UPDATE: You can watch the video of the Cat 777F here.
Yes I know thws is pure self-indulgence on the part of Biglorryblog. But what's the point of having power if you're not prepared to abuse it every now and again? And if that includes blagging a drive of a 1,031hp, 160-tonne, 60cum CAT 777F off-road dump truck like this at CAT's fantastic Malaga demo site then why not? The Malaga site covers 90 hectares and has just about every piece of CAT construction, mining and quarrying equipment that you'd ever want to have a go with. And just for your information this shows the triple seven F yomping up a 27% gradient without a murmur of protest from its V12.
The picture above neatly shows you how big it is compared with your average peugeot Partner car-derived van. In fact you could drive over it and feel no more than as if you'd gone over a speed bump! The man on the dump truck is CAT's dump truck application specialist Blair Milne a really great bloke who taught me to drive it.
Of course, first you've got to get into the cab which means climbing on the thing first, via this ladder (the first part is a bit like climbing up a big Renault Magnum), then it's up the staircase to the right to the top landing and into the cab (taking care not to clobber your bonce on the scow body which extends over the cab...that's why you wear a hard hat!)
And this is the cab itself, it's rather nice and wouldn't disgrace your average 7.5-tonner. The main driving seat is in the centre, the smaller seat is for the driver trainer (presumably because it's the closest to the door and a quick escape!). The two bumps just above the steering wheel are the air intakes for the air filters (that's the 'bonnet' in between you and the far side of the dumper).
And here's the view the driver sees of the dash--the red foot pedal on the far left is the 'emergency brake' "You won't need that" says Blair reassuring me. Indeed the CAT 777F has no less than four braking systems including an emergency oil-activated spring brake system that comes on if you lose oil pressure (for example if you stall the engine). After all you wouldn't want to freewheel down a hill with 160 tonnes would you? The left hand lever is the auto box selector (I didn't realise that CAT made their own transmissions and retarders as well as engines) the one on the right is for the tipping gear.
Switches on? Contact? BLB checks his mirrors and we're off. And just in case you're wondering WHY I'm driving a triple seven F it's for the Truck & Driver Christmas issue.A quick turn of the key and the CAT engine roars into life before settling down to a throaty burble.There’s no separate park brake as such: It’s all built into the auto box. So with one foot on the brake pedal we select drive, and release the footbrake and start creeping foward. And this is the view from the cab!
Gingerly touching the throttle we pull out of the marshalling area and start climbing into the test track proper, the autobox gear changes are dictated by road speed so you’ve got to get to over 2,100 rpm or so before the box hops up a cog, on some of the hills we climb up steadily in second then as we crest the ride the box quickly skips up to 3, 4, 5,6 and 7.
The steering is astonishing---it’s so light you can spin the wheel with one finger and lock-to-lock is within 1.5 turns of the wheel. Consequently this thing turns on a sixpence (if you could find a sixpence 10 metres wide...). As we trundle along the driving position feels ‘right’ no real problem with the width (the 777F is 5.2m wide!) even when we come to a junction with two narrow marker posts either side. Then as part of the track ahead is blocked by a dozer Blair decides we should turn around and has me reversing up a slope and doing a three-point turn like this.
The mirrors give a decent rear view..up to a point. It takes a while to get used to the curvature of them---for example when backing up you can’t just line up the body parallel to the edge of the road and think you’re straight. Fortunately the rear view camera helps but the really 'interesting' bit is that at that height you’ve no idea what’s happening at groundlevel on the right hand side. It’s a complete mystery—even a cross grille mirror is of limited use. And this is what you see from the driving seat as you look at your right hand mirrors. It's particularly noticeable doing the above three-point turn--I know there are a couple of marker posts either side of the road but until you get past them you don't pick them up again in your mirrors....fortunately they were both standing as I drove back up the hill on the left hand side of the track.
Going down the hill, as the revs and road speed drop (well I thought it a good idea to try the brakes) at 1,500 or so the box drops back down. It’s surprisingly smooth. As we start going down a steeper bit of the track Blair suggests we try the multi-stage mechanical retarder worked by the column lever. It’s got a very light action and without trying I go straight to 'full-on' position. Er.....hello Mr windscreen! 'You’d better back it off a bit!' says Blair politely....With a bit more practice we’re changing down more gently using the retarder as we descend the hill. In the meantime, I'm delighted to hear that the general rule of thumb on the CAT site is that everything gives way to the big boys.
So what was it like? Actually a lot easier than expected, not least due to the extremely driver -friendly controls and outstanding braking system. The air-suspended seat really takes care of all the holes--although with 9ft wheels and tyres you simply flatten most of them! Blair explains that he can get a novice driving the big CAT dumper fairly comfortably within a couple of hours although to be really competent you're talking 4-5 days training. And the biggest part of the training, he tells me, is getting to understand the width of the truck and what's going on at ground level arouund that offside right-hand-side.
Meanwhile, my thanks to Blair and Mia Karlsson at CAT for organising the drive at Malaga. It was great fun (and safe too!). You'll find the full story in the January cover dated edition of T&D that comes out in the first week of December. And I have some nice video clips of the CAT triple seven F in action so keep an eye out for them in the coming days as I'll ask web editor Toby Clark to put them up on BLB for me. (Toby's a young man, he's understands all that stuff).Now what's next? A combine harvester I think.
Last but not least here's the business end of the big CAT dumper. The mighty 32-litre CAT ACERT V12. Filters should be easy to change..to get to them you just walk inside the front mudguard!
i hope CAT have good insurance for u journos!
1. I want one!
2. If CAT put this up for a "Children in Need" jape they would raise a fortune. I'll start the bidding at £500!
3.How do you become a journo?
I've had this comment posted to me by Gerald at tnn.co.uk
Posted by Gil Gair at 01/12/2007 11:42 PM
been driving dumptrucks and other plant for 35 years cats are the best but with only one door if in an accident it rolls over on that side what about the poor driver nice bit of kit though
Hello
How and where do i take lessons and take the test to get myself a job in the mines in Aussie?
How much would it all cost start to finish?
Is it possible to get a job even though one is a newly past driver?
Cheers
COULD SOMEONE SEND SOME INFORMATION WHERE I COULD DO THIS COURSE OR A COURSE FOR THE 770 OFF-HIGHWAY TRUCK. THANK YOU EMAIL [RUDKIN324@BTINTERNET.COM.
i am a truck driver and have been most of my working life currantly driving semi,s but have owned truck and dog what do i need to update to dump truck license iam 60 years of age but have lots left in me yet.regards Ken Griffin
How would i go about getting my license to drive the cat dumpers? Is there a certain age?
Hi all,
I'm working for IAMGOLD, a big mining company in Suriname ( Rosebel Gold Mines N.V.).
Can I get some more info on how to coach an new hire to operate such a huge machine?
What I am doing is give the new hire a lesson in theory and after that a practical lesson.
Can I find a manual on the internet?
What we are trying to do also is to close the gab between training and actually driving the truck.
So can you guys help us?
Thank in advance!!!
Gilvin Mahabir
Iam working for the mining company IAMGOLD in Suriname SouthAmerica.
Can i get some more info on how to teach new hires to drive a 777F?
Gilvin Mahabir
That thing is fast when you shift to second then third and then the turbo kicks in and sucks you back in your seat ohhhhhh yeaaaaa nothing runs like a deere being chased by a CAT
tHOMAS SAID THAT CAT DUMPER TURCK DUMPER TURCK A GOOD
I just stumbled across this post and found it very interesting. I work at the Cat plant that builds the Triple 7 (777F/100 Ton)truck. I work in the test booths on the 777F and I never have had the chance to see the truck in action. (The truck is far too large to fully assemble and ship, needless to say.) Reading the descriptions and seeing the photos was nice.
For those who want to drive trucks like this and bigger. Take a look at a town in Alberta, Canada called Fort McMurray (aka Fort McMoney.) They're always looking for people to drive trucks like this. Fort McMurray is where the Tar Sands are (probably the only place where oil is mined.)
The Tar Sands also extend into the province to the East called Sasketchewan.
The pay for driving the trucks is very high and they're willing to train as well.
Downsides are that you would be about 4 hours from a "major" city, Edmonton. For McMurray has a "gold rush feel" to it, but they are trying to make it more of a family town.
Best of luck to everyone who wants to try for a position. PS. Immigration would be a snap for British and Common Wealth Citizens. There are more jobs than people and you would be moving to another Common Wealth country so it would be doubly easy.
COULD SOMEONE SEND SOME INFORMATION WHERE I COULD DO THIS COURSE OR A COURSE FOR THE 770 OFF-HIGHWAY TRUCK. THANK YOU EMAIL unknownjohn@hotmail.com
how do you go about learning to drive one of these things, would really like to know. cheers.
How and where can i do aye full course to get my 777F license,For Aussie Perth, Canada minning
How much would it cost from start to finish?
How long would it take?
looks like hard work! You should be worn out!!! Love you very much! marg
im looking to find a course in england to learn to drive a big cat dump truck also is there a good chance of a job if you get the licence?
ive already got my hgv class 1 ,does this help me getting a job on the mines in australia and ive got me dumpers , diggers and rollers tickets and me jcb and hiab tickets all citb and site saftey awareness..and i drove all types of trucks for years from 7 half tonners up to artics and tippers you name it...
I run a euclid r85b with a trailer. Converted from a euc end dump. We're told we're getting 777f tractors with 175 ton trailers after the first of the year. Can anyone tell me about the ride of these. Euc's are rough as hell but I've heard cat's are worse. Just wondering. I work in a surface mine in east texas.