Additional Balance Sheet And Cash Flow Information (Reconciliation Of Net Income To Net Cash Used By Operating Activities) (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 25, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 25, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	$ 134,001	$ 183,594	$ 553,286	$ 493,434
Loss from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations	134,001	183,594	553,286	493,434
Adjustments to reconcile income from continuing operations to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation			127,443	131,938
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs			58,438	59,272
Amortization of financing origination fees			7,462	8,171
Provision for employee long-term benefits			50,348	50,983
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans			(220,733)	(207,829)
Stock compensation expense			30,287	28,316
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales			5,570	77,519
Provision for credit losses	9,069	6,189	12,823	5,005
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt			0	8,671
Pension and postretirement healthcare plan curtailment and settlement expense			0	236
Foreign currency adjustments			8,692	11,381
Other, net			9,411	11,036
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net			(37,904)	(19,473)
Finance receivables-accrued interest and other			1,597	7,069
Inventories			36,463	(19,451)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities			99,642	257,373
Restructuring reserves			(9,177)	2,664	7,500
Derivative instruments			611	(2,279)
Other			(21,761)	(2,435)
Total adjustments			159,212	408,167
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations (Note 3)			$ 712,498	$ 901,601