Norscot 55216 - Caterpillar 785D Mining Truck
Model Review March 2010

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The CAT 785D Mining Truck.

CAT in the box.

A large overpowering truck.

Rear detail including dump body chain on the underside.

Underneath view.

Large tyres on a detailed hub.

Suspension detail on the rear axle.

View of cab deck level.

Metal handrails.

Good structure underneath the dump bed.

Tipping angle is good.

Being loaded by a Caterpillar 993K.

The Caterpillar 785D Mining Truck has a gross vehicle operating weight of 250 tonnes, with a maximum payload of just over 140 tonnes.  Fully loaded, the truck can travel at 55km/h (34mph). Another interesting statistic is that the fuel tank capacity is nearly 1900 litres (500 US gallons).

The model is 1:50 scale, and is manufactured by Norscot in China.

Packaging

As with nearly all Caterpillar models, it comes in a windowed box with the model held tight between plastic formers.  Also it is tied to the base with stiff ties, so collectors can expect a short frustrating experience to free the model from the packaging.  With that said, the review model had no defects or missing parts.

There is no information about the real machine other than a photo on the back of the box (which has a different dump body style and tyres to the model), but there is a description of the main features of the model.

Detail

The tyres are made of that rubber that is slightly too shiny and a matt finish would probably look better. The tread pattern is fine. The hubs are quite good plastic parts with an excellent colour match to the rest of the model and with the fine detailing that plastic allows.  Underneath, the truck has a heavy construction but there is a gap where the engine would be, so it is not realistic, although of course this will not normally be seen.

Plastic is also used for the tanks between the wheels, but again the colour match is excellent so it does not show.  The front of the model is impressive with lots of fine metal handrails.  The ladders and stairs are plastic, as is the other equipment on the cab deck, and the main radiator grille at the front, but they all look good.  The driving cab is metal with some interior detail, and it also has metal grab rails and a windscreen wiper.  A pair of large driving mirrors are positioned on each side of the truck.  There is some nice small detailing such as the air horns below the driver's cab.

The dump body is a large metal casting with a good structure and it includes some plastic mud flaps and a non-functioning chain at the rear for securing the dump body open.  Also included are bars for removing debris between the rear tyres.

Features

The steering works well and has quite a reasonable range of movement. The rear axle has a good suspension mechanism which allows either independent oscillation or both wheels to move together.

The mirror opposite the driver's cab can be folded in for transport, but not the driver's side mirror.

The dump body can be tipped and the dual stage pistons open well and are stiff enough to hold any pose.  The tipping angle is realistic.

Quality

This model is well made and robust.  Plastic has been used thoughtfully and effectively without affecting the look of the model.  The paintwork and graphics are very good.

Price

The model is quite large and so is good value.

Summary

The Cat 785D is a continuation of Norscot's improved quality of models in recent years.  The detail level is good with some of the finer points such as the metal hand railing adding to the quality feel.  It also poses well with a suitable loader.