar D11 is the Komatsu D575. The Cat can be distinguished from the Komatsu by the elevated drive sprocket or "High Drive" system which results in a triangular, rather than oval, shaped caterpillar track. The updated version of the Komatsu, the D575A is the worlds largest production 'Bulldozer' at 168 ton and 1150 hp. A bigger machine was built by Italian firm ACCO, with twin CAT engines giving a combined power of 1300 hp, and weighing 183 tons, in the 1980's, but this was a special model.

See also

• Benjamin Holt
• Caterpillar D6
• Caterpillar D9
• Civil engineering
• Engineering vehicles
• Komatsu Limited
• Tractor

External links

• Caterpillar D-Series Track-Type Tractors — Official Caterpillar website
• Short review of large dozers