Subsidiary Guarantors - Condensed Consolidated Statements (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2008	Oct. 25, 2013	Oct. 25, 2013	Oct. 26, 2012	Oct. 28, 2011	Oct. 29, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales			$ 5,012,697	$ 5,660,889	$ 4,403,906
Cost of sales			3,389,484	3,783,802	2,897,605
Product development, selling and administrative expenses			680,001	736,776	602,010
Intangible asset impairment charges		155,200	155,200	0	0
Operating income			821,661	1,172,559	920,179
Reorganization items			0	0	(35)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			764,157	1,105,131	895,833
Provision (benefit) for income taxes			230,219	337,870	264,831
Income from continuing operations			533,938	767,261	631,002
Income from continuing operations attributable to non-controlling interest			0	(180)	0
Income from continuing operations attributable to Joy Global Inc.			533,938	767,081	631,002
ASSETS
Current assets		2,822,444	2,822,444	3,156,077
Property, plant and equipment, net		912,642	912,642	832,862
Total assets		5,789,582	5,789,582	6,142,503	5,426,354
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities		1,360,590	1,360,590	1,780,817
Long-term obligations		1,256,927	1,256,927	1,306,625
Accrued pension costs		149,805	149,805	335,813
Shareholders’ equity		2,858,369	2,858,369	2,577,189	1,951,795	1,342,366
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		5,789,582	5,789,582	6,142,503
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities of continuing operations			638,538	463,915	499,726
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities of discontinued operations			(1,688)	(21,054)	4,967
Net cash provided by operating activities			636,850	442,861	504,693
Investing Activities:
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired			0	(955,917)	(1,048,908)
Property, plant and equipment acquired			(153,418)	(241,527)	(110,523)
(Working capital adjustment) proceeds from sale of LeTourneau Technologies Drilling Systems, Inc.			0	(56,270)	375,000
Equity investment in IMM shares			0	0	(376,724)
Withdrawals (deposits) of cash held in escrow			0	866,000	(866,000)
Other investing activities			(112)	1,468	(882)
Net cash used by investing activities			(149,975)	(378,329)	(2,021,877)
Financing Activities:
Common stock issued			7,575	12,148	53,341
Dividends paid			(74,325)	(73,961)	(73,262)
Issuance of senior notes			0	0	495,755
Borrowings under term loans			0	250,000	500,000
Repayments of term loans			(50,000)	(281,250)	(6,250)
Treasury stock purchased	(93,600)		(214,106)	0	0
Net cash (used) provided by financing activities			(336,502)	(81,609)	976,716
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			(8,537)	(7,371)	13,208
Increase (decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			141,836	(24,448)	(527,260)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year			263,873	288,321	815,581
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year		405,709	405,709	263,873	288,321
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales			0	0	0
Cost of sales			0	0	0
Product development, selling and administrative expenses			53,051	69,012	65,239
Intangible asset impairment charges			0
Other (income) and expense			(15,000)	0	0
Operating income			(38,051)	(69,012)	(65,239)
Intercompany items			114,784	66,366	46,179
Interest (expense) income, net			(64,665)	(52,244)	(35,487)
Reorganization items					(35)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			12,068	(54,890)	(54,582)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes			(50,908)	(65,450)	(66,365)
Equity in income of subsidiaries			470,962	756,701	619,219
Income from continuing operations				767,261
Income from continuing operations attributable to non-controlling interest				(180)
Income from continuing operations attributable to Joy Global Inc.			533,938	767,081	631,002
ASSETS
Current assets		191,693	191,693	97,443
Property, plant and equipment, net		18,081	18,081	12,515
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net		0	0	0
Other assets		4,119,523	4,119,523	4,178,760
Total assets		4,329,297	4,329,297	4,288,718
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities		87,190	87,190	106,207
Long-term obligations		1,256,164	1,256,164	1,305,413
Accrued pension costs		136,886	136,886	322,310
Other liabilities		(9,312)	(9,312)	(22,401)
Shareholders’ equity		2,858,369	2,858,369	2,577,189
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		4,329,297	4,329,297	4,288,718
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities of continuing operations			457,171	145,654	982,185
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities of discontinued operations			0	0	0
Net cash provided by operating activities			457,171	145,654	982,185
Investing Activities:
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired				(1,028,829)	(1,048,908)
Property, plant and equipment acquired			(8,489)	(2,274)	(800)
(Working capital adjustment) proceeds from sale of LeTourneau Technologies Drilling Systems, Inc.				0
Proceeds from sale of LeTourneau Technologies Drilling Systems, Inc.					0
Equity investment in IMM shares					(376,724)
Withdrawals (deposits) of cash held in escrow				866,000	(866,000)
Other investing activities			(112)	(155)	(373)
Net cash used by investing activities			(8,601)	(165,258)	(2,292,805)
Financing Activities:
Common stock issued					53,341
Dividends paid			(74,325)	(73,961)	(73,262)
Issuance of senior notes					495,755
Borrowings under term loans				250,000	500,000
Repayments of term loans				(281,250)
Treasury stock purchased			(214,106)
Other financing activities			(40,697)	28,093	(4,328)
Net cash (used) provided by financing activities			(329,128)	(77,118)	971,506
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			0	0	0
Increase (decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			119,442	(96,722)	(339,114)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year			3,459	100,181	439,295
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year		122,901	122,901	3,459	100,181
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales			2,756,869	3,322,522	2,782,132
Cost of sales			1,930,332	2,285,279	1,861,215
Product development, selling and administrative expenses			307,113	335,205	290,044
Intangible asset impairment charges			100,400
Other (income) and expense			34,267	26,896	19,038
Operating income			384,757	675,142	611,835
Intercompany items			(79,519)	(53,331)	(37,107)
Interest (expense) income, net			3,266	834	2,285
Reorganization items					0
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			308,504	622,645	577,013
Provision (benefit) for income taxes			207,825	309,207	240,118
Equity in income of subsidiaries			397,610	388,709	140,514
Income from continuing operations				702,147
Income from continuing operations attributable to non-controlling interest				0
Income from continuing operations attributable to Joy Global Inc.			498,289	702,147	477,409
ASSETS
Current assets		904,591	904,591	1,145,051
Property, plant and equipment, net		375,026	375,026	378,274
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net		701,399	701,399	818,435
Other assets		2,065,239	2,065,239	2,528,849
Total assets		4,046,255	4,046,255	4,870,609
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities		459,333	459,333	750,884
Long-term obligations		763	763	1,212
Accrued pension costs		5,685	5,685	6,589
Other liabilities		8,693	8,693	10,205
Shareholders’ equity		3,571,781	3,571,781	4,101,719
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		4,046,255	4,046,255	4,870,609
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities of continuing operations			58,565	177,098	(318,788)
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities of discontinued operations			(1,688)	(21,054)	4,967
Net cash provided by operating activities			56,877	156,044	(313,821)
Investing Activities:
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired				0	0
Property, plant and equipment acquired			(43,830)	(113,735)	(64,803)
(Working capital adjustment) proceeds from sale of LeTourneau Technologies Drilling Systems, Inc.				(56,270)
Proceeds from sale of LeTourneau Technologies Drilling Systems, Inc.					375,000
Equity investment in IMM shares					0
Withdrawals (deposits) of cash held in escrow				0	0
Other investing activities			1,111	4,841	1,473
Net cash used by investing activities			(42,719)	(165,164)	311,670
Financing Activities:
Common stock issued					0
Dividends paid			0	0	0
Issuance of senior notes					0
Borrowings under term loans				0	0
Repayments of term loans				0
Treasury stock purchased			0
Other financing activities			(425)	(404)	2,041
Net cash (used) provided by financing activities			(425)	(404)	2,041
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			0	0	0
Increase (decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			13,733	(9,524)	(110)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year			6,628	16,152	16,262
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year		20,361	20,361	6,628	16,152
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales			3,691,072	3,805,096	2,718,355
Cost of sales			2,644,416	2,694,336	1,886,857
Product development, selling and administrative expenses			319,837	332,559	246,727
Intangible asset impairment charges			54,800
Other (income) and expense			(52,916)	(59,144)	(34,748)
Operating income			724,935	837,345	619,519
Intercompany items			(151,571)	(113,029)	(123,156)
Interest (expense) income, net			3,895	(16,018)	8,891
Reorganization items					0
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			577,259	708,298	505,254
Provision (benefit) for income taxes			73,302	94,113	91,078
Equity in income of subsidiaries			0	0	0
Income from continuing operations				614,185
Income from continuing operations attributable to non-controlling interest				(180)
Income from continuing operations attributable to Joy Global Inc.			503,957	614,005	414,176
ASSETS
Current assets		1,862,376	1,862,376	2,134,636
Property, plant and equipment, net		519,535	519,535	442,073
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net		1,110,932	1,110,932	1,153,147
Other assets		4,059,130	4,059,130	1,803,046
Total assets		7,551,973	7,551,973	5,532,902
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities		832,621	832,621	1,005,205
Long-term obligations		0	0	0
Accrued pension costs		7,234	7,234	6,914
Other liabilities		164,510	164,510	154,255
Shareholders’ equity		6,547,608	6,547,608	4,366,528
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		7,551,973	7,551,973	5,532,902
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities of continuing operations			122,802	141,163	(163,671)
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities of discontinued operations			0	0	0
Net cash provided by operating activities			122,802	141,163	(163,671)
Investing Activities:
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired				72,912	0
Property, plant and equipment acquired			(101,099)	(125,518)	(44,920)
(Working capital adjustment) proceeds from sale of LeTourneau Technologies Drilling Systems, Inc.				0
Proceeds from sale of LeTourneau Technologies Drilling Systems, Inc.					0
Equity investment in IMM shares					0
Withdrawals (deposits) of cash held in escrow				0	0
Other investing activities			2,444	4,699	4,178
Net cash used by investing activities			(98,655)	(47,907)	(40,742)
Financing Activities:
Common stock issued					0
Dividends paid			0	0	0
Issuance of senior notes					0
Borrowings under term loans				0	0
Repayments of term loans				0
Treasury stock purchased			0
Other financing activities			(6,949)	(4,087)	3,169
Net cash (used) provided by financing activities			(6,949)	(4,087)	3,169
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			(8,537)	(7,371)	13,208
Increase (decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			8,661	81,798	(188,036)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year			253,786	171,988	360,024
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year		262,447	262,447	253,786	171,988
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales			(1,435,244)	(1,466,729)	(1,096,581)
Cost of sales			(1,185,264)	(1,195,813)	(850,467)
Product development, selling and administrative expenses			0	0	0
Intangible asset impairment charges			0
Other (income) and expense			0	0	(178)
Operating income			(249,980)	(270,916)	(245,936)
Intercompany items			116,306	99,994	114,084
Interest (expense) income, net			0	0	0
Reorganization items					0
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			(133,674)	(170,922)	(131,852)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes			0	0	0
Equity in income of subsidiaries			(868,572)	(1,145,410)	(759,733)
Income from continuing operations				(1,316,332)
Income from continuing operations attributable to non-controlling interest				180
Income from continuing operations attributable to Joy Global Inc.			(1,002,246)	(1,316,152)	(891,585)
ASSETS
Current assets		(136,216)	(136,216)	(221,053)
Property, plant and equipment, net		0	0	0
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net		0	0	0
Other assets		(10,001,727)	(10,001,727)	(8,328,673)
Total assets		(10,137,943)	(10,137,943)	(8,549,726)
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities		(18,554)	(18,554)	(81,479)
Long-term obligations		0	0	0
Accrued pension costs		0	0	0
Other liabilities		0	0	0
Shareholders’ equity		(10,119,389)	(10,119,389)	(8,468,247)
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		(10,137,943)	(10,137,943)	(8,549,726)
Consolidated
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales			5,012,697	5,660,889	4,403,906
Cost of sales			3,389,484	3,783,802	2,897,605
Product development, selling and administrative expenses			680,001	736,776	602,010
Intangible asset impairment charges			155,200
Other (income) and expense			(33,649)	(32,248)	(15,888)
Operating income			821,661	1,172,559	920,179
Intercompany items			0	0	0
Interest (expense) income, net			(57,504)	(67,428)	(24,311)
Reorganization items					(35)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			764,157	1,105,131	895,833
Provision (benefit) for income taxes			230,219	337,870	264,831
Equity in income of subsidiaries			0	0	0
Income from continuing operations				767,261
Income from continuing operations attributable to non-controlling interest				(180)
Income from continuing operations attributable to Joy Global Inc.			533,938	767,081	631,002
ASSETS
Current assets		2,822,444	2,822,444	3,156,077
Property, plant and equipment, net		912,642	912,642	832,862
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net		1,812,331	1,812,331	1,971,582
Other assets		242,165	242,165	181,982
Total assets		5,789,582	5,789,582	6,142,503
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities		1,360,590	1,360,590	1,780,817
Long-term obligations		1,256,927	1,256,927	1,306,625
Accrued pension costs		149,805	149,805	335,813
Other liabilities		163,891	163,891	142,059
Shareholders’ equity		2,858,369	2,858,369	2,577,189
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		5,789,582	5,789,582	6,142,503
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities of continuing operations			638,538	463,915	499,726
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities of discontinued operations			(1,688)	(21,054)	4,967
Net cash provided by operating activities			636,850	442,861	504,693
Investing Activities:
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired				(955,917)	(1,048,908)
Property, plant and equipment acquired			(153,418)	(241,527)	(110,523)
(Working capital adjustment) proceeds from sale of LeTourneau Technologies Drilling Systems, Inc.				(56,270)
Proceeds from sale of LeTourneau Technologies Drilling Systems, Inc.					375,000
Equity investment in IMM shares					(376,724)
Withdrawals (deposits) of cash held in escrow				866,000	(866,000)
Other investing activities			3,443	9,385	5,278
Net cash used by investing activities			(149,975)	(378,329)	(2,021,877)
Financing Activities:
Common stock issued					53,341
Dividends paid			(74,325)	(73,961)	(73,262)
Issuance of senior notes					495,755
Borrowings under term loans				250,000	500,000
Repayments of term loans				(281,250)
Treasury stock purchased			(214,106)
Other financing activities			(48,071)	23,602	882
Net cash (used) provided by financing activities			(336,502)	(81,609)	976,716
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			(8,537)	(7,371)	13,208
Increase (decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			141,836	(24,448)	(527,260)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year			263,873	288,321	815,581
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year		$ 405,709	$ 405,709	$ 263,873	$ 288,321