Head to head
Cat 285 against ASV RT-135
The Cat 285 saves $10,000; the Cat 285 carries 961 lb more once both are rated the same way; the Cat 285 moves 3.0 GPM more through the auxiliary circuit.
| Spec | Cat 285 | ASV RT-135 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $122,000 | $132,000 |
| Rated capacity, as advertised | 4,461 lbs | 3,500 lbs |
| Rated at | 35% of tipping load | 35% of tipping load |
| Tipping load | 12,745 lbs | 10,000 lbs |
| Capacity at its class convention | 4,461 lbs | 3,500 lbs |
| Engine power | 111 hp | 132 hp |
| Engine | Cat C3.6TA | Cummins QSF3.8 |
| Auxiliary flow | 23 GPM | 20 GPM |
| Lift height | 147 in | 125 in |
| Operating weight | 13,497 lbs | 12,075 lbs |
| Lift path | Vertical Lift | Radial Lift |
| Rubber tracks | Yes | Yes |
| 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 285
- The 146.6-inch bucket pin height is in a class of its own - operators can load silage trucks, hoppers, and full-size dump trucks with sideboards that force every other CTL to build a ramp.
- With a 12,745 lb tipping load and 4,461 lb ROC at the conservative 35% rating, it handles loaded pallets and grapple work that previously required a small wheel loader.
- The 111 hp C3.6TA with High Flow XPS at 34 GPM runs the biggest mulching heads and cold planers at full production, and land-clearing outfits report it holds RPM where the 299D3 sagged.
- Stability at full height is remarkable for a tracked loader - the long undercarriage and 13,497 lb operating weight mean craning heavy loads doesn't produce the pucker factor of smaller frames.
- The pressurized one-piece cab, heated/ventilated air-ride seat, and 8-inch touchscreen make 10-hour days genuinely comfortable, which matters most on exactly this kind of production machine.
- Cat sized it to compete directly with the Case TV620B, and early comparisons favor the 285's cab, controls, and dealer support network by a wide margin.
- At well over $120k typically equipped, it costs as much as a used dozer or wheel loader, and buyers have to be honest about whether they need this much CTL.
- The 13,497 lb operating weight plus attachment puts the transport package beyond a standard 14k trailer - many owners need a 20k+ trailer and CDL-class towing to move it legally.
- The C3.6TA's Tier 4 Final aftertreatment means DEF, DPF regens, and sensor complexity - the running-cost simplicity of the 74 hp models is gone at this tier.
- Ground disturbance and turf damage are real - despite tracks, this much weight tears up finished lawns and soft ground that a mid-frame machine would cross cleanly.
- It's simply too big for tight residential work, backyard access, or interior demolition, so it only makes sense as a production machine with consistent heavy work.
- Early-production units saw the same touchscreen and software teething problems as the rest of the next-gen line, with fixes arriving via dealer flash updates.
ASV RT-135
- The 132 hp Cummins QSF3.8 with 360 ft-lbs of torque and up to 50 GPM of hydraulic flow spins mulcher heads competitors bog down, making it one of the most capable CTL mulching platforms sold.
- Class-leading cooling - a massive rear package designed for 100% load in high ambient temps - lets it mulch all day in summer without derating.
- The suspended Posi-Track undercarriage spreads 12,000 lbs over huge track contact area, so it floats over slash and soft forest floor where steel-track rivals trench in.
- A 10 mph top speed moves between work zones quickly on big clearing jobs.
- The 2-year/2,000-hour warranty with no-derailment guarantee covers the undercarriage even in forestry duty.
- Undercarriage rebuilds on a 12,000 lb machine are expensive, and the many wheels and bearings demand constant attention in debris-heavy work.
- At well over $130k with a mulching head, total package cost rivals small dedicated forestry machines with steel undercarriages.
- The 20 GPM standard flow is low for the class - this machine only makes sense with the high-flow package.
- ASV's dealer network is thin for supporting a flagship working in remote clearing country.
- The radial-only lift path and 125-inch hinge pin height limit truck-loading versatility compared to vertical-lift rivals.
- Fuel burn is serious under continuous mulching load, and the machine is thirstier than the 74 hp class buyers may be stepping up from.