Head to head
Cat 242D3 against Cat 246D3
The Cat 246D3 moves 3.0 GPM more through the auxiliary circuit.
vs
| Spec | Cat 242D3 | Cat 246D3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Dealer quote only | Dealer quote only |
| Rated capacity, as advertised | 2,200 lbs | 2,200 lbs |
| Rated at | 50% of tipping load | 50% of tipping load |
| Tipping load | 4,400 lbs | 4,400 lbs |
| Capacity at its class convention | 2,200 lbs | 2,200 lbs |
| Engine power | 74 hp | 74 hp |
| Engine | Cat C3.3B DIT | Cat C3.3B DIT |
| Auxiliary flow | 20 GPM | 23 GPM |
| Lift height | 121.1 in | 124.2 in |
| Operating weight | 7,138 lbs | 7,478 lbs |
| Lift path | Vertical Lift | Radial Lift |
| Rubber tracks | No | No |
| High flow available | Yes | Yes |
| Enclosed cab available | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed travel available | Yes | Yes |
| Self-levelling available | Yes | Yes |
| A/C and heat available | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 2 yr / 2,000 hr | 2 yr / 2,000 hr |
What owners say about each
Cat 242D3
- Vertical lift geometry keeps the load close and reaches highest at full extension, which is what loading a high-sided truck actually needs.
- At 7,138 lb it is the lighter of the two 2,200 lb D3 wheeled machines, so it tows behind less truck than the radial-lift 246D3.
- The 30 GPM high-flow option covers most attachments short of a large mulcher.
- Being an outgoing generation is the point: dealers discount D3 stock against the next-gen 250 sitting beside it.
- Cat publishes no MSRP for it, so there is no list price to negotiate against — everything depends on what the dealer has to move.
- It is the generation Cat is replacing, which will shorten how long dealers stock parts and attachments specific to it.
- 20 GPM standard flow is the lowest of the mid-frame D3 wheeled machines; the 246D3 and 262D3 both start at 23.
- Cat parts and dealer labour sit at the top of the market whatever generation you buy.
Cat 246D3
- Radial geometry pries hardest at mid-height, which is where dozing, digging and backfilling happen.
- 23 GPM standard flow is three more than the 242D3 beside it, and High Flow XPS takes it to 32 at higher pressure.
- 124.2 inches to the hinge pin is taller than the vertical-lift 242D3, which is not what most buyers expect from the two lift paths.
- An outgoing generation on a dealer lot is the cheapest route to a Cat of this size.
- No published MSRP, so the price is whatever the dealer needs it to be that month.
- Radial lift gives up reach and dump height at the top of the stroke, so truck loading over high sides is awkward.
- It weighs 340 lb more than the 242D3 for the same rated capacity.
- Superseded by the 260, which limits how long it stays a current machine at a dealer.