REGULAR DEPARTMENTS

Caterpillar launches CT660 truck
By Steve Sturgess

Caterpillar rolled out its own highway truck for the North American construction industry at ConExpo/ ConAgg in March. Designated the CT (for Cat truck) 660, the 6x4 construction chassis is the first of what will be a full line of trucks for North America powered initially by 11- and 13-liter engines with 15-liter engines expected by early 2012. Initially the trucks are being marketed to the construction and waste management operations, as well as logging and other severe-service applications.

The CT660 is being manufactured for Caterpillar by Navistar at its Garland, Texas,
plant where Navistar currently builds the International PayStar, the construction truck
formerly known as the 5000 Series. The new truck uses the aluminum cab and frame rails
from the Navistar product, but borrows styling cues from a recently introduced Cat
wheel loader: a brushed stainless-steel grill surround, a sloping hood with beveled
edges, and a honeycomb grill material all contributing to its unique Caterpillar look.

While various vocations were represented in the four trucks on display at the introduction,
Cat clearly sees it as a material hauler that can be loaded by a Caterpillar machine.
The CT will be sold and serviced exclusively by Caterpillar dealers, giving Cat customers a
one-stop shop for their yellow equipment and the trucks that can support them. Unlike Cat’s construction equipment, the truck is available in a wide range of colors – including Caterpillar yellow – with automotive paint finishes and up to four colors per paint scheme.

Caterpillar says 70 percent of the target market for the CT660 is Cat customers that either
own and operate off-highway equipment or operate trucks powered by Cat engines. Cat has built engines for the over-the-road truck market for 40 years, and says 1.6 million Caterpillar engines are running today on North American roads and are serviced by Caterpillar dealers across the nation. Among the strongest and most financially
sound dealers in North America, Cat dealers have more facilities than any competitive truck manufacturer, with parts and service operations that are use to meeting the urgent needs of equipment owners. As such, they are well positioned to support the new truck and the models that will follow. The next introduction is timed for early 2013, when a set-forward front axle model will join the set-back CT660.

Powering the trucks
Engines for the trucks are from Navistar and are based on the 11- and 13-liter big-bore engines the company offers in its International trucks. In the Cat CT660 trucks, the engines are painted yellow and have power ratings in line with the most popular engines in the vocational applications: 330, 365, 375 and 390 hp for the 11-liter; and 410, 430 and 475 for the 13-liter.

While not necessarily rated there, all of the engines are capable of 2100 rpm, the speed
preferred for vocational applications. Like Navistar’s International engines, the Cat truck engines use Advanced Exhaust Gas Recirculation to meet EPA2010 regulations without need for chemical exhaust after-treatment. The preferred transmission is the Caterpillar
CX31 torque-converter six-speed derived from transmissions used in heavy Cat equipment. Eaton manual and automated transmissions are also available for operators who want conventional over-the-road transmissions.

Cabs available on the CT660 are similar to those for the International PayStar. However,
there are subtle differences and Cat says many cab components have been upgraded.
Inside, the truck has a new dashboard developed by its ergonomic team, which is familiar
with the needs of drivers and operators of its most complex machines. Most significant is
the big dual-function speedometer/tachometer in the middle of the display. Combining
both functions frees up “real estate” on the dash, allowing for the addition of four gauges on each side that fall within the arc of the steering wheel. In the center of a secondary
dash are supplementary gauges and robust rocker switches that can be operated by
a driver wearing heavy gloves if necessary.

Unique to the truck is Caterpillar’s proprietary telematics, which gives connectivity
with the trucking company and the dealer network. It provides a number of business
solutions and every CT660 will have it a three-years pre-paid subscription. Ensuring easy repairs in the rough and tumble construction market, the hood has plastic fender extenders that can sustain deflection without damage and can be replaced without having to change out the hood.

Likewise, the front bumper is a three-piece design with outer wings that can be bent 180 degrees without damage the center section, making one of the most damage-prone areas on a vocational truck quick, easy and inexpensive to repair. Daily service points are easy to see and reach, the doghouse is redesigned to make the engine more accessible for technicians, and oil and filter service intervals are stretched to 25,000 miles. Extended-life coolant is good for 600,000 miles without need for a booster.

Cat expects customer’s to understand the truck’s premium price will be offset by lower
cost of ownership, high resale value and a longer life. And doubtless many Caterpillar
customers will clamor to have a Cat truck in a premium fleet of yellow equipment.
The truck order board opened in April, and the first trucks will reach dealers and
customers by July. Dealers are excited to have the truck to sell and service, and predict
healthy orders for the new truck with everyone from mega construction fleets to owner-operators wanting to be first on the block with a Cat truck.

Steve Sturgess is a well-known consultant, speaker and writer in the heavy-duty trucking
industry. He can be reached at (949) 338-6425 or sturgess@aol.com.