At a glance
Key specifications
Overall dimensions
Measurement basis: Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.
Precision visual reference
Dimensions and working range
Published measurements for the stated configuration. Illustration not to scale.
Overall Size
Measurement basis: Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.
Working Range
Measurement basis: Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.
Reference details
Visual visual:model-family:caterpillar:973:depth · revision 1 · generated 2026-09-08
Documented model generation; decorative reference illustration · Manufacturer North American reference
Canonical reference: heavyeq.ca/specs/crawler-loaders/caterpillar/973/ · Printed from HeavyEQ.ca. Confirm the actual machine and current manufacturer documentation before transport or operation.
Year, generation & configuration
Model generation and configuration
- Generation / series
- 973 (12A) — AEXQ3536-01 Waste Handler/Demolition tables
- Applicable region
- Manufacturer North American reference
- Year handling
- Confirm the serial/PIN and production year when matching an individual machine to this reference.
Model identity
Model family, generation & status
- Model family
- Caterpillar 973 Waste Handler
- Generation / record
- 973 (12A) — AEXQ3536-01 Waste Handler/Demolition tables
- Product status
- Production status not confirmed — status checked September 2026
- Regional scope
- Manufacturer North American reference
No verified lineage relationship published. HeavyEQ reviewed first-party sources and did not force a predecessor or successor from model numbering.
Manufacturer North American reference
Verified specifications
Values retain their cited source, verification status and original publication basis. Imperial is presented first while manufacturer-published dual units and configuration context remain attached to every value.| Specification | Imperial | Metric | Standard / configuration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Machine Length (bucket on the ground) | 24 ft 7 in | 7,492 mm | Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.Manufacturer verifiedSafety-sensitive value — verify the exact machine. | Caterpillar |
| Bucket Width | 9 ft 10.5 in | 3,010 mm | Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.Manufacturer verifiedSafety-sensitive value — verify the exact machine. | Caterpillar |
| Machine Height to Top of Cab | 11 ft 6.2 in | 3,510 mm | Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.Manufacturer verifiedSafety-sensitive value — verify the exact machine. | Caterpillar |
| Overall Machine Width (without bucket) —675mm shoes | 9 ft 3.6 in | 2,835 mm | Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.Manufacturer verifiedSafety-sensitive value — verify the exact machine. | Caterpillar |
| Ground Clearance | 1 ft 6.5 in | 469 mm | Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.Manufacturer verifiedSafety-sensitive value — verify the exact machine. | Caterpillar |
| Hinge Pin Height at Maximum Lift | 13 ft 10.1 in | 4,218 mm | Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.Manufacturer verified | Caterpillar |
| Dump Clearance at Maximum Lift and45° Discharge | 9 ft 11.1 in | 3,025 mm | Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.Manufacturer verifiedSafety-sensitive value — verify the exact machine. | Caterpillar |
| Reach at Maximum Lift and45° Discharge | 4 ft 5.2 in | 1,352 mm | Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.Manufacturer verifiedSafety-sensitive value — verify the exact machine. | Caterpillar |
| Waste Handler — Operating Weight | 67,164 lb | 30,465 kg | Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.Manufacturer verifiedSafety-sensitive value — verify the exact machine. | Caterpillar |
| Rated Capacity at100% Fill Factor | 4.2 yd³ | 3.2 m³ | Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.Manufacturer verified | Caterpillar |
What the specifications mean
The standard Waste Handler and Enhanced Cleaning packages have different published widths and weights. This page uses the standard Waste Handler throughout; a machine advertised with extra guarding must be matched to its actual package.
Long teeth and segments define the selected GP waste bucket. A bolt-on full edge, Performance Waste bucket or added counterweight changes the load and reach comparison even when the973 model badge is unchanged.
Configuration intelligence
Configurations & specification differences
These observations are scoped to the cited generation and region. They are not a list of valid option combinations.
| Record | Verified observation | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Reference configuration | Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator. | 973 (12A) — AEXQ3536-01 Waste Handler/Demolition tablesManufacturer North American reference |
A brochure configuration is not an individual marketplace machine. Serial/PIN and build information are required for exact verification.
Used 973 Waste Handler inspection priorities
- Identify the installed waste package, then inspect debris protection, cooling access and undercarriage areas where material can accumulate. Check the maintenance history against the actual application.
- Inspect the waste bucket, linkage and structural repairs. Verify counterweight and ripper fitment before relying on the reference loading geometry.
Configuration-aware inspection: these checks are triggered by machine category, installed configuration and technology package. Brochure-listed technology must be physically present, active, licensed and calibrated on the used machine.
Hours, condition and ownership cost
Hours are context, not a condition grade. Duty cycle, idle time, maintenance evidence, wear-system measurements, structural repairs and installed technology should be evaluated together.
Cost drivers to model
- Obtain separate allowances for cleaning labor, guarding damage, bucket wear and running gear. Standard machine service costs alone do not describe a waste-handling application.
- Compare the price of the required package and work tool as a whole. An inexpensive general-purpose973 may need substantial equipment changes before doing the same job.
Configuration
Equipment and configuration
Match the installed equipment to the serial-specific build record and the measurement basis shown above.
Configuration details to confirm
- Bucket and coupler
- Track shoes
- Low-ground-pressure option
- Waste or industrial package
A model specification does not establish compatibility with a particular attachment or option.
Model-reference transport profile
Transport reference
Reference measurements retain their configuration and verification status. Confirm the actual transport setup before booking.
Measurement basis: Standard Waste Handler column,675mm shoes, C9.3B with aftertreatment, GP waste pin-on bucket with long teeth and segments, no counterweight. Not Enhanced Cleaning or Extreme Service/Demolition. Bucket rests on ground for overall length; operating weight includes full fuel and75kg operator.
Reference specifications can differ from the actual configured machine. Confirm dimensions and weight before booking transportation.
Confirm or replace before a transport request
- actual weight
- actual travel length, width and height
- attachments and removable work tools
- bucket, blade, carriage or boom position
- loading condition
Source provenance
First-party sources and verification notes
Only manufacturer-authored records are linked publicly. Provisional measurements remain marked until a matching first-party record is confirmed.973 (12A) — AEXQ3536-01 Waste Handler/Demolition tables
Manufacturer North American reference · official technical document · accessed September 8, 2026 · status: Manufacturer verified