After making great strides in developing rubber-tired construction equipment throughout the 50’s and 60’s, Caterpillar created what some consider one of the finest wheel loaders ever designed. The 992C front-end loader was released to the public in 1977. The 992C surpassed the previous 992B version in nearly every way. Larger and more powerful than its predecessor, the 992C contained the new turbocharged V-12 Model 3412 diesel engine, pushing out 690 flywheel horsepower.
One of the most unique features of this loader was the newly designed lift arms with the Z-bar linkage. This configuration boosted the 992C’s capacity to an incredible 12.5 cubic yards and 37,000 pounds. Its speed had increased, as well, and it could load a 50-ton-capacity truck in just three passes.
Modern features of the 992C were the Caterpillar EMS (Electronic Monitoring System) which allowed the operator to track critical equipment systems; a sound-isolated operator’s cab, separate from the ROPS (Rollover Protection System) canopy, allowing optional climate controlled running; and high-reach loader arms for use with trucks up to 120 tons.
A significant option for the 992C was the steel-shoed “beadless” tires, which allowed the machine to work in extreme conditions such as the sharp rock surfaces in quarries. These essentially extended the loader’s range into the domain of track-driven machines.
So well designed was the 992C wheel loader that it survived virtually unchanged, other than a new 13.5 cubic yard bucket, for its entire career as Caterpillar’s big loader. Being one of the best-selling front-loaders of all time has assured the 992C’s rightful place in heavy equipment history.
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