Caterpillar 797

Caterpillar 797 Series
Caterpillar 797 (first generation)
Overview
Manufacturer	Caterpillar Inc.
Production	Since September 22, 1998
Assembly	North America
Body and chassis
Class	Ultra class
Body style	Dump
Layout	Front engine, rear wheel drive
Powertrain
Transmission	Seven speed planetary gearset

The Caterpillar 797 is a series of off-highway, ultra class, two-axle, mechanical powertrain haul trucks developed and manufactured in the United States by Caterpillar Inc. specifically for high-production mining and heavy-duty construction applications worldwide. In production since 1998, the 797 series represents Caterpillar’s largest, highest capacity haul trucks. The current, third-generation model, the 797F, offers one of the largest haul truck payload capacities in the world, up to 400 short tons (363 t) and has the highest payload capacity among mechanical drive haul trucks.

In 1997, Caterpillar decided to begin development of a 360 short tons (327 t) payload capacity haul truck to meet the demand from large-scale mine operators wanting to reduce operating costs at mines using 80 to 90 short tons (73 to 82 t) per pass shovels.Engineers at Caterpillar's Mining & Construction Equipment Division in Decatur, Illinois, created a new design for the 797 using computer-aided design technology. This was the first time CAD tools had been used extensively to design a Caterpillar truck.

Caterpillar first unveiled a completed 797 on September 29, 1998, at its assembly plant in Decatur, Illinois.

The first two 797s produced were transported to Caterpillar's Arizona proving grounds for testing. In the second quarter of 1999, the third and fourth 797s produced were the first to be placed in service with a customer at the Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah. Caterpillar put 18 additional 797s into service with mine operators worldwide as production development units.

Caterpillar began marketing the 797 in North America in 2000, with full worldwide marketing following in 2001. The first generation serial number prefix is 5YW.