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USD ($) / shares
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USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
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USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$D2008http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000018230duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDPerShareDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$4falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis} : Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi
8/1/2008 - 8/31/2008
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1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
USD ($)
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8/1/2008 - 8/31/2008
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USD ($)
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falsefalse18true0us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVenturesAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse19false0us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse135000000135000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse7000000070000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse6600000066000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment losses recognized.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse20false0us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse2900000029000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse3500000035000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse2800000028000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis item represents the aggregate carrying amount of all cost-method investments as reported on or included in the balance sheet. The original cost of the investments may differ from the aggregate carrying amount disclosed due to various adjustments such as: (i) dividends received in excess of earnings after the date of investment that are considered a return of investment and therefore recorded as reductions to cost of the investment, or (ii) a series of operating losses of an investee or other factors which may indicate that a decrease in value of the investment has occurred which is other than temporary and should accordingly be recognized.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)
-Number 18
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph a
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)
-Number 03-1
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph a
Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)
-Number FAS115-1/124-1
-Paragraph 18
-Subparagraph a
falsefalse21false0us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVenturesus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse164000000164000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse105000000105000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse9400000094000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryTotal investments in (A) an entity in which the entity has significant influence, but does not have control, (B) subsidiaries that are not required to be consolidated and are accounted for using the equity and or cost method, and (C) an entity in which the reporting entity shares control of the entity with another party or group. Includes long-term advances receivable form a party that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership.No authoritative reference available.truefalse22true0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItemsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringLine items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.falsefalse23false0cat_StockRedemptionPercentageOfOwnershipBeforeTransactioncatfalsenadurationPercentage of subsidiary's or equity investee's stock owned by parent company before stock redemption.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4truetruefalse0.500.50falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepurePercentage of subsidiary's or equity investee's stock owned by parent company before stock redemption.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse24false0us-gaap_SubsidiaryOrEquityMethodInvesteeCumulativePercentageOwnershipAfterAllTransactionsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6truetruefalse0.670.67falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepurePercentage of subsidiary's or equity method investee's stock owned by parent immediately after all stock transactions.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 5
-Section H
falsefalse25false0us-gaap_SaleOfStockPercentageOfOwnershipBeforeTransactionus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7truetruefalse0.230.23falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepurePercentage of subsidiary's or equity investee's stock owned by parent company before stock transaction.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 5
-Section H
falsefalse26false0us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentRealizedGainLossOnDisposalus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7truefalsefalse6000000060000000falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis item represents the amount of gain or loss arising from the disposal of an equity method investment.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse27false0cat_SalesByFormerEquityInvesteeToEntitycatfalsecreditdurationThis element represents the sales from unconsolidated equity investee to the entity.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5truefalsefalse16700000001670000000falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis element represents the sales from unconsolidated equity investee to the entity.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse28false0cat_PurchasesByFormerEquityInvesteeFromEntitycatfalsedebitdurationThis element represents the purchases of the entity's products from unconsolidated equity investee.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5truefalsefalse353000000353000000falsetruefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis element represents the purchases of the entity's products from unconsolidated equity investee.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse727Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliated Companies (Details) (USD $)NoRoundingUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruetrue
