CATERPILLAR MINING TRUCK BODIES

Operations and Maintenance Guide

Safety
Specifications
Operation
Maintenance

CATERPILLAR MINING TRUCK BODIES

Operations and Maintenance Guide

Safety
Specifications
Operation
Maintenance

Caterpillar

MINING TRUCK BODIES

Congratulations on purchasing a Caterpillar Mining

Truck Body: high performance and rock solid!
This document provides details necessary for safe, efficient, productive operation with
preventive and routine maintenance procedures designed to maximize the life of the
body. Your Caterpillar Mining Truck Body is designed to give years of safe, low cost,
high performance, maximizing your payload while minimizing your downtime.

Safety:
Operating safety is the responsibility
of everyone involved. Some of the
safety areas to consider while
operating the Caterpillar Mining
Truck Body are:
1. Proximity To Equipment: Large mining
equipment needs a lot of operating room due to
limited visibility of the operator. If you cant see the
operator in the mirrors, the operator cant see you.
Never assume the operator knows where you are.
Audible and visual communications are a must
before entering the work area. When traveling, never
follow too closely behind large mining equipment.
Large mining equipment always has the right-ofway. Never take chances with large equipment.
2. Crushing Hazard: Any time work is being
performed around large mining trucks, the danger
of crushing injuries exists:
Carry-back material, stuck in the body, can come loose
at any time when the body is in a raised position. Before
working on a truck always inspect the body for carryback material and if possible, remove the material before

working in or around the truck. If it isnt possible to remove the material,

flag off a safe area around the body where material would not hit a person
upon leaving the body.
Body prop cables should be used whenever the body is to be left in a
raised position. These cables are designed to hold the weight of an
empty bed in a raised position. As with all other safety items, the cables
should be inspected regularly and replaced if damaged, kinked, loose, or
broken strands are visible. Never use anything except the designed cable
for the job.
Additional safety materials can be used for blocking the body in a raised
position for extended work periods or where additional safety materials
are deemed necessary. Cribbing material, timbers, steel beams, etc., can
be used to support the bed to prevent crushing injuries.
During normal operation, the body canopy comes in close proximity to the
top of the truck cab. Never place yourself between the top of the cab and
the canopy while the body is being raised or lowered.

3. Burn Hazard: Exhaust-heated bodies utilize the engine exhaust

gases to heat the body and minimize buildup of hauled materials in
freezing conditions. The exhaust enters the front wall of the body in
two separate locations and these locations can cause burns if they
come in contact with unprotected skin. Care should be taken when
working in these areas to prevent damaging burns.

Specifications:
1. Identification: Identification plates, located on
each of the Caterpillar Mining Truck Bodies, are
normally found on the upper front wall just behind
the right-hand side of the cab. These plates contain
a unique serial number that identifies the body in
the Caterpillar network for warranty and product
support.
2. Specifications: The Caterpillar Mining Truck
Body is a highly technical piece of equipment and
has rigorous standards and specifications in its
design for each of the body components.
Caterpillar uses a Mining Truck System Model

approach for the basis of design and analysis. Caterpillar

engineers design the body to be field repairable using
conventional welding techniques.

This systems approach to design allows the

engineers to take into account the effects of
the body on the chassis as well as the chassis
on the body with variable input from road and
mining conditions. The result is a body that is
responsive to the truck system and yields
optimum performance with excellent durability.

System Structural Analysis

Components of the Mining Truck system

Body and Payload

Power Train

Chassis

Wheels and Tires

Terrain

Suspension

Operations:
Based on the information supplied by the customer in the
body profile worksheet, each Caterpillar Mining Truck
Body is designed for a target payload by weight which is
specified in a unique sales drawing issued for each body.
The Caterpillar Mining Truck Body is designed to carry the
rated target payload according to the 10/10/20 overload
policy (see your Caterpillar representative for details).
Following this policy will ensure years of productive and
low-cost life. However, in order for this to be effective,
proper operations procedures must be practiced. Daily

In order to give the operator a new visual loading

reference, the load arrow was implemented. The
load arrow represents the center of the volume of
the load (center of gravity). The machine operator
should center the bucket on the load arrow for each
dipper placed in the body. Initially, the loading
arrow should be utilized in conjunction with a
load study to ensure proper weight distribution
since the loading tool and bucket size can affect
load distribution. Care should be taken not to
load the canopy as it is not designed as a loadbearing structure.

inspections, load placement, discharge height, load

management, haul road maintenance, and proper
dumping techniques are all critical to the long-term
success of these bodies.
1. Daily Inspection: Pre-shift, daily inspections should be
performed by the operator prior to beginning work. These
inspections should consist of walking around the body and
inspecting the understructure for physical damage, cracks, broken
welds, and misalignment. Hoist cylinder mounts and pivot pin
areas should be checked to ensure that they are in proper working
order. The body should be kept as clean as possible to minimize
carry-back of materials and reducing the net payload of the body.
2. Load Placement: Load arrows, located on the sidewalls of the
body, help guide the operator to center each bucket load as it is
placed in the body. Load placement was less of an issue for the
older, standard bodies. The loader operator simply centered on the
sidewall. In the new lightweight body design the rear corners of
the sidewalls were eliminated and the loader operator did not have
the same visual reference point to center the load. This often
resulted in a forward payload bias which placed more load on the
front tires. This forward bias also causes the Caterpillar Vital
Information Management System (VIMS) or Truck Payload
Management System (TPMS) to report a payload less than actual.
MSDII Loading Arrows

Standard Dual Slope

250 yd 3 MSDII

3. Discharge Height: Body impact damage is one

of the life-reducing events in a bodys performance.
Material fragementation and discharge height both
affect impact damage. Large rocks, dropped too far
above the floor, can cause impact damage to the
floor plates by causing a yield case or high stress
level, greatly reducing component fatigue life.
Large rocks should be loaded with care to prevent
floor damage. The bucket should not be opened
above the top rail of the body when the first bucket
is placed in the body. If possible, finer material
should be loaded in the first passes and the larger
pieces stacked on top of this bedding material to
absorb some of the loading shock. Once yielded,
the floor material weakens and creates pockets
between floor ribs or creases over floor rib edges
which creates areas prone to accelerated wear.
Additionally, significant impact to the floor can
damage under floor ribs and rails and shorten the
life of the body.
4. Load Management: Proper load management is
essential to predictable productivity and budgeting.
There are many tools available today designed to
help manage the target payloads for each body
design. VIMS, TPMS, and scoreboards are a few of
the more popular tools used today to help manage
payloads and productivity. Proper load placement is
essential to accurate weight readings with these
systems. The expressed intent of the load arrow is
to provide the loader operator with an aid to proper
load placement. Because load placement is critical
to tire and component life as well as VIMS and
TPMS accuracy it is important that the loading tool
operator use this aid. Forward biased loads tend to
under-report and rearward biased loads tend to
over-report. Forward biased loads also negatively

affect front tire life. Not only is the actual payload greater than
reported in VIMS, which could exceed the 10/10/20 policy, but a
disproportionate share of the overload is being carried by the front
tires, resulting in shortened tire life.
5. Racking: The age-old problem! Racking is defined as twisting of
the body which puts stress on weld joints and steel plate. It can
cause permanent deformation of the body or at least increased
fatigue which leads to reduced service life. Nothing does more
damage over the long haul than racking due to poor haulage road
and dump conditions. Two types of damage can occur in a body:
impact and fatigue. Fatigue life is dependent on the magnitude of
the stress and the frequency of the occurrence. Haulage road
washboards, sharp turns, potholes, road hazards and poor or
improper super elevation all contribute to racking of the body.
Proper use of motor graders on roads and the use of dump dozers to
manage dumping areas and berms can help alleviate this problem.
6. Dumping: Body damage can occur to the rear section of the
body (rib area) and to the understructure (rail area) when the body
comes in contact with the berm while dumping or leaving the
dump area or by raising the tail of the body into an existing pile
while dumping on level ground. Both contact damage and
increased stress levels can occur. The obvious denting of the body
tail structure is evidence that the entire structure is experiencing
increased stress due to this operation.
The body should be lowered completely before leaving the dump
area after dumping over a berm. Not only does this minimize the
chance for damage, it also reduces the possibility of lowering the
height of the berm where it will have to be repaired. Consistently
coming into contact with a berm or pile while dumping causes
cumulative stresses to occur in the body understructure. See the
results of a stress analysis test below, simulating these stresses.

the body very quickly, causing the body to tip

upward by generating a moment at the pivot bore
of the body. The force that tips the body works
against the dump cylinders and when they reach the
end of their cylinder stops the front of the body
may actually lift off the ground. Controlled
operator dumping techniques can minimize this
phenomenon. By slowly raising the body in the
dump cycle the load moves more slowly toward the
rear of the body. Gravity can then take over and
part of the load will have time to shear and break
off, reducing the back-end load on the body. This
will limit the additional rear weight and minimize
liftoff. If you are experiencing any of the above
dumping conditions please contact your Caterpillar
Product Support representative for help.
Sensitivity of dumping into berm
High Stress Areas

Berm Contact

Main rail stresses while dumping

and contacting a pile or berm
No Berm Contact

Hoist Bracket

Ribs

Main Rails

Pivot Bracket

If the material being dumped is highly cohesive in nature, the load

may stick together and slide out of the body as a solid unit instead
of shearing and leaving the body in pieces. This process is called
loafing, where the load appears to closely resemble a loaf of
bread. This phenomenon can create overcentering of the body as
the load moves from the front to the rear of the body. The weight
of the load moves the center of gravity of the load to the rear of

Productivity issues can exist on dumps that are too

soft and that have berms that can slough. Dozer
operators sometimes have to continually push down
the dumps and rebuild the berms to maintain safe
dumping conditions. In turn, the truck drivers may
utilize extra care and spend more time when
backing to a berm or spotting. Where these
conditions exist and the truck cycle is adversely
impacted by longer dumping cycles, productivity
may be improved and a safe environment
maintained by dumping short and letting the dozer
operator push the load over the dump. This
minimizes the trucks exposure to the dump edge
and effectively shortens the dump cycle thus
improving truck cycle productivity.
5

Body Maintenance Program:

In order to maximize the service that you get
from your Caterpillar Mining Truck Body, a
body maintenance program needs to be
developed and followed. Service intervals
for the body should follow the same service
intervals as the rest of your Caterpillar
equipment. Regular body inspections
covering primary welds, liner thicknesses,
wear bar thicknesses, impact damage, pivot

1. Benchmarking For Wear: Establishing material wear rates for

the different areas of the body allows planned maintenance repair
schedules and controlled costs. In order to determine wear rates
for the different liner plates and base body, original material
thicknesses need to be benchmarked and monitored. Ultrasonic
measurements will provide this information. Measurements need
to be taken in the areas shown, and stored in a spreadsheet similar
to the ones shown below. Liners may be fine at half thickness for
a wear application but not suitable for a high impact application.
Caterpillar MSD Body Wear Measurements

bore wear, and hoist bracket wear are

essential in maintaining your body. The
Caterpillar Mining Truck Body is a highly
technical piece of equipment, engineered to
give a high level of performance. With all
technical products, maintenance is a key to
optimizing the service life.

2. P.M. Inspections: Regular P.M. inspections of the bodies are

critical to the service life on the Caterpillar Mining Truck Bodies.
Inspections should include critical weld areas, pivot bores, field
joints in ribs and rails, liner plates, front wall beams, sidewall top
rail sections, rear floor bolsters, and any other areas that might be
affected by minespecific applications. Ultrasonic inspections for
material thickness of critical liner plates and unprotected base
material should be conducted and the results. Planned P.M. hours
should be used for routine welding repairs; larger repairs, found in
the P.M. process, should be scheduled for planned downtime periods
if possible. Contact your dealer for proper weld procedures on
MSD bodies.
6

Caterpillar MSD Body Wear Layout

Dimensions are approximate and subject to change

3. Liner Replacement: Modular liner packages are available

from the factory for replacing worn body liner. Liners, both
impact and wear, need to be regularly inspected for
effectiveness. Impact liners need to be replaced sooner than
wear liners since the impact effectiveness of a thinner plate is
much less than a thinner wear surface. A rule of thumb to use
for liner replacement is to replace impact liners when the
working thickness is 50% or less of the original thickness
and wear liners at 90%. If liners are not replaced in a timely
manner, damage can occur to base body material which will
cost more to repair/replace than the modular liners.
4. Wear Bar and Tumble Bar Replacement: Critical
floor and sidewall liners are protected by wear or tumble
bars. These bars are designed to protect the critical leading
edge welds of the liner plates. Protecting these welds will
ensure that the service life for the liner plates is maximized.
Failure to maintain these wear bars may result in the leading
edge welds being prematurely worn away which will allow
material to work its way under the plates and lift the plates
away from the truck body. The bars are also thicker than the
liner plates which minimizes front edge wear on the plate
and helps maximize the plate life. Replace a bar when the
bar thickness is equal to or less than the liner plate and the
material begins to erode the liner plate weld.

5. Crack Repair: Minor body cracks may appear due to

fatigue or impact damage. Timely repairs of these small
cracks will prevent larger, more expensive repairs. In
general, gouge out the crack, remove all foreign material,
and re-weld making sure there is adequate penetration for
a competent weld.
6. Body Pivot: The body pivot area is exposed to fatigue
due to loading, hauling, and dumping activities. Pivot pin
wear is a normal wear process and needs to be monitored.
When necessary, the body should be removed from the
truck and the pivot bore welded and new bores turned.
Proper body shimming will ensure proper body loading
and prolong the pivot bore life.
7. Truck Cleanup: Unnecessary buildup of material on the
underside of the body and truck chassis reduces available
payload and can cause damage to truck and body
components. Chassis and bodies should be washed at least
each P.M. cycle to remove this material and more often in
extreme conditions. This will also help when inspecting
bodies for cracks.

Impact and Wear Solutions

Your mining body requirements are as unique as your mine.
Caterpillar offers a variety of Mine Specific liner and wear package
options to protect the body structure from impact and wear.

Rear Third Options (Area 13)

The rear third of the body needs more protection since all of the
material passes this point before exiting the body. In addition to the
smooth plate options for the front two-thirds of the body, the rear third
has four additional optional liner packages. These options include
smooth plate, rock box, zipper grid, and MAWPS (Mechanically
Attached Wear Plate System). These patented Caterpillar designs
provide optimum protection in all mining conditions.

Body Liner Options

Caterpillar offers 14 different modular liner plate packages for
additional impact and wear protection in the body. They can be
configured to meet the entire range of impact and wear needs.

1
2

Smooth Plate

Zipper Grid

Smooth Plate is recommended for

cohesive materials to reduce material
build-up and carry-back.

U.S. PATENTS: 6,174,014 and 6,305,731

14

10

11

12

11

The Zipper Grid is a cross between a

rock box and smooth plate and is well
suited to semi-cohesive materials in
that it has some sliding action to avoid
build-up and carry-back
5
14

Rock Box

MAWPS

U.S. PATENT: 6,129,409

The Rock Box is well suited to dry and

non-cohesive materials. The grids fill
with hauled material thus causing the
payload to tumble during dumping,
wearing on itself and not the steel.

U.S. PATENTS: 5,937,549 and 6,194,080

13

Our replaceable wear plate system

comes in solid plate and skeletal plate.
Individual MAWPS replacement requires
no welding and can be done in minutes.

BODY LINER OPTION LOCATIONS

As the interface between your truck and your payload, the body is vital
to your bottom line cost per ton. The Caterpillar Mining Truck body
system achieves a new level of productivity with a balanced
combination of excellent payload, performance, and durability.
The same expertise that engineered the Caterpillar Mining Truck body is
available to help you maintain your productivity. The Caterpillar dealer

network, with more than 1600 outlets around the world, will keep you
running with service you need when you need it.
Caterpillar Mining Truck bodies are available for new chassis orders
and for replacement requirements. To learn more about the Caterpillar
Mining Truck body and what it can do for your operation, call your
Cat dealer today.

The preceding discussion on operations and maintenance of Caterpillar Mining Truck Bodies is a recommended guide for most mining sites. Your site may require unique support. Contact your dealer representative to give you the help that you need.

AEDK0627

www.CAT.com

2004 Caterpillar
All rights reserved.
Printed in U.S.A.