Machine models

Cat 215 specifications

Entries in this reference
Listing-entry count
1

Short answer

The Cat 215 is an 85-horsepower full-size excavator, and Cat lists one version of it. Listed weight is 36,156 lb.

215 specification matrix — Boom/Stick Option (Hex) 1
Specification	215
Shipping Length Of Unit	29.76 ft
Shipping Height Of Unit	10.18 ft
Max Loading Height	17.72 ft
Max Reach Along Ground	27.56 ft
Max Vertical Wall Digging Depth	11.49 ft
Max Digging Depth	17.39 ft
Boom/Stick Option (Hex) 1	one piece boom w/ stick 1800mm

Dimensions and weight
Specification	215
Ground Clearance	1.55 ft
Height To Top Of Cab	9.96 ft
Width To Outside Of Tracks	7.98 ft
Tail Swing Radius	8.6 ft
Removal Counterweight Clearance	3.09 ft

Undercarriage
Specification	215
Track Gauge	6.3 ft
Shoe Size	20.08 in
Ground Pressure	7.5 psi
Drawbar Pull	26,400 lb
Number Of Track Rollers Per Side	8
Number Of Shoes Per Side	44
Max Travel Speed	2.1 mph

Operational
Specification	215
Operating Weight	36,156 lb
Fuel Capacity	55 gal
Cooling System Fluid Capacity	8.2 gal
Hydraulic System Fluid Capacity	75.1 gal
Engine Oil Capacity	5 gal
Operating Voltage	24 V
Swing Drive Fluid Capacity	5.3 gal
Alternator Supplied Amperage	19 amps
Hydraulic System Relief Valve Pressure	4,000 psi
Hydraulic Pump Flow Capacity	84.1 gpm

Ratios
Figure	215
Engine horsepower per 1,000 lb of weight	2.4
Fuel tank per engine horsepower	0.65 gal
Hydraulic power from the listed pump flow and relief pressure	196.3 hp

Reference directory classification
Equipment group	full-size excavator

Cat's listing for the 215 matches a full-size excavator; see the excavators page.

Where the 215 ranks in Cat's list — Scope of the captured comparison
Brand	Equipment group	Compared entry	Sort order
Cat	full-size excavator	215	Descending quantity; 1 is largest

Figure	215	Rank	Lowest in line	Highest in line
Engine power	85.0 hp	60 of 74	54.0 hp	542.0 hp
Listed weight	36,156 lb	53 of 74	14,330 lb	207,400 lb
Fuel capacity	55.0 gal	60 of 70	29.1 gal	327.6 gal
Horsepower per 1,000 lb	2.4 hp	72 of 74	2.2 hp	7.9 hp
Ground pressure	7.5 psi	10 of 25	4.4 psi	14.4 psi
Maximum digging depth	17.4 ft	41 of 60	12.4 ft	42.1 ft

The 215 beside its neighbours
Base version	311D LRR	215	212
Engine power	80 hp	85 hp	94 hp
Weight	27,514 lb	36,156 lb	28,290 lb
Fuel capacity	55.5 gal	55 gal	64.8 gal
Wheelbase	212: 8.21 ft
Ground pressure	311D LRR: 4.97 psi; 215: 7.5 psi
Maximum digging depth	16.54 ft	17.39 ft	15.7 ft

215: owner reports

Sources: 3 forum discussions about the Caterpillar 215 excavators; heavyequipmentforums.com.

Weak hydraulics and a joystick hose leak. Two threads on a 215 whose hydraulics were weak, one asking whether it was an engine or hydraulic problem and one weak after 30 minutes, where a reply said loss of servo pressure gives those symptoms, and a third on a hydraulic leak from a joystick hose behind the cab. Threads read: 1, 2, 3.

215: forum references — Forum-title search
Forum index	Equipment class queried	Names in the search	Matching titles
Heavy Equipment Forums	full-size excavator	Cat and the 215	87

CAT 215b LC Final Drive Part Number The Same As 215c (Heavy Equipment Forums, 2025-12-08)
Have Got Hold On A CAT 215b LC For Cheap Serial 9yb01132 (Heavy Equipment Forums, 2025-11-20)
CAT 215 Some Questions (Heavy Equipment Forums, 2025-07-13)
CAT 215 96l1937 (Heavy Equipment Forums, 2025-06-13)

Used market for the 215 — Dated first-page listing snapshot
Observation date	Listing source	Equipment search	Listings
2026-09-24	MachineryTrader	Cat full-size excavator	7

Model	Listed	Model years	Lowest asking	Highest asking	Median asking	Median hours
215	7	1981 to 1994	$16,308	$49,900	$27,191	None shown

215: recall reference — Dated CPSC search
Search date	Database	Names queried	Search result
2026-09-24	U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission	Cat together with the full-size excavator 215	No matching recall in this search

Sources for this page
Evidence class	Document, classification and recorded date
Reference site	Reference site: Cat 215 — RitchieSpecs. Observed 2026-09-24.
Forum threads	Forum threads: Heavy Equipment Forums thread index for Cat 215 — Heavy Equipment Forums. Observed 2026-09-24.
Forum threads	Forum threads: Forum threads read for the Caterpillar 215 excavators — Heavyequipmentforums. Observed 2026-09-24.
Used-market listings	Used-market listings: MachineryTrader listings for Cat 215 — MachineryTrader. Observed 2026-09-24.
Federal agency data	Federal agency data: Recall database search for Cat — U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Observed 2026-09-24.

215

Specification	Source figure
Boom/Stick Option (Hex) 1
Shipping Length Of Unit	29.76 ft
Shipping Height Of Unit	10.18 ft
Max Loading Height	17.72 ft
Max Reach Along Ground	27.56 ft
Max Vertical Wall Digging Depth	11.49 ft
Max Digging Depth	17.39 ft
Boom/Stick Option (Hex) 1	one piece boom w/ stick 1800mm
Dimensions and weight
Ground Clearance	1.55 ft
Height To Top Of Cab	9.96 ft
Width To Outside Of Tracks	7.98 ft
Tail Swing Radius	8.6 ft
Removal Counterweight Clearance	3.09 ft
Undercarriage
Track Gauge	6.3 ft
Shoe Size	20.08 in
Ground Pressure	7.5 psi
Max Travel Speed	2.1 mph
Drawbar Pull	26,400 lb
Number Of Track Rollers Per Side	8
Number Of Shoes Per Side	44
Engine
Net Power	85 hp
Displacement	427.2 cu in
Number Of Cylinders	4
Power Measured @	2,000 rpm
Operational
Fuel Capacity	55 gal
Cooling System Fluid Capacity	8.2 gal
Hydraulic System Fluid Capacity	75.1 gal
Engine Oil Capacity	5 gal
Swing Drive Fluid Capacity	5.3 gal
Hydraulic System Relief Valve Pressure	4,000 psi
Hydraulic Pump Flow Capacity	84.1 gpm
Operating Voltage	24 V
Alternator Supplied Amperage	19 amps
Buckets
Reference Bucket Capacity	1.2 yd3
Minimum Bucket Capacity	0.8 yd3
Maximum Bucket Capacity	1.3 yd3
Additional specifications
Operating Weight	36,156 lb