Undercarriage undergoes overhaul

Caterpillar believes that a total revamp of its track-type tractors should trim operating costs by 30 to 70%.

As Caterpillar's track-type tractors enter their second century, the OEM has dramatically revamped its undercarriage technology. The company claims its SystemOne upgrades extend operating life, reduce operating costs, and improve ride characteristics.

A project team created in 1999 redesigned the undercarriage from the ground up, something that Cat hadn't done since the 1970s. That effort yielded more than two dozen patents.