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Quarterly Results (Unaudited) (Details 2) (Adoption of new accounting method, USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013	Jun. 29, 2013	Mar. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 29, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012
Impact of change in accounting method
Gross profit		$ 0.6	$ 0.6	$ 0.6	$ (7.0)	$ 0.4	$ 0.4	$ 0.4
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	254.4	6.1	6.1	6.1	(92.6)	5.2	5.2	5.2
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	2.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	(1.2)	0.3	0.2	0.3
Net income		6.4	6.4	6.4	(93.8)	5.5	5.4	5.5
Net income attributable to SPX Corporation common shareholders		6.4	6.4	6.4	(93.8)	5.5	5.4	5.5
Basic income (loss) per share of common stock:
Continuing operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)		$ 0.14	$ 0.13	$ 0.13	$ (1.87)	$ 0.10	$ 0.10	$ 0.10
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)			$ 0.01	$ 0.01	$ (0.02)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Net income (in dollars per share)		$ 0.14	$ 0.14	$ 0.14	$ (1.89)	$ 0.11	$ 0.11	$ 0.11
Diluted income (loss) per share of common stock:
Continuing operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)		$ 0.14	$ 0.13	$ 0.13	$ (1.87)	$ 0.10	$ 0.10	$ 0.10
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)			$ 0.01		$ (0.02)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Net income (in dollars per share)		$ 0.14	$ 0.14	$ 0.13	$ (1.89)	$ 0.11	$ 0.11	$ 0.11
Income from continuing operations, Pre-Tax	412.0
Income from continuing operations, Tax Effect	(157.6)
Income from discontinued operations, Pre-Tax	2.4
Income from discontinued operations, Tax Effect	(0.2)
Historical method
Impact of change in accounting method
Gross profit	27.0
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	254.4
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	2.2
Net income	256.6
Net income attributable to SPX Corporation common shareholders	256.6
Basic income (loss) per share of common stock:
Continuing operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	$ 5.68
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	$ 0.05
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 5.73
Diluted income (loss) per share of common stock:
Continuing operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	$ 5.58
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	$ 0.05
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 5.63
Historical methods - pension and postretirement expense and related tax benefit
Impact of change in accounting method
Charge associated primarily with the November 2013 transfer of the pension obligations of the then-current retirees	399.4
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	251.3
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0.2
Diluted income (loss) per share of common stock:
Income from continuing operations, Pre-Tax	407.0
Income from continuing operations, Tax Effect	(155.7)
Income from discontinued operations, Pre-Tax	0.2
New methods - pension and postretirement income and related tax provision
Impact of change in accounting method
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	(3.1)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(2.0)
Diluted income (loss) per share of common stock:
Income from continuing operations, Pre-Tax	(5.0)
Income from continuing operations, Tax Effect	1.9
Income from discontinued operations, Pre-Tax	(2.2)
Income from discontinued operations, Tax Effect	$ 0.2